Puzzle writer Paolo Pasco of San Diego, California, dominated the third and final semifinal of the 2026 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions on January 29 (Season 42, Game 104), securing a runaway victory with $24,800 and advancing to the finals against Scott Riccardi and TJ Fisher. Pasco clinched the win by answering Final Jeopardy correctly while both of his opponents missed, eliminating any chance of a comeback.

In the high-stakes semifinal, Pasco, one of the seeded TOC competitors, faced Cameron Berry, a data analyst and college administrator from Brighton, Massachusetts, and Ashley Chan, a publicist from Lewisville, Texas, both of whom advanced as quarterfinal winners. Entering Final Jeopardy, Pasco held a narrow but decisive lead with $24,800, compared to Berry’s $22,000 and Chan’s $400.

The Final Jeopardy category was Bodies of Water, with the clue: “This body of water with over 1/3 of the world’s marine mammals, like the vaquita, has been called ‘the aquarium of the world.’” The correct response was the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, famed for its extraordinary biodiversity and famously dubbed “the aquarium of the world” by Jacques Cousteau. Pasco, recognizing he had a locked-in victory, wagered $0 and answered correctly to finish at $24,800. Berry wagered $21,199 but missed with “What is the Mariana Trench?”, dropping to $801, while Chan wagered her entire $400 and missed with “What is Lake Baikal?”, finishing at $0.

Pasco’s zero wager sealed a commanding victory by a margin of $23,999 and highlighted his sharp strategic awareness. Throughout the game, both Pasco and Berry played aggressively, particularly on Daily Doubles, but Pasco’s ability to find and correctly convert both of his Daily Doubles proved decisive in building and maintaining his lead.

With the win, Pasco became the third finalist in the 33rd Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions, joining Scott Riccardi and TJ Fisher. The finals are set to begin February 2nd, with the first contestant to earn three wins taking home the $250,000 grand prize and an automatic invitation to Jeopardy! Masters. Fans praised Pasco’s calm, precise buzzing and disciplined wagering, especially on a notably difficult Final Jeopardy clue that ultimately sealed his place in the championship round.