Growing up, Jessica Davis and her grandmother – her Nana – had a nightly ritual watching “Jeopardy!,” the trivia-based game show.

“We would watch it, we would answer questions and I would say, ‘One day, I’m going to be on ‘Jeopardy!’,'” Davis said.

On Tuesday, Davis’ dream will come true when the Colonie resident’s “Jeopardy!” episode airs. Her chance at trivia stardom came nearly two decades after her first time trying out for the show.

Davis’ initial attempt to get on “Jeopardy!” was an immediate failure, not because of her lack of knowledge but because of her age. At the time, she was 17, just a year shy of the minimum age for contestants.

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Over the next 20 years, Davis tried three more times before making it to the final audition and entering the coveted contestant pool.

How to watch

“Jeopardy!”

When:   7:30 p.m. Tuesday
On TV:   Airing live on the WTEN ABC channel or via streaming services with live TV, such as YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV; episodes will be available to stream next-day on Hulu or Peacock
Watch party:   Albany Stadium Restaurant & Bar, 51 S. Pearl St., Albany

To wield a “Jeopardy!” buzzer, interested contestants must first take the Anytime Test. The 13-minute-long online test features 50 clues with 15 seconds allocated per response. This serves as the first round of qualification, and prospective candidates can submit one Anytime Test per 12-month period.

Those who pass the Anytime Test will be contacted within a year by the “Jeopardy!” team and enter an audition pool. From here, a random selection of applicants will be invited to audition via video; these used to be held in-person. The first round of the auditions includes another online test, formatted like the Anytime Test. Depending on the results, prospective contestants will be randomly selected for the final phase: the gameplay audition modeled after the show, complete with auditioners clicking pens to mimic the show’s buzzers, Davis said. Those who do well will be placed into a contestant pool for up to two years, during which they can be invited to compete.

Davis got the call to join the show – which she sent to voicemail, thinking the unknown number was a phishing scam – in April, and she had about six and a half weeks to prepare before taping.

As a proofreader for the state’s Legislative Bill Drafting Commission, Davis’ trivia training fell during the heat of the Legislature’s session. With the aid of her twin sister, Jocelyn, Davis filled her free time studying “Jeopardy!” episodes and the J! Archive, an online library of past clues, plus playing games her sister bought, including a Trivial Pursuit board game tailored to lesser-known trivia. Davis focused on her weaker categories (math, sports and pun or riddle-based categories). When she could, Davis would train with a pen in hand to practice her buzzer skills. She also kept an eye on Jamie Ding, a New Jersey state government employee whose impressive 31-game “Jeopardy!” streak ended on April 27, midway through Davis’ training.

“It’s very nerve-wracking to be on the show, even if you’re prepared,” Davis said.

Though Davis is limited to what she can discuss, she could share some behind-the-scenes insight. Taping lasted about eight hours, and her twin sister flew out to California to be in the audience. The atmosphere was somehow more competitive than Davis predicted, but a hidden mechanism assured the players were on the same playing field, at least visually.

“They raise you up on an automatic little platform so that you can be an even height with the other contestants,” Davis said. “Because it’s behind the podium, you can’t see it, but I was raised up a little bit on the platform because I’m not very tall.”

Davis grew up “a military brat” because of her father, and traveling instilled an early interest in one of her favorite trivia categories: geography. Her dad also shared his love of history, another favorite category for Davis, who majored in world history with a minor in East Asian studies at the University at Albany. Davis’ interest in the latter was partly due to her dad’s travels to Okinawa, Japan, and partly her love of anime. Eagle-eyed viewers might catch a nod to Davis’ favorite childhood show, “Sailor Moon,” during the July 7 “Jeopardy!” episode.

“I’m wearing a Silver Crystal necklace,” Davis said. “I actually borrowed it from my mom. We were talking about what kind of jewelry to wear – she said, ‘You have to look your best.'”

Watching “Jeopardy!” and competing in local trivia nights – often facing teams as a solo player – have become an outlet for Davis’ vast library of knowledge. She even has her eye on “Pop Culture Jeopardy!,” a recent spinoff hosted by SNL’s Colin Jost, in the future.

“I like learning things and knowing the answers – it’s fun knowing the answers,” Davis said, with a smile reaching her pink-rimmed glasses. “Learning is cool, and it’s a lifelong thing you can do. You’re never too old to learn anything new.”

Though her Nana passed away 10 years ago, Davis continues their nightly ritual with her twin sister and mother. It’s a tradition that won’t be broken but rather amplified on Tuesday, thanks to a watch party for friends and family hosted at Albany Stadium Restaurant and Bar by MVP Arena in downtown Albany.

Then, Davis will finally get to fully share her experience – something she and her sister have kept secret since taping – with everyone she loves.

“It’s been difficult because everyone wants to know, ‘How’d you do? Did you win? Did you do amazing? Did you lose?'” Davis said. “If you’re not coming to the watch party, then you gotta watch it to find out.”

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This article originally published at Colonie resident, New York state worker to compete on ‘Jeopardy!’.