| Andy Tirrell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Andrew Tirrell |
| Birth Hometown: | San Diego, California |
| Occupation: | Political science and international relations professor |
| Years active: | 2022, 2024 |
| Known for: | Appearances on Jeopardy! |
Andrew Tirrell is an American lawyer, professor, and a former champion on the televised game show Jeopardy!.
Career in Law and International Development[]
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University in 2002 in Classics and History, Tirrell received his JD from Columbia Law School. He then practiced litigation with the law firm Arent Fox Schiff, before joining the civil rights organization Advocates for Children (NYC) as a staff attorney, practicing human rights law in Central America, and serving as a consultant to the international development organization Plan International in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, and Thailand.
Career in Academia[]
Tirrell is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science & International Relations and of Law at the University of San Diego, where he also directs the graduate program in International Relations. He previously taught at Boston College, Tufts University, and Harvard University. Tirrell studied at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he received a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy and a PhD in International Relations. His research, publications, and teaching focus on environmental governance, human rights, and natural resource management. Tirrell is also a research fellow at both the Global Development and Environment Institute and the Brown University Climate Social Science Network.
Jeopardy! run[]
He served as the alternate for the 2024 Tournament of Champions in February and March of that year. During the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, it was noted that he was the only contestant to correctly answer any Final Jeopardy clues across all of his six appearances on the show.
| Game no | Air Date | Final Score | Cumulative Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 6, 2022 | $15,399 | $15,399 | Andy's only come-from-behind win in regular-season play ended Cris Pannullo's 21-day win streak. |
| 2 | December 7, 2022 | $1,199 | $17,399 | Only regular season play game where Andy did not find the Daily Doubles. Lost to Ron Cheung. |
Champions Wildcard[]
In the first quarterfinal game, he faced off against Katie Palumbo and Sharon Stone. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 21/22 correct responses (including 1/1 Daily Double). Katie finished Double Jeopardy with -$1,000 and could not play Final Jeopardy. He was the only player correct and advanced to the semifinals. Katie and Sharon took home $5,000.
In the first semifinal game, he faced off against Lloyd Sy and Martha Bath. Throughout the first two rounds, he came up with 24/27 correct responses (including 1/1 Daily Doubles). He was the only player correct in Final Jeopardy, and after a come from behind win, he advance to the finals. Lloyd and Martha took home $10,000.
In the finals, he faced off against Juveria Zaheer and Michael Menkhus. Throughout the finals, he came up with 25/31 correct responses (including 1/1 Daily Doubles). He was the only player who got 1/2 Final Jeopardy correct, but after losing to Juveria (in a runaway game), he took home $50,000 for first runner-up.
Personal Life[]
During his first-day Jeopardy! contestant chat, Tirrell discussed the fisheries research he conducted in Arctic Norway, while his second-day contestant chat revealed his plans to use part of his winnings to start backyard beekeeping with his son, Theo.