'Jeopardy' champ comes from behind to win by $1

Lisa Mueller was a returning champ, having won $16,800 on Monday's episode. (ABC)

Is Lisa a mind reader?

That was the question “Jeopardy” watchers were asking after the game show’s reigning champ came from behind to beat her challenger by a single George Washington.

Technical services librarian Lisa Mueller was trailing retired high school English teacher John Bizal with $14,200 to his $22,400. (Just for the record, customer solutions advisor AJ Freeman was hanging around with $8,000, too.) The Final Jeopardy category was Roman History, and the clue:

“Of this battle in 31 B.C., Virgil wrote, ‘Neptune’s fields grow red with fresh slaughter.'”

Technical services librarian Lisa Mueller was trailing retired high school English teacher John Bizal with $14,200 to his $22,400. (ABC)

Easy one, right?

Third-place AJ went first and was way off with “Rome,” dropping him to $1,000 after wagering and losing $7,000.

“Of this battle in 31 B.C., Virgil wrote, ‘Neptune’s fields grow red with fresh slaughter.'”

— The Final Jeopardy question

Second-place Lisa was next, and got the answer right, “The Battle of Acium,” wagering $2,200, and bringing her total to $16,400, still well behind John.

All John had to do was get this right, and he would be back tomorrow. His answer was … Salerno. Wrong!

But his wager would be even more crushing.

John bet $6,001, taking him down to $16,399

All John had to do was get this right, and he would be back tomorrow. His answer was … Salerno. Wrong! But his wager would be even more crushing. (ABC)

One dollar less than Lisa.

“Way to go young lady!” host Alex Trebek exhorted, as Lisa stared in disbelief — and John began the rest of his retired high school teacher days wondering what might have been.

“Way to go young lady!” host Alex Trebek exhorted as Lisa stared in disbelief. (ABC)