Hey, I'm Ben Ingram. Somehow, I won the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. AMA!

[deleted]

I can't remember them all, but I mouthed some lyrics to the alma maters of Wofford College and U. of SC, as well as "I love you, Liz" and "Hi, Mom!" I wanted to tell Mr. Trebek I loved him, but of course that didn't work out.

I have always wondered if there are any lost episodes or moments in Jeopardy? Perhaps a contestant questioning a ruling? Or getting angry with another contestant?

The first happens more than you might expect. On a number of occasions the players have to (literally) turn around while a glitch or a borderline ruling is worked out. I never saw or heard a word or gesture of anger.

How much does the most expensive bed cost?

A hell of a lot of money.

Hey, Ben. You made a huge fan of me with your TOC performance. Your 12-1 lifetime Final Jeopardy average (with a record 12 correct in a row!) is one of the most amazing stats in the game. Two questions:

1. I was most impressed by your ability to hazard a solid guess even for things you appeared not to know. If you had to estimate, what percentage of clues did you know for sure vs. educated guess?

2. What topics are your weaknesses and did you have a specific strategy for improving in those areas before your appearances?

P.S. Please phrase all your responses in the form of a question. Just kidding :)

Thank you, first of all!

The only clue I knew for sure was Thursday's FJ!. But even after I wrote my response, I stared at the clue for 29 seconds to make sure. The key to playing well is having confidence in yourself, but that's hard to know when you realize every game could be your last.

Shakespeare was my weakest subject. I studied it hard. Obviously, I didn't work hard enough on it.

Now that you have become the Pride of the Carolinas, do you think the Panthers will become jealous and not lose another game en route to a Super Bowl title?

Now tell me the one about Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Hi Ben! I just wanted to congratulate you on the most amazing ToC I remember watching. How did you prepare for the ToC, knowing that you had over a year before it would tape? Also, were you expecting/hoping to play Mark in a rematch? That would've been super exciting. Congrats again!!

Thanks, AK!

I worked my behind off trying to get better at categories in which I was bad, which I should have done before going on in the first place. Everyone gets bad boards, but bad boards are made of bad categories, so my idea was to reduce the number of both.

Mark J. is an excellent player and one of the most precise I've ever played. I've never beaten him. So, no.

Follow up: How was it finally meeting all of the other contestants? That must have been a blast.
P.S. I can't wait to see you in the next super-tournament!

It was. They were great players, even better people.

Who do you think should replace Alex on the sad, sad day he returns to his own realm?

I've been trying hard to think of someone other than Art Fleming or Alex Trebek at the wheel and I cannot do it. I cannot do it. Know what would be fun? Get Steve Harvey to do it.

What would be your ideal category, something that you would know immediately on hearing that you could run the board?

Additionally, you're an inspiration and your Twitter game is on point.

20th century presidential elections. When I saw that come up I could have cried. See how much luck is involved?

Appreciate the kind words.

When was the last time you were drunk?

What was that movie with Ice Cube and John Witherspoon was his father, and it was a day of the week? The most recent one of those. Don't be like I was.

How did you manage to keep it a secret you were the champion? Congrats btw!

It isn't easy, but then again if letting the cat out of the bag means jeopardizing your winnings and your good name as someone who can be trusted, it isn't hard.

Thank you!

Congrats Ben,

As a serious trivia buff myself, what was your Jeopardy! prep like? Did you use Anki, or a similar flashcard app? Comb the j-archive database? Read books?

Also, what can I do to get you to join my team for America's biggest pub quiz in February??

J-archive was the tool I used most in preparing. I would go through eight or nine games an hour. This way, come show time I would feel like I had more time to focus on a correct response and decide to signal or not. I kept track of Coryats as well as Coryats/combined Coryats, and I held steady in the first metric but the second went up about .008% a game on average.

When not on the Archive I would hit the "weight room" and go through Pavlovs of things in which I was bad, like literature or fine arts. Some lists I prepared myself, others I copied from different sources. I wrote them by hand and pasted them around the walls of my office, so I would always see them. Some I would misspell on purpose, the better to remember them.

I read (past and present tense) for fun, and that's important too, because you remember best that way. I did not use Anki heavily but I recommend it if you're into flash cards.

Send me a DM; we'll talk

Thanks for the tips, Mr. Ingram! I'm a high school senior and I'm competing on a televised quiz bowl event relatively soon, so this stuff really helps. I want to go all the way to the "Superbowl" this year.

Best wishes. I played QB myself. It ain't easy.

What is your favorite bridge?

The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston, SC, which opened July 16, 2005.

How has the show affected your social life?

I've made a lot of new friends. One young person walked up to me at a restaurant and said "Are you Ben Ingram?" I've been friends with his family ever since.

What were your thoughts going into the final against Arthur Chu and a 20-game winner (Julie Collins)?

Mostly it was "uh-oh". Twenty straight games and eleven straight games can't be wrong. Thing was, I played in the last semifinal, so I already knew they would be in the final, and with the SF coming up I didn't concern myself with the final. Didn't want to put the cart before the horse. By the time the SF was over I had known it would be Julia and Arthur for a while, and the shock (and fear) had worn off a little. We had lunch right before the final game, and to be able to talk with them about something other than J! took the heat off a little. Once the game actually started they were just competitors. I stared straight ahead those games because if I looked and saw Arthur and Julia there in the flesh for real, I might have frozen. They were as good as advertised.

Hi Ben. Thanks for answering our questions. I'm one of the mods of /r/Jeopardy. Feel free to stop by the sub when you're on reddit and participate in the daily discussions we have of the game. We definitely enjoy getting the feedback of former players. Tournament champs especially. And any fans of the game not already active on the sub should check it out when you have a chance.

A few questions for you.

• How much harder would you say the tournament was compared to your regular games?

• Going up against two noteworthy champs in the final round must have been quite intimidating. How concerned were you that they might dominate the games?

• Favorite moment of the tournament?

Love the sub. I'll try to be a better participant in the future.

The pop culture was much harder, the rest of the material a little harder. I might not be the person to ask because I feel I improved between my reg. season and the ToC. That and I'm bad at pop culture anyway. Some contestants (Roger Craig and Pam Mueller come to mind) benefit from tougher material because they have a great deal of depth, so they might say ToC boards are easier. In the end, it just depends on what 61 clues you get.

I should have been more intimidated than I was. Blame naivete, I guess. In the first game I hung in there through the J! round and felt great, but in DJ! Arthur and Julia poured it on. I wasn't concerned so much as frustrated.

1. I had no choice but to bet it all, and I lucked out by getting a clue I knew.

Who were your favorite Wofford professors?

I was a mathematics major, so call me partial, but Dr. Hagglund was inspiring. I took him seven times. Drs. Grinnell, Byrnes, Cathey, Stone, Hitchmough, Jeffrey were fun and fulfilling as well. I could go on and on.

You looked completely shocked and appreciative when you won last week. What was it like to win next to two very good contestants?

It was shocking and worthy of appreciation. Julia and Arthur are two of the very best ever, and I had to play them both AT THE SAME TIME. We had lunch right before. I wasn't hungry.

What is the most interesting historical fact you know?

When he was at Princeton, Eugene O'Neill threw a shoe through Woodrow Wilson's window.

Were you surprised by any of the answers you were able to come up with, looking back at the show?

A bunch. I looked at the QF at home with my mom, grandparents, brother, and dog, and something came up about '80s cop show music. I had no idea, but I watched myself ring in and get it. Whaaaaaaaat?

Do you feel as though one requires a strategy to win a game of Jeopardy (i.e. getting rid of daily doubles first), or do you think having a wide base of knowledge generally suffices?

Julia won without actively hunting DDs, and Mark Japinga beat me head-to-head without finding a single DD. I was not at their level of knowledge, so I figured I would have to get those DDs before the other guys could use them. Do unto others before they can do it unto you.

Do you appreciate the irony that the only FJ you ever missed was the one that netted you the most money?

I do. I thought I had blown it. The only way I could win is if Arthur missed, and the ball didn't bounce his way that time.

Do you think Alex will ever tell the difference between Texas and South Carolina?

"It isn't important for [him] to know. It's important for me to know."

Do Jeopardy winners have a really outsized love for Twitter, or does it just seem that way?

Well, some have an outchanged love of Twitter.

I started my Twitter in a parking lot in Columbia, SC, in 2011, and forgot I had it until the day I lost to Mark Japinga in 2013. It's a neat way to stay in touch with friends.

Could or would you ever compete against Watson?

Sure, I'd like to try. I'd have to get better on the signaling device.

I've seen people double-fist beers before, but you're the only person I've ever seen Quad-Fisting beers. How to you manage to be so mind-bogglingly awesome?

Because I'm thirsty.

How bad were your friends about trying to find out how you did in the tournament? Some (not all) of mine kept trying to weasel it out of me, or at least get a hint! :)

Oh, they weren't bad, because they didn't want to be spoiled. Watching on the TV is more fun than listening to me tell a story. I'm a bad storyteller. Don't know if you knew that.

What did Alex say to you right after you won?

He shook my hand harder than he had ever shaken it and said I was a worthy champion. That meant a lot. I hope he was right.

He is right, you are a worthy champion. Dan and I both think you're a really great guy! :)

Back atchall.

How are you liking LearnedLeague?

Hoo boy. It's hard because it's loaded. Some of the best quizzers around the world hang out there. I've been struggling to stay above .500. I haven't submitted yet today.

What certifications do you have in IT and what type of work do you do in it exactly?

I work in automated testing as well as risk & compliance. I use a lot of Selenium with Java.

Former Terrier here, where did you love to eat in Spartanburg?

Taco Dog and Monsoon. Still do! Also Zach's, but I was always outta bucks.

So, what's so special about July 16th?

My favorite bridge opened that day. Keep an eye on those boxes, by the way.

Alex trebek, mustache or no mustache?

I'll admit: no mustache. I wish he could pull off the '70s 'stache-n-natural look again, but the world turns.

I had a beard the day before the QF, and almost kept it, but I trimmed it too close the night before so I shaved it off. My mother liked the way I look better without. We (Alex Trebek and I) exchanged shaving tips after my QF game.

Judging by your short bio, I think I know the answer to this question, but:

Oftentimes on Daily Doubles you seemed downright shocked that you got the answers correct. So my question is, after as much as you won, were you really that surprised?

Also, shoutout to /r/jeopardy if you're a fan of the show and enjoy nitpicking everything!

I was shocked I was even playing the game, to be honest. Some, I was more sure of than others, but I don't think I was ever 100.00% sure. Jeopardy! more than any game makes you realize you're a human being who makes mistakes.

what's your favorite wrong answer you gave on the show?

When I was on the first time I said Miss Havisham was in Oliver Twist. That was my favorite because it made me want to learn more about literature. It paid in the ToC. My favorite would have been if I had gotten a computational math one and blew it, because I'd never hear the end of it from certain people.

Was the bed that you bought worth the cost?

Entirely. I'm better and more productive.

How do you feel about Arthur's strategy of jumping around topics? Do you believe that it is fair?

It's definitely fair. There's no rule against it, first of all, and not only do I feel it doesn't violate the spirit of the game but it IS the spirit of the game. You can pick whatever clue you want. This is the United States of America. It's weird because some folks believe the bounce was the primary factor behind Arthur's (and Andrew Moore's) success. Not true. The primary factor was that they were sharp, knowledgeable, and fast players. The bouncing sure didn't hurt, and that was the way they played, that was their rhythm, that's how they felt comfortable. It really does make it harder to watch at home. It's true. But when you play you play by yourself, and you have to look out for yourself, viewers be damned. Understandable, right?

Hi Ben (and any others who happen to be hanging around - I was one of the dozen or so watching you on the livestream a moment ago).

In terms of substantive questions: what are your nightmare and dream categories? Please feel free to be as weirdly specific as you like.

I am not a particularly seasoned quizzer, but frankly, any time anything on art comes up, I go and make a cup of tea and come back when it's over. I remain hopeful for questions on the use of swearing in The Thick of It and the descant lines of Christmas carols, but neither has happened yet. (Someday. Someday.)

In less specific questions, have you seen the British show Only Connect? Because you should really watch Only Connect.

Thanks for watching!

Dream: Thursday's final. Nightmare: You guessed it. Friday's final.

I adore Only Connect.

Who do you think should host a hypothetical US version of Only Connect? I always visualize either Demetri Martin or Carrie Brownstein.

Wow. So can I come to think of it.

So how does it feel to be the best Jeopardy! player nobody's ever heard of?

You know, I've gotten a lot of attention since this happened, but that wasn't my goal. I just wanted to play the best I could for as long as I could. I enjoyed playing so much I would have played for eight cents. When the finals came around I was called a dark horse, and it makes sense because among the three finalists I was, to put it bluntly, the least successful. But I've never felt lonesome or neglected or overlooked. I've got an awesome group of friends and family who love and support me without qualification, and having them on my side was and still is enough.

Hello, Ben. I absolutely loved watching you in the Tournament Of Champions, and I'm very happy that you were able to defeat two champions like Arthur and Julia. I have a few questions:

1. In the last semi-final game (where the answer was "Water For Elephants"), was your reaction after your was revealed like "Oh my goodness, I'm going to face two really good champions!" or "That was the correct answer? Pretty good guess."?

2. What's your advice for an up-and-coming Teen "Jeopardy!" player like me?

3. If you could go up against any past Tournament Of Champions competitor, who would it be?

Thank you so much!

Thank you!

1. Pretty good guess. I thought WFE took place pre-WWI.

2. Realize your weaknesses, and put in the effort to not make them your weaknesses anymore. Read and study in your own way. An ounce of sweat pays a gallon of dividends.

3. Joon Pahk and Jason Keller. They'd beat me like an old TV set.

How many people are in the audience? Is it a large group? Does it put a little extra stress on you?

Mayvbe 200. Not really, because you're so focused on playing well, and you can't see them anyway because of the lights.

How many times did you take the test or audition for the show?

I tried out once on a Brain Bus event on '04, then I took the test again in '12.

What were your favorite / least favorite Jeopardy categories ?

I'll throw a guess out on least favorite.

Initials to Roman Numerals to Numbers?

I hate the categories that have multiple steps. Bitch, you're only giving us like 6 seconds to answer.

I love those multi-word or multi-response. Those are the ones in which I felt I could really separate myself, because nobody else likes them. It's like how nobody else liked Pabst Blue Ribbon, so you could drink 'em cheap. But that was long ago, of course.

HE REPLIED TO ME I FEEL IMPORTANT

I loved watching you play though. I never watched the final game, but while I was in the hospital my dad and I would watch Jeopardy every night.

That's no problem. Hope you're feeling better.

How is it keeping your victories secret?

It was easy because nobody wants to be spoiled. I'll have a finite simple group of order 2, please.

How do you feel about Jeopardy's decision to get rid of ties during regular games?

Bottom line: It's good because more people get to play. I wish everyone could play. It's so much fun.

Is Alex as delightful in person as I hope he is?

Gosh, yes. He understands what the contestants are going through and tries to keep their spirits up. That's why you hear the "No, sorry." It's genuine.

Do you like chocolate milk?

We were childhood sweethearts, actually, but after a while we drifted apart, chocolate milk and I. When I saw it again it was in a Food Lion, and I worked up enough nerve to introduce myself again.

I always see your responses to the Jeopardy! bot on twitter, big fan.

Were you concerned about Arthur Chu's notorious playing style going in? How did you prepare for the ToC?

I was more concerned with his knowledge and speed, and rightly so. He could have won those 11 games going straight down the board, diagonal, four corners, whatever.

When did you think of entering Jeopardy? Did you expect to win?

Allow me to answer your second question first: no.

I tried out for the first time the night Ron Artest ran into the stands. I took the online test the next time in January 2012 in Spartanburg, SC, on the floor of my gf's apartment. That worked out.

Any unusual bets being made?

Of course there's bets being made. It's the ToC.

Did you ever buy a snooker table?

No, but I didn't buy any Tina Belcher glasses either.

Hey Ben, fellow math major/quizbowl player/Florence area (Chesterfield)/Gamecock here.

Keith Williams commented that the Finals Game 2 score being lower than the Game 1 score was more or less a result of stamina loss at the end of a day of taping (and Julia's cold). How much do you agree with that?

Dang, you sure you're not me? Nice meeting you!

Great question. I think the board just got a lot tougher. I didn't feel gassed at all myself, because I knew what was at stake and the steam was really up. I didn't sleep at all that night. I don't know if Julia or Arthur felt tired, but they sure didn't play as if they were tired.

Also, if you'll permit my being immodest, that Game 1 score was hard to beat in its own right.

How well do you think you would compare to Jennings, Rutter,or Watson?
Oh, and congrats for winning ToC

Great question. It depends on what categories come up. If it's an all Sanford and Son board, I'd smoke them.

Are you going to leverage your Jeopardy fame into power in your hometown? Have you been given the key to the city yet?

I have! I'm from Florence, SC, and proud of it. As far as power, I'm happy as I am.

You're a baseball guy, right? Who's your team? Do you think Clayton Kershaw deserved the NL MVP?

Atlanta Braves. Absolutely.

Congrats again! Your games were so fun to watch! What's the best way to get better at trivia?

Thank you! Learn about things in which you don't think you're interested. If you look at the right material and you're open-minded enough, you'll become interested. Helps in real life, also.

How many games will the Wofford men's basketball team win this year?

Thirty four. You heard it here first.

Damn, what does that feel like? Arthur Chu and that one other girl were crazy good. No offense, but no way in a million years did I envision the third guy winning.

Makes two of us. They were good, all right, but so was everyone in this tournament. Everyone. It could have gone any way. Her name is Julia Collins, and she's won more money than all the people who have ever played except three.

I watched you last week and heard that you're from Florence, SC. Every time my husband and I drive from Ottawa, ON to Florida, we stop in Florence for the night. Any hidden gems for food or hotels I should know about?

Congrats!

Thank you! Try Palmetto Brewing Co.

[deleted]

Round O, South Carolina.

How is Alex off stage?

Super nice. Some of our post-game conversations are on YT; check them out!

I've seen a bunch of stuff about "outchange" in things about the ToC. Can you explain it?

No. Nobody can.

If you were in a Superhero duo, would you rather be with Julia Collins or Arthur Chu?

That's a tough one. It would depend on what my weakness was. Let's say a wormhole opens up in New York and I have to close it up. If the quickest way there is to bounce around tall buildings, I would go with Arthur. If the fastest way there is straight down a tall building, give me Julia every time.

Now that you've won the TOC, where would you rank yourself in terms of the all-time Jeopardy greats? In my opinion, since you dominated the tournament and beat both Arthur and Julia, you're in the top 10.

That's flattering. You know, that's a hard list to make up, because anyone could win any game any day. If you want to take 3 players and have them play, say, 5 or 10 games, I'll believe the winner is the best among them. I played only 13 total.

Did you ever suddenly have to go to the bathroom and were forced to hold it until the taping ended?

Great question. No, and it's weird because they hand you little bottles of water during the commercials breaks to sip, just to wet your whistle. I downed mine every time. I must have drunk a quart of water a game. Now, AFTER the game, that's a different story.

Two questions:

A. Did you mouth an expletive after getting Water for Elephants? I thought I read your lips as saying "holy (censored)". B. Did you intentionally change your strategy at all against Arthur and his Forrest Bouncing?

A. I said "Are you serious?". B. No. I played and hoped.

Hi Ben,

My housemate and I watched your first run and were cheering for you on your run on Tournament of Champions. You seem like such a nice guy that I nicknamed you 'Gentle Ben' during your first run. It was nice to see 'Gentle Ben' winning it all.

Did the network tell you anything about mouthing "oh shit"?

I said "Are you serious?", not what you think I said.

How do you consider winning the Tournament of Champions "dumb luck"? Does that make me dumber than dumb? Is there a word for this, Ben?

There's so much luck involved in playing this game. Sixty-one clues ain't that many, really. Plus the DDs and FJ! can make or break you. I sure felt dumb for a lot of those clues. If you're at home, and you get one right that the three contestants missed, and you feel good about yourself, the show has done its job. I shoot about 110 in golf, but I remember the sand shot that wound up within a foot of the hole more than the other 109 strokes.

Any idea what you're going to do with you winnings and title, if you don't mind me asking? Are you going to take falconry lessons and then buy a bunch of falcons and train them to do your bidding. You could become ruler of the world via falcons and make everyone two birds of a feather. Or, are you going to do something boring, like save it, give it to charity, or use it "responsibly?"

I'm a Panthers fan. Panthers beat Falcons.

[deleted]

Thanks TJ Jazzy Jeff!

John Pearson was an underrated player, but he was one of the fastest I've ever played. I had a hard time with the signaling device to start, and that was the main challenge, but I just tried to stay collected and hang in there.

To answer your second question, read everything. Everything. Every. Thing. And try to read for fun, because you won't learn much if you put the heat on yourself to learn it.

Not a question, but my god you are cute! I was rooting for you the whole time!

Okay, question: are you single?

Thank you! My heart is answered for. Sorry.

Congrats on the big win! You look alot different in the proof photo than you did on stage. Was the latter your secret agent look?

If I told you, I would have to use John Pearson's neuralyzer. (He's got two.)

Did Wofford prepare you to be a Jeopardy Champion? Terriers FTW!

Absolutely. When you get down to it I didn't do any work at all. I was just taught well.

I was amazed at the turn of events from the first episode of the final. Arthur looked strong in 1x jeopardy and then Julie really kicked it up a notch in 2x jeopardy, and then you cranked it out of the park with the final presidential answer. Before the subject was revealed, what was going through your mind? Did you have a pre-meditated wager? Which categories wouldn't have worked in your favour? Oh, and congrats!

I felt had no choice but to wager everything. I was miles behind, for one, and I knew I would have to go before the Julia/Arthur firing squad again, so I figured the only way out was to try to go into game number two with a lead. Plus I was this close to being to-hell-with-it frustrated, so if I lost all, whatever, right? That's how good these players were.

What is love?

What is right and what is wrong?

Hi Ben, congrats on winning the tournament of champions! Were you intimidated going up against Arthur and Julia in the Final? Did you try any strategies to mess with Arthur playing style (such as slowly answering questions and then acting very surprised when you got the right answer)?

Thank you! I didn't try anything special, I just played the way I always did. The only way in which I actively try to jam the opponents is DD hunting, trying to take the DDs out of their hands. If I get it, they don't, so that's a goal met.

How did it feel to beat Chu at his own game?

Jeopardy! is everybody's game.

Going into the ToC, did you see yourself as sort of a darkhorse, because Arthur and Julia had more high-profile runs on the show?

If yes, did that motivate you or affect you in any way?

Yes and no. Yes, they won more games and I knew they could play, but no, because we all started game number one at $0.

I watched all the champions in this tournament that came before and after me with interest, because I got the call to appear around the time the 2013 ToC was finishing. If I saw someone go on a run of five, six, eight, eleven, twenty games, sure, that made me want to work a lot harder. Not to beat them, just to keep up with them.

Sir, do you prefer to be called nerd, dork, or doofus?

Also, may I borrow 10 bucks?

Please and thank you.

I prefer to be called Mr. Ingram. "Admiral" works too.

You seemed very humbled and honored after the win. You must feel very fortunate for the long road to total victory. I feel like an AMA is redundant to the Champion of Jeopardy! ;) How proud are your family and friends?

They would be proud of me if I never rang in at all.