First Appearance Wins
A table displaying panelists who won outright or tied for first place on their debut appearance. Information includes the show date, score at the start of the Lightning Fill In The Blank segment, the number of correct answers, total score, and ranking.
| Panelist | Show Date | Start | Correct | Total Score | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra Petri | 2017-02-18 | 4 | 6 | 16 | First |
| Ashley Ray | 2022-02-19 | 2 | 6 | 14 | First Tied |
| Cristela Alonzo | 2021-05-29 | 3 | 5 | 13 | First Tied |
| Evan Smith | 2001-09-29 | 4 | 6 | 16 | First |
| Jeff Hiller | 2025-06-21 | 4 | 6 | 16 | First |
| John Hodgman | 2017-11-18 | 3 | 5 | 13 | First Tied |
| Josh Gondelman | 2019-11-02 | 3 | 5 | 13 | First |
| Karen Grigsby Bates | 2004-03-27 | 4 | 7 | 18 | First |
| Ken Jennings | 2013-06-01 | 4 | 6 | 16 | First Tied |
| Kyrie O'Connor | 2004-10-16 | 3 | 7 | 17 | First Tied |
| Luke Burbank | 2006-07-01 | 3 | 6 | 15 | First |
| Moshe Kasher | 2014-09-13 | 4 | 4 | 12 | First |
| Negin Farsad | 2017-03-18 | 3 | 5 | 13 | First |
| Nick Hancock | 2011-12-24 | 6 | 5 | 16 | First |
| Ophira Eisenberg | 2014-06-14 | 4 | 5 | 14 | First |
| Patt Morrison | 2000-07-08 | 4 | 5 | 14 | First |
| Peter Grosz | 2010-06-19 | 3 | 5 | 13 | First |
| Peter Sagal | 1998-01-03 | - | - | 24 | First |
| Phoebe Robinson | 2017-06-24 | 4 | 4 | 12 | First Tied |
| Rachel Feinstein | 2025-02-08 | 4 | 5 | 14 | First |
| River Butcher | 2024-05-04 | 4 | 6 | 16 | First |
| Robby Hoffman | 2023-04-22 | 2 | 6 | 14 | First |
| Sue Ellicott | 1998-12-05 | 4 | 5 | 14 | First |
| Tara Clancy | 2018-03-10 | 3 | 7 | 17 | First |