First Appearance Wins
A list of 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 round, 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 |