Even though I've been home this weekend and got to watch Jeopardy! with my family, I wound up taking a little break from the blog.  Unfortunately the break was a little longer than I expected:  As has happened before, for some reason the recording I made of the show (on the VCR) didn't record sound.  >:-(  To make matters worse, for some reason the closed-captioning wasn't working during the show, but it worked during the commercials!  Very helpful.  So as you can imagine, watching the show was a challenge, and so was taking notes on it.  I had to wait til I got home to watch the show again on my almighty and heaven-sent DVR.  I'm newly thankful for it!
     Before I get into today's show, here are some scores from episodes that aired last week and on recent weekends.  (I record weekend episodes at my mom and dad's.)  Thanks to j-archive.com, I can know what the real contestants' Coryat scores were.  For the weekend episodes, I'm posting Coryat scores, since that's the method I used:
Paul Lavrakas 13800     Angie Harrison 11200     Dave Belote 18200     Me 16600
Jeffrey Niblack 4000     Pat Spangler 5600     Andy Srinivasan 14600     Me 19800
Stephanie Gumble 8500     Rebecca O'Brien 15999     Bob Kennedy 16100     Me 16402
     I screwed up somehow on Final Jeopardy wagering.  As happened the previous day, Bob wagered more than was necessary to beat his nearest opponent had he/she doubled.  I wagered (or meant to, anyway) as though Bob would wager to win by a dollar.  So my only explanation for my final score (unless I just did the math wrong) is that I misread it: My Jeopardy Challenger's readout has a part that doesn't light up, which makes it difficult to tell what the score is supposed to be.
Laura Button 28800     Matthew Warren 9200     Bob Kennedy 2200     Me 3598
     Speaking of Coryat scores, I am considering switching back to that method during the week, too.  You might recall that I didn't love it because I didn't get to practice wagering and I couldn't tell if I won the game.  Well, I am considering Coryat again because I'd then be able to participate in a thread on the Jeopardy! message boards where people post their scores.  And I'd still be able to compare my Coryat scores to the contestants', once j-archive.com had them posted.  I still hate not being able to practice wagering, though, but no one else seems to care.  Do you guys have an opinion? 
     I didn't keep track of my score Friday, simply because I just felt like watching it.  Judy Shewmake won that day, and was back today, with these two challengers:

 

(from left to right; Judy Shewmake, Kristin Anderson, Charlie Penrod)

     I think Charlie looks exactly like John Krasinski, although it is not evident in the picture above.  So it shouldn't be a surprise that Charlie got this clue right in Celebrity Matches: John Krasinski found this 'Devil Wears Prada' star anything but dull and got right to the point, marrying her in Italy in 2010.  I was surprised no one had mentioned the resemblance on the Jeopardy! message boards.  So I did it myself.  Charlie himself responded that he has been told that many times!  He also said "The Office" is one of his favorite shows. 

     At the top of the show, Mr. Trebek announced that there is going to be a teachers' tournament next spring!  It's the first one.
     Charlie found the first Daily Double before the first break, in Country Nicknames.  He had 1000, Judy had 200, and Kristin had 0.  Charlie wagered 1000 on this clue: "Italy is 'Lo Stivale,' meaning this"*  Charlie went on to run the category. 

     Today was a good day for me, triple-stumper-wise (if I can coin a term).  I got five!  Did you guys know these?  In Hollywood Ugly: "No one wants to date Julia Stiles in this 1999 movie except for Heath Ledger, and he does it on a lark."*  The very next one was a triple-stumper, too, again in Hollywood Ugly: "Of the frumpy sorority girls led by Anna Faris in 'The House Bunny,' this 'American Idol' runner-up sure stands out."*  Then another one in Hollywood Ugly: "Rachael Leigh Cook, the 'ugly duckling,' is pursued by Freddie Prinze, Jr. in this high school comedy."*  In 2010 20th Anniversaries: "Digital imaging contests were among the festivities as this Adobe software program turned 20 on Feb. 19, 2010."*  In Shakespearean Portmanteaus: "Shakespeare writes the 11th sequel to the Freddy Krueger horror films."*
     My dad got this triple-stumper in Celebrity Matches (we could tell by reading Mr. Trebek's lips): "Wonder if this ex-heavyweight champ sang 'In the Air Tonight' at his June 6, 2009 wedding to Lakiha Spicer."*

     Charlie found a Daily Double in the 400 spot in the Double Jeopardy round today.  Yes, the clue at the top of the board.  The category was 10-Letter Words.  Judy had -800, Kristin had 3800, and Charlie had 7000.  He wagered 4000 on this clue: "Jay M. Arena, director of the Duke Poison Control Center, devised this type of bottle cap."*
     Unfortunately, Charlie's miss on what turned out to be the last clue of the round (there were 3 clues left) put the win within reach for his opponents.  The category was The Lily, and this was the clue: "Over 6 decades, this botanist developed more than 50 varieties of lilies as well as his famous potatoes."*  Judy had 4400 at the end of the round, Kristin had 8200, and Charlie had 15000. 
    The Final Jeopardy category was The Civil War.  This was the clue: "These 2 cities in the SE and SW were the only 2 Confederate capitals not captured by Union forces."*  My dad got this one right!  So did Judy, and she doubled her score.  Kristin missed it, and lost 7800.  Charlie got it too, and added 2000.  We'll see him tomorrow!  I know I'll have sound the first time I watch it.

*the boot, "Ten Things I Hate About You," Katharine McPhee, "She's All That," Photoshop, Twelfth Nightmare on Elm Street, Mike Tyson, childproof, Luther Burbank, Austin and Tallahassee

Anyone from Tennessee know these responses?

     Today's contestants: Megan Cornell (in eye-popping red!), Bob Kennedy, and one-day champ George Tsuji.  For some reason I get an error message when I try to insert their images into this entry.  I see on Twitter that I'm not the only one having that trouble.  I've asked for help from the Blogger team, and if I can add their pictures later, I will.  (The contestants, not the Blogger team's, mugshot-style!)
     Can Mr. Trebek mention one more time that the College Tournament is over?  He brought it up again today, saying that he thought the contestants all look like they could have been in the Tournament.
     Three immediate similarities between today's show and yesterday's: George found the first Daily Double three clues in, he had 600, and he wagered 1000!  Mr. Trebek remembered the similarities too, and pointed it out.  His opponents both had zero.  This was the clue, in the category Beer Googles: "Google links for the site for this American beer that's sponsoring a longshot American homebrew contest."*  This clue was over my head.  George missed it, too. 
     I didn't know any of the clues in Action Cinema 2010!, either.  I still had 7000 at the end of the Double Jeopardy round, to George's 4800, Bob's 3000, and Megan's 3600.
     Did you guys know these two triple-stumpers?  In Text Messages: "From this city, Robert Benchley sent the witty wire, 'Streets full of water.  Please advise.'"*  And in Anyone from Tennessee?: "During the Civil War, this Tennessee native fought for the North and delivered his 'Damn the Torpedoes' line."*  Bob found the first Daily Double in Anyone from Tennessee?  He led with 13000, while George had 4800, Megan had 2000, and I had 17800.  Bob wagered 2000 on this clue: "Running with Adlai Stevenson in 1956, this Tennessee Democrat was a candidate for vice-president."*  We both missed it.  I guess neither of us are (from Tennessee).
     Megan found the next Daily Double with one clue remaining afterward.  She had 6000, while George had 8800, Bob had 11800, and I had 13800.  She wisely wagered 5000.  (I might have wagered a little more, but then I consider that if I missed the next and last clue, I'd be in the hold before Final Jeopardy.)  The category was Paint No Stopping Me Now, and this was the clue: "Paintings by this man include 1913's 'Paris Through the Window' and 1914's 'Over Vitebsk.'"*  Megan and I both missed it, but I wagered only 200.  No one answered the last clue (including me), so the scores going into Final Jeopardy were: George 8800, Bob 11800, Megan 1000, and me 13600.
     The Final Jeopardy category was Horse Breeds.  This was the clue: "This American breed was named for its ability to race a distance of 1320 feet."*  I answered this one before Mr. Trebek could finish the clue, but I wasn't certain about it until the correct response was revealed.  I got it right, and so did all three contestants.  Bob, who was leading, wagered enough to beat George if he doubled.  In fact, he pulled a fast one on me and wagered about 99 more than was required to beat him.  So I lost by 98.  Bob's back tomorrow!
     By the way, the show "CNBC Titans" will feature Merv Griffin (creator of Jeopardy!) on December 2nd at 8 p.m. Central.  Check it out.

*Sam Adams, Venice, Farragut, Estes Kefauver, Marc Chagall, quarterhorse

I love a crossword puzzle man

     We're back to regular programs today.  Mr. Trebek expressed relief, but for a different reason: He said the college students tire him out!  Today's contestants:

(From left to right; Vito Cortese, Aimee Slater, George Tsuji)

     Both George and Vito are software engineers!  (Maybe I should have chosen another career?)  Vito was also introduced as an Italian translator today.  Did they introduce him that way before?

     George found the Daily Double three clues in, but not before Aimee missed those first two clues (in The Quotable DeNiro) and George got them right.  George, then, had 600, Aimee had -600, and Vito had 0.  George wagered 1000 on this clue: "(In Sicilian) 'To you, she's beautiful.  For me, there's only my wife and son.'"*  I was impressed when George got this.  Did you guys know that one?  George then missed the next clue in the category, and no one answered the last one. 

     At the break, Vito had 2600, Aimee had 600, and George and I both had 1600.

     During Vito's interview, he said that he had been doing a crossword puzzle on the plane when he came across (no pun intended) a clue about Alex Trebek!  Strangely, I had a weird crossword-related moment later in the game.  I had been doing a crossword puzzle before watching Jeopardy!, and had the clue: "Rain forest mammals."  Imagine my surprise when this clue was revealed in You're Such an Animal: "This agile monkey of the Americas dines on, among other things, the arachnid in its name."*  I'm not sure I've heard of the animal in this response before seeing it in the puzzle.

     At the end of the Jeopardy round, Vito had 4600, Aimee had 5600, and George had 4200.  I had 7800.

     I was pleased that the players all chose all the clues in a category about the Yankees (Yankee, No!) first.  Although I would've called it, Yankees, Yes!  Vito found the first Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy round, in They Come in Twos.  He had 8600, Aimee had 4400, George had 7800, and I had 13000.  Vito wagered 2000 on this clue: "The two main gods of Hinduism are Vishnu and him."*  I answered the same thing as Vito, and we were wrong.  I got the next clue in the same category, a triple-stumper, although if I'm being honest I probably did not ring in in time.  Here it is: "The 2 main kinds of camels are the one-humped dromedary and this 2-humped Asian species."*

     Vito also found the second Daily Double, in Authors' Birthplaces.  He had 12600, Aimee had 5200, George had 11000, and I had 16200.  I knew this one, probably thanks again to crossword puzzles.  Vito missed it and lost 1500 on it: "He didn't have a 'Sister Carrie' when he was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1871."*

     Vito, though, as an Italian translator, did luck out when this clue came up in I Learned It in Ballet Class: "A series of quick jumping steps is called this, also the Italian term for the tempo at which the music is playing."*  After the final clue both of the category and of the round, Mr. Trebek was shown standing in front of his podium!  He said he just wanted to practice his ballet moves, but a J! message boardie thinks he may have moved in front of the podium if taping was stopped to consider Vito's response of "The Nutcracker Suite" to this clue: "The final pas de deux is one of the famous dances from this ballet; maybe it's fitting that its choreographer, Lev Ivanov, died on Christmas Eve, when it's set."*  Is it just me, or did Mr. Trebek hold his hip after practicing his ballet moves?

     The Final Jeopardy category was Communication.  My first bachelor's degree is in that subject!  Vito had 9900, Aimee had 6400, George had 13800, and I had 26800.  This was the clue: "It was first transmitted by the USS Arapahoe off Cape Hatteras on August 11, 1909."*  (Here's a hint: The correct response put a Rihanna song in my head!)  Aimee got it right and wisely doubled her score.  Vito and George got it right, too!  Vito wagered 4000 and George wagered 6200, which was enough for the win.  We will see George tomorrow.

*The Godfather Part Two, spider monkey, Shiva, Bactrian, Dreiser, allegro, The Nutcracker, S.O.S.

Jeopardy goes green and gives it, too

     It's Day Two of the College Tournament finals.  To remind you of the contestants:

 

From left to right; Erin McLean, Hans von Walter, Sam Spaulding

     I believe that is Erin's hair by her neck.  It took me a minute when I was watching the show!  Also, remember how I suggested that Sam and Hans look alike?  Today in his interview with Mr. Trebek (which really was combined with Hans' interview), Sam said he and Hans were at the same audition and even played the mock Jeopardy! game together.

     Yesterday, I couldn't figure out Hans' gesture when he was introduced.  (As promised, I asked on the J! message boards, and he hasn't answered that.)  Today, there was no mistaking the "0" he made with his fingers.  He finished Double Jeopardy with -6000 yesterday and didn't play Final Jeopardy, but he was allowed to start from 0 today (as opposed to making up the 6000 in this final where the results of the two days are added together).  How do you guys feel about it? Fair? Unfair?  Mr. Trebek made no mention of Hans' negative result today.  Yesterday, Erin finished with 15999, Sam finished with 4400, and I finished with 17400.

     Today was much more competitive.  At the first break, Erin had 2400, Hans had 2200, Sam had 2600, and I had 2800.  Hans found the Daily Double in the round by switching rather suddenly to A Nation Divided.  He had 3800, Erin had 4000, Sam had 4400, and I had 6000.  When he announced he wanted to make it a true Daily Double, Erin howled happily!  She was also heard cheering when Hans found the Daily Double, and when he answered it correctly.  You would have thought she doubled her score!  This was the clue: "In 1971, it broke away from what's now Pakistan, which was 1100 miles away, anyhow."*
     At the end of Double Jeopardy, Erin had 4000, Hans had 7000, Sam had 7600, and I had 6600. 
     The first clue of the Double Jeopardy round was a triple-stumper that I slam-dunked.  The category was Pop and Rock, and this was the clue: "Deepak Chopra performed the 2010 wedding ceremony of Swizz Beatz and this R & B songstress."*  I also got this triple-stumper soon after, in French Novelists: "This sci-fi writer's 'An Antarctic Mystery' attempts to finish Poe's 'Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.'"*
     Hans had 11000 when found the first Daily Double of the Double Jeopardy round, in Word Origins.  Erin and Sam both had 11600!  I had 13000.  Hans wagered 4000.  It would have been really gutsy, but I kind of wish Hans had been aggressive and risked everything, since he started with 0 yesterday!  I think that's how a champion would've acted.  At any rate, he did get this clue right: "Murray Gell-mann adopted this word for various hypothetical particles from 'Finnegan's Wake.'"*  After he got it right, Mr. Trebek said, to laughter from the audience, "It's a lot more fun today, isn't it?!"
     Two clues or so later, Erin found the next Daily Double, in Gardens.  She had 12800, Hans had 15400, and Sam still had 11600.  I had 12200.  Erin wagered 2800 on this clue: "In 1913 his wife Ellen planted the first actual Rose Garden in the White House's West Garden."*  When she got it right, her squeal and gesture reminded me of when my Mii gets a clue right on my Wii game. 
     So by the end of the Double Jeopardy round, Erin had 16000, Hans had 13800, Sam had 14800, and I had 18200.  I decided to wager nothing on Final Jeopardy.  I aimed, as I do every day, to beat the second-place person (Sam, in the case of this two-day final).  I have to assume that the first-place person is wagering to beat the second-place person by the slimmest margin possible, so as to win if he/she answers the final correctly and still have as much money as possible in case he/she gets the final wrong.  So, if Sam doubled today, he would end up with 34000 for the two days.  If you add 17400 to 18200, I had enough to beat win the Tournament (assuming I had gotten to the final!).  By the way, if Sam or any other contestants care to give insight to their wagers, I would love to see it!
     The Final Jeopardy category was Our Living Planet.  This was the clue: "Several species appear in the logo of the U.N's International Year of this 12-letter word, vital to the health of 'life' on Earth."*  The logo was provided, and it appears below.

     Erin and Hans got it wrong, and Sam got it right.  I have to admit that, like yesterday, I was more focused on writing the clue down than answering it, since I wagered nothing!  And I am still not proud of it.  Erin lost 2002 dollars, Hans lost 2999, and Sam gained 8401.  If he had doubled his score today, he would've won the Tournament!  But with a two-day total of 29997, Erin is the new College Champion.  Mr. Trebek hugged her!  According to someone on the Jeopardy! message boards, she is the first female to win the College Tournament in 9 years.  Congrats and well-played, Erin.  On Monday, we are back to Vito Cortese and regular shows.  Hooray!

*Bangladesh, Alicia Keys, Jules Verne, quarks, Wilson,

Wide world of weird, weird moments

     Wow.  I'm almost not sure where to begin!  I'm grateful I am able to blog today, and I'm grateful to the contestants and Mr. Trebek for all the fodder.  I don't know how long it took me to watch the show today, but it was a long time.  I have to admit part of it was because my mom called during the show.  I paused the show, but couldn't stop thinking about it as I spoke to her!
     Hans started all the mayhem with that weird gesture as he was introduced that I still can't identify after watching it three times.  (One of those times was out of the corner of my eye, since I was trying to take his picture.)  Hans is active on the J! message boards, so I've asked him.  (Check it out to read what he has to say about his experience today!)  Here's his picture and those of his opponents:

 

From left to right; Erin McLean, Hans von Walter, Sam Spaulding

     It all seemed to spiral out of control from there, especially for him.  The very first clue, in It Happened in the Past, was a triple-stumper!  It was also noteworthy because it was the first of three (three!) responses that Mr. Trebek either had to have repeated or misheard completely.  Here's the clue: "On Feb. 10, 1985, this African man said, 'Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts."*  (I've never thought that someone actually uses ";" when they're speaking.)

     Erin found the Daily Double in the round before the first break, the last clue of It Happened in the Past.  She had 600, Hans had -600, Sam had -200, and I had 800.  Erin wagered 1000 on this clue: "On July 22, 1956, Egypt seized control of this geographic feature from its French and British owners."*  She got it right, then immediately swept Raw Food, giving her a commanding lead.  By the first break, she had 5200, Hans had -600, Sam had 400, and I had 2200.

     The first clue after the break, in Wide World of Weird Sports, was another weird moment on the show.  This was the clue: "In Kabbadi, one team member tries to tag out as many of the opposing team while holding this as possible."*  It was a triple-stumper, and when Mr. Trebek revealed the correct response, he demonstrated repeating the word "Kabbadi" while holding his breath.  I don't want to see it ever again, actually!

     How about this triple-stumper in the same category: "Doing it in unusual places truns this household task into an 'extreme' sport for some; got spray-starch?"*

     I knew this one in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles ONLY because I played Jeopardy! on the Wii this morning.  Before that I had never heard of this company: "In 1967, the Douglas Aircraft Company merged with this aircraft company."*  That felt good!

     One of my favorite parts of the show came when Hans selected the next clue after getting this one right in Official State Stuff: "Georgia's official state vegetable is the Vidalia sweet this."*  Instead of saying the category he wanted, he went, "Vidalia...Oh, wow." :-D

     And this was all before the Jeopardy round ended!  When it did, Erin had 8400, Hans had -1200, Sam had 4400, and I had 7000.

     Next "what the heck?" moment:  When Mr. Trebek repeated the correct response to this clue in Music Aliases: "'The Fame Monster' has struck for Stefani Germanotta, now better known as this."*  I've never heard anyone say it quite that way before, almost growled.  It makes me think he doesn't know who she is!

     Erin found the first Daily Double in the round, in Math Symbols.  She had 15200, poor Hans had -2800, Sam had 11200, and I had 11400.  Erin wagered 3200.  The clue was read by Sara of the Clue Crew: "In math, an exclamation mark is called a factorial symbol; it means to do this with every positive integer of equal or lesser value, in this case, equal to 120."*  Erin got it right.

     How about this triple-stumper in Long One-Syllable Words: "(8 letters) Injuriously long periods of low precipitation."*  Erin answered correctly except for the all-too-critical "s" on the end.
     Or this triple-stumper in The Age of Chivalry: "A peasant might play his cards close to his jerkin, a type of this."*  If you're keeping track of the weird moments, make a tally mark.  Mr. Trebek actually credited Erin with a correct response when she said "belt" (and I counted my correct answer wrong!) because he thought she said the actual correct response.
     At the end of the Double Jeopardy round, Erin had 22400, Hans had -6000 (that is not a typo), Sam had 14400, and I had 17400.  Poor Hans.  The further he got into the hole, the more I wondered what would happen at the end of the round.  Since this is Day One of a two-day final...what happens when someone ends the day in the hole?  I've watched the show FOREVER and didn't know.  Come to find out, Hans was not allowed to participate in Final Jeopardy today, BUT...wait for it...he gets to start at zero tomorrow, not -6000!  Hans says on the Jeopardy! message boards that he did know this rule while he was playing the game.  He also says he began to guess on clues he wasn't sure of because he was desperate to get out of the hole, and it didn't matter how deep in the hole he went.  The consensus on the message boards (and I agree, and even Hans agrees!) is that this isn't fair.  What do you guys think?  I mean, 6000 is a lot to make up, and it would take a while!
     I wagered today as if I were playing for the highest score over two days, too.  I wagered nothing, then. :-)  It was mostly because I wasn't sure what to do, and I felt good at least that I would have a  LOT more money than Hans did tomorrow.  The category was European Countries.  This was the clue: "German is its official language; Croatian, Slovene, and Hungarian are each official in one of its states."*     I have to admit (and admit that this is not champion-like) that I didn't try hard on this one since I was wagering nothing.  The correct response came to me immediately, but I didn't really make it my answer.  The two contestants missed it, too.  Erin lost 6401, and Sam lost 10000.  So Erin is in good shape going into the second day.  I have to wonder if Hans will be smiling as broadly and gesturing as merrily tomorrow as he was at the top of today's show.

*Nelson Mandela, the Suez Canal, his breath, McDonnell, ironing, onion, Lady Gaga, multiply, vest, Austria

An apt Final Jeopardy response

     Here are my scores for Monday and Tuesday this week:
Marshall Flores 1     Kyle Kahan 1     Erin McLean 22401     Me 22402

Hans von Walter 18178     Ellen Eichner 4200     Steve Greene 12779     Me 20202

     Today's contestants:



[From left to right; Sid Chandrasekhar, Sam Spaulding (he left a comment here last week!), Lea Tottle]

     I was pleased that during the Classical Music category, they chose to play the music during this clue rather than afterward, which wastes time and also messes up those of us who are trying to ring in first at home: "The beloved aria heard here is from this composer's 'Turandot.'"*  (Sorry I don't have a sound clip, but could anyone have gotten the correct response from the music alone anyway?  That is, could you have heard the music and known it was 'Turandot'?  Maybe you or your fiance, Ursula, if you are reading this?)

     Sam found the Daily Double in The 15th Century before the first commercial break.  He had 1600, Sid had 2200, Lea had -200, and I had 800.  Sam looked proud to say he wanted to make it a true Daily Double, but no one cheered when he said it!  Too bad.  This was the clue: "In 1421, the Ming dynasty moved its capital from Nanking to this city."*  People cheered (clapped at least) when he got this one right.

     Here's my lone triple-stumper from the first two rounds, in Meet Me in the 'Quad.':  "The 1892 celebration of Columbus' discovery of America."*

     Was anyone else glad when The Quotable Steve Carell was ignored by the contestants until it was the only category remaining?  The contestants sure knew the answers, though.  In the Double Jeopardy round, though, the contestants went straight for [adult swim], which was okay with me.  Each contestant chose a clue from that category, then didn't come back to those last two clues until all the other clues were gone! (?)  By the way, Sid had 5400 going into Double Jeopardy, Sam had 6000, Lea had 4200, and I had 6400.

     Sam found the first Daily Double in the round, in Hail to the Chief.  Sid still had 5400, Sam had 9600, Lea had 5000, and I had 7600.  Sam wagered 2000 on this clue: "On July 2, 1921, he interrupted his golf game and formally ended hostilities with Germany by signing a treaty."*  Sam got it right!

     Lea found the next Daily Double in Textbooks.  By then, she had made a healthy move and trailed Sam by only 600.  Sid, meanwhile, had less than half Sam's amount.  Lea wagered 3000 on this clue: "Dr. H.V. Carter illustrated this 1858 text, an instant success despite bad reviews in the British Medical Journal."*  She got it right! 

     The final Jeopardy category was Phrases.  Sid had 5400, Sam had 17200, Lea had 17600, and I had 17400.  This was kind of a tough one for me as far as wagering, but I decided to go big and wager it all, since my score was virtually the same as Sam's and Lea's, and they too might wager it all and get it right!  This was the clue: "In ancient Rome it was a post where racers changed direction; since 1836 it's meant a moment change occurs."*  This triple-stumped the contestants.  I was thrilled to get it right, although it was a guess!  The answer I gave seemed too vague, like it couldn't really have an origin like that.  Anyway, Sid lost 3600.  Sam lost 6399.  I'm assuming he wagered to be at least one dollar ahead of Sid had he doubled.  (Sam, if you're reading this, would you care to explain, even if my idea is correct?)  Lea lost EVERYTHING but a dollar.  I can't blame her, though; I wagered everything, too.  At any rate, Sam wins and will be in the finals tomorrow and Friday with Erin and Hans.

*Puccini, Beijing, quadricentennial, Harding, "Gray's Anatomy," turning point

Play it again, Sam

     It's Friday of the first week in a two-week tournament! Love it! First, the scores from Wednesday and Thursday this week:

Kyle Kahan 15800      Ellen Eichner 19601      Folake Dosu 8700      Me 19602

Tim Relihan 14800 (University of Nebraska student!) Steph Gagelin 13999 Marshall Flores 15601 Me 22400

     (Keep in mind that the contestants had to consider their final scores for wild-card spots. Since I didn't have to consider that, I wagered as though all would be wagering for the win.)
     Now for today's contestants:

 

From left to right; Amanda J. Ray, Katie Singh, Sam Spaulding (who I think looks like Hans from earlier this week!)

     Amanda found the first Daily Double somewhat early, that is, before the first commercial break. She had 1400, Katie had 2000, Sam had 600, and I had 4000.  The category was "P"roduce.  Amanda had an embarrassing moment after missing this one: "Augusta National Golf Club is on land once used to grow Belle and Thurber types of these."*  She guessed the same thing I did, but then when Mr. Trebek said something like, "Georgia is famous for...," she said, "Peanuts," but that still wasn't the right answer!
     I got these triple-stumpers in the Jeopardy round.  Did you guys know them?  This one in Back in the 90s was read by Katie Couric: "One of the greatest outpourings of emotion I've ever witnessed was on September 6, 1997, when I co-anchored coverage of this event from London."*

     What about this one, in Avatar: "One avatar of the ancient war god Vrthraghna was this tusked wild animal."  Or this one in World Capitals: "It makes sense that this is the sea closest to Dublin."*  (How did all three of them miss that one?)
     At the end of the Jeopardy round, Sam led with 7000.  Amanda had 1600, Katie had 3000, and I had 8000. 
     Poor Katie got the first Daily Double, in Music and Dance.  She had 5400, and she wagered 3000 to tie with Amanda for second place.  This was the clue: "The lowest A on the piano has a frequency of 27.5 hertz; as it's one octave higher, the next A up has this frequency."*  Okay, who knew this, seriously?  Katie didn't, and neither did I.
     Time for two triple-stumpers in the Double Jeopardy round.  This one, in 2- or 11-Letter Words: "Used chiefly in law, it means, 'in the manner of;' it's seen a lot in e-mails, too."*  And in Continental Settings: "'The Quiet American.'"* (This one was a bit of a guess for me.)
     Sam found the second Daily Double with one clue left after it.  The category was Medieval Jobs.  Sam was well-positioned with 15000, while his two opponents both had 7200.  This was the clue: "Bowyers made bows; these workers made the arrows."*  Sam got it right, and added 1000 to his score.  It's not a lot, but I probably wouldn't have wagered that much.  He had a lock on the game.  There was, of course, one clue left, but he still could've kept his lock from being at risk.  As it turns out, Sam got the last clue right, too.  So he had 18000 while his opponents had 7200.  I had 23400.
     The Final Jeopardy category was Documents.  This was the clue: "It says, 'The history of the present king of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations."*  This was easy, I think.  All three contestants got it right.  I didn't understand Amanda's wager (7199) or Katie's (5000).  In Amanda's case, why would you keep a dollar?  You can't catch Sam.  A dollar wouldn't make a difference in the wild-card race, but still...?  As for Katie, why wouldn't she risk everything?  2200 is obviously not enough to get a wild-card spot in the event that she loses, so why not risk it all?  Sam risked 3500, which I don't get, either.  He was going to advance to the semifinals no matter what his score was.  In any case, he still advances to next week's semifinals. 

*peaches, Princess Diana's funeral, boar, Irish Sea, 55, re, Asia, fletchers, the Declaration of Independence

     Today's contestants were:

 

                                                                            

(from left to right; Erin McLean, Lea Tottle, Hans von Walter) 

     The new Jeopardy! game for Wii was mentioned twice on today's episode!  There was even a clue about it, in Video Games: "I hit it big when Nintendo recreated my likeness with one of these, which rhymes with the gaming console you play on."*

     Erin got it right, which almost makes up for everyone missing this clue on yesterday's episode, in Pop Culture (although someone did ring in a little too late): "This game's new 'Warriors of Rock' features narration by Gene Simmons of KISS."*
     The other time the new Jeopardy! game was mentioned was during a commercial break, when we were told that every contestant would receive a Wii and the new game.
     Erin got the Daily Double in the Jeopardy round today with five clues remaining on the board, in Them Crooked Vultures.  She had 2200, Lea had 2800, Hans had 4800, and I had 6200.  Erin wagered 1000 on this clue: "This word for the type of bird vultures are is from an old word meaning a toll collector."*  Erin missed it, and so did I.  She finished the round with 1400, while Lea had 1800, Hans had 5200, and I had 6800. 
     Lea found the first Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy round, in Notable Names.  She only had 600, and she wagered all of it on this softball: "At the Diet of Worms in 1521, he said, 'I cannot and will not retract anything.'"*
     By the time Erin found the next Daily Double in The Muses, Lea was doing much better with 4000, though she still trailed Erin at 8600 and Hans at 7600.  I had 14000.  Erin wagered 1200 on this clue: "Clio is the muse of this and is often depicted with a scroll, perhaps to record the deeds of men though the ages."*  Erin got it right.
     At the end of Double Jeopardy, then, Erin had 13000, Lea had 11200, Hans had 10000, and I had 20400.  Everyone was in excellent shape if they wagered well, especially considering the four wild-card spots available.  The Final Jeopardy category was Words in 20th Century Novels.  Kind of a weird category, and a weirder clue: "Words found in this 1945 fable include brood, baying, bleating, comrade, tyranny, and rebellion."*  I got this one right away, and all the contestants got it right.  Erin wagered a whopping 9401, kind of a gutsy move.  If she had missed, that wager would've damaged her chances for a wild-card spot.  But I think she was right - You have to play for the win.  If she got it right, she wins, even if anyone else doubles.  So it payed off today, and she will appear in the semifinals next week.
     But check out this tight race for the wild-card spots.  Here are the scores for "non-winners" so far this week:
Steve Greene 20000     Olivia Colangelo 15000     Lea Tottle 17200     Hans von Walter 17000

*Mii, Guitar Hero, scavenger, Martin Luther, history, Animal Farm

Wii like it

     This weekend, I finally picked up a copy of the Jeopardy! game for the Wii.  The game has three levels: easy, medium, and hard.  Supposedly the material gets more difficult (so you'd have to play every level to see every clue), but it also gets more difficult to put in a correct response; that is: The easy level, which I found so easy I didn't play that level for long, is multiple-choice, with three possible answers.  On the medium level, a list of possibilities appears after you enter the first three letters of your response, and you get 45 seconds to respond.  On the hard level, a list of possibilities appears after you enter the first five letters of your response, and you get 30 seconds to answer.  One surprising thing - Final Jeopardy is multiple-choice, at least on "medium" on "hard," and presumably on "easy." 
     If you have designed a Mii for yourself, you can use it in this game.  You can also choose a shirt, a bottom, a dress, and shoes, but at first many of the choices are "locked."  Presumably you have to play a while and probably win a few times before you can have access to those items.  Here is my Mii:

     Incidentally, I texted this picture to my sister "Peaches," and she wanted to know if I was playing John Goodman!  (I think she was kidding.)
     The medium level of play suited me more, and I did finish the game.  I still thought it was too easy, though, so I tried the "hard" level.  I was quite surprised to find myself getting my butt kicked!  I'm not really sure what happened, but it happened both times I played "hard."  I think it was just the problem of answering wrong too often and the opponents answering right. 
     One thing I noticed on all three levels is that it is too easy to ring in first, when you are playing against "the computer."  I really wanted a challenge in that area, and I don't think I am getting it.  I am eager to play with other human beings.  I think it will make a difference.
     Something I found irritating was that I sometimes put correct responses but was ruled wrong!  Here's a hint: If you are putting in your response and no list of option appears, you can be sure you are WRONG or are at least not answering the way they want you to.  Twice I started to answer but ran out of time because I had to erase everything and couldn't put a new answer in time.  One time, I knew the answer was "Gainesborough," and that is how I spelled it.  No list of responses appeared, so I started to panic and wound up putting Rembrandt.  They wanted "Gainsborough," which is actually the only way I am finding it spelled in every book I have consulted.  I put "Hanks" for "Tom Hanks" and was ruled wrong.  I put "Mao" and "Ford," correct responses, and was ruled wrong.  I put "Klimt" and was ruled wrong.  What, like there's someone else named Klimt?  Or Mao, for that matter?  I put "Shalom," and they were looking for "Salaam."  You get the idea.
     Finally, I don't see a way to save a game that is in progress and come back to it later (although I didn't read the relatively lengthy manual word-for-word).  That would be nice option.
     Still, I'm glad I got the game, and in fact, writing about it makes me want to play right now!  For me that means it was worthwhile.  I hope it sells well because I love Jeopardy!, and I also think it would be nice for them to make more editions of the game!  So has anyone else tried it?  I'd love to hear about your experience.

Vito vetoes the competition, all election week

     I have to admit one of the highlights of this week on Jeopardy! (and heck, overall!) was that a Jeopardy! game for the Wii has been created and is available now.  I just got a Wii a few weeks ago, so I've been getting into browsing for games.  I can't believe I didn't know about this until I saw a commercial for it after Final Jeopardy the other day.  And I can't believe I don't own the game yet!  I'm going to pick it up tomorrow morning, and I will be thrilled to fill you in on it soon.  If anyone has played and wants to tell us about it, I would LOVE to hear from you.
     My scores for Wednesday and Thursday:
Vito Cortese 21685     Anne McFadden 4000     Dave Ellis 7199     Me 4598

Jennifer Hill 1     Rony Josaphat 0     Vito Cortese 26800     Me 9998

     Today's contestants:

    

(from left to right; Vito Cortese, John Wen, Jeanne Breen) (Vito and John are both software engineers!)

     Did you guys know this triple-stumper (and fist-pumper for me) in The "D"-List?: "AKA The Ten Commandments."*  And how was this a triple-stumper, in Colorful Quotes?: "Hamlet replies to Ophelia, 'So long?  Nay then let the devil wear' this color, 'for I'll have a suit of sables.'"*  I haven't heard this quote, but you could use context clues, you know?
     Vito found the Daily Double in the Jeopardy round, with 5 clues remaining and less than a minute to go.  He was leading with 4600.  John had 3000 and Jeanne was in the hole 400.  Vito wagered 1200.  The category was 2 of the 7, and this was the clue: "The Quirinal and the Aventine."*  (In other words, these are 2 of the 7 what?)  He got it right!  At the end of the round, with one clue left unseen, he had 6600, John had 3400, and Jeanne had 200.  Did you guys catch Mr. Trebek revealing what the remaining clue was about!  I haven't seen him do that!
     Speaking of Mr. Trebek, he had a more-striking-than-usual outfit on today:

     By the time Vito found the first Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy round, he was handing John and Jeanne their butts, something he's been doing to his opponents since he first came on the stage!  He had 10200, John had 1400, and Jeanne had 1800.  The category was New Jersey, and he wagered 2200 on this clue: "New Jersey's smallest county in area, and most densely populated, it was named for an explorer and the river it borders."*
     How about this triple-stumper in It Happened November 5: "1757: This 'great' Prussian leader decisively defeats a combined Austrian and French army at Rossbach."*  The next clue, in the same category, was the other Daily Double, and John found it.  He wisely wagered all of his 2200.  Vito had 11600 and Jeanne had 3800.  John got this one right: "1862: Lincoln orders this man out as commander of the Army of the Potomac."* 
     The last clue of the round, though, pretty well summed up the week Vito has had: His opponents missed it, then he got it right.  That had to feel good.  It didn't matter, though, because even if his nearest opponent John had gotten it right, the game was still a runaway.  The category was National Geographic Great Migrations, and this was the clue (Pardon the scary photo!): "A female covers herself with secretions to prep for the migration of the bats called 'flying' these animals."*

     At the end of the round, then, Vito had 21600, John had 6400, and Jeanne had 1800.  The Final Jeopardy category was Terms from the Bible.  This was the clue: "In 2010 we heard of the fossil of a 12-million-year-old giant sperm whale given this Biblical name by its finders."*  John got it right, and added $42.00 (note the decimal point) to his score.  Vito and Jeanne each got it wrong, but as mentioned, Vito had a lock on the game.  He goes on vacay, now: Next week begins the College Championship (a new one, not a repeat).  I'm told a University of Nebraska student is going to be in it!  Go Big Red!

*the decalogue, black, hills of Rome, Hudson, Frederick, McClellan, fox, Leviathan

     First, to answer Peter's question about the College Tournament - I looked back at the last five seasons (not counting this one), and these were the months in which the College Tournament was held: February, May, May, May, and November.
     Today's contestants:

(from left to right; Silvio Menzano, Dave Ellis, Jocelyn Casser)

     Were you guys surprised that this clue was a triple-stumper in On the L-I-E? (Those letters will appear in that order in each correct response.): "An isolated body, or an unusual piece of data."*

     Dave steam-rolled through the Jeopardy round, you might say.  The scores had me reeling when he found the Daily Double, also the last clue of the round: Silvio had 800, Dave had 10000, and Jocelyn had 400.  Normally, when I write the scores down while I watch the show, I abbreviate them.  This time I did not because I wanted to be sure I did not make a mistake!  Dave wagered 1000 on the clue in Medal of Honor Citations.  It seems like a conservative bet, but it was more than either of his opponents had!  This was the clue: "Sgt. Francis Currey, for actions at Malmedy, Belgium, Dec. 21, 1944, during this battle."*  He got it right.

     Double Jeopardy was rough for everyone.  There were lots of triple-stumpers that got me, too.  I did get these two triple-stumpers, though: In There's Only One...(meaning there is only one of the object of the clue): "Current profession of the first lady's brother."*  This clue gave me a probably inordinate amount of joy that everyone on the show missed it.  I laughed and cheered!  I knew this one cold because he came to Lincoln (I think twice, actually) to execute his "profession," and I saw it myself once.

     This is the other triple-stumper I got, in Bones Humana: "The foot contains wedge-shaped bones that share a name with this ancient Middle Eastern writing system."*

     Silvio did run the Italian Words and Phrases category early in the round, which brought his total to 8000 just like that.  Unfortunately, I don't think he answered anything else until after Dave found the two Daily Doubles.  When Dave found the first one in Welcome to my Country, Dave had 17800, Jocelyn had 0 (yes, 0!) and I had 19400.  Dave wagered 2000 on this clue: "Come worship at Cretulescu Church, built in 1722 in this country on the Black Sea."*  Dave missed it, but do you really think it matters?  There was one category remaining, Percy Bysse Shelley.  When Dave found the second Daily Double, he had 16200, Jocelyn had -400 (trouble for her, with only 3 clues left!), and I had 19000.  Dave wagered 100 on this clue: "In an ode Shelley calls this the 'breath of autumn's being.'"*  That was a toughie, and Dave missed it. 

     Lucky for Jocelyn, she got this one right and was present for Final Jeopardy (after Silvio got it wrong in what seemed like a desperate attempt to be competitive in the final): "A work that Shelley called 'a lyrical drama' finds this mythical man 'unbound.'"*  Mr. Trebek seemed as happy as she did!

     So for Final Jeopardy, Silvio had 4400, Dave had 16100, Jocelyn had 1200, and I had 18600.  The final category was Characters in Novels, and this was the clue: "Debuting in a 1960 novel, this charater dies following a heart attack on a basketball court in a 1990 book."*  I wasted a lot of time (okay, 30 seconds) on this clue, because I have never even heard of the weird response.  Everyone on the show missed it, too.  In fact, no one had any guess; they all had written question marks!  Also "in fact," Mr. Trebek looked like he may have been unfamiliar with the correct response, as he had to look down at his card while announcing the correct response.  Jocelyn lost everything but a dollar, and Silvio lost everything.  Dave wagered 100 again.  I loved his enthusiastic response to winning: He punched a fist into his other hand.  I hope he wins tomorrow.  I love when the contestants are feelin' it!

*outlier, Battle of the Bulge, basketball coach, cuneiform, Romania, west wind, Prometheus, Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom,

     At the top of today's show, Mr. Trebek announced that the College Championship will begin next week.  Do you guys like it?  Would you rather see regular episodes?  I feel okay with it this time, for some reason.
     Today's contestants:

(from left to right; Marie Braden, Molly Adams, Silvio Menzano)

(By the way, did Marie have a new hair color today?  It looked red, and I don't remember it being red last week.  As for Molly, does anyone else think she looks like Janine Turner?)

     Marie was back to try for her second win today.  Molly and I swept Single-Named Singers' Last Names, which was somewhat expected because she is a deejay!  Molly also found the Daily Double of the round, in Makes Sense.  She had 4000, Marie had 4800, and Silvio had 800.  She wagered 2000 on this clue, what I think was one of the easiest in a category that should've been easier!: "This 4-digit number is the Hollywood production company of director Christopher Columbus."*  At the end of Double Jeopardy, Molly was in the lead with 8200.  Marie had 6600, Silvio had 1800, and I had 9000.

     Silvio found the first Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy round.  (Actually I believe the second one was not uncovered.)  He had 5000, Marie had 4600, and Molly and I both had 9400.  How do you wager with scores like those?  I struggled and wound up wagering (and losing) 2600.  Silvio wagered (and also lost!) 3000 on this toughie in Novel Sum-Up: "What hath Roth wrought?  Title guy Alexander laments to a shrink; Feels guilty?  You bet!"*

     I got two triple-stumpers right on today's episode, in Frontwords and Backwords (The responses are two words, one read forward and the same one read in reverse): "Rivers do this, bend upon bend; reverse it for one who tends sheep to their end."*  The other one was in Mikhail Gorbachev.  I can't believe everyone missed this one, and Mr. Trebek seemed surprised, too: "In 1952, Mikhail Gorbachev hit this big city to enter its state university law school; he graduated in 1955."*

     At the end of Double Jeopardy, Marie had 9800, Molly had 11000, Silvio had 5200, and I had 15200.  The Final Jeopardy category was Business Pairings.  This was the clue: "The names of 2 men, 1 born in Germany in 1834 and 1 in Kansas in 1875, were joined in this company name lasting 1998-2007."*  Marie guessed what I did (and missed it), and lost 9798.  Molly missed it, too, and lost 8601.  Silvio got it right, and will be back tomorrow!  I liked how excited he looked, raising both arms in the air!  Do you guys think he will win again tomorrow? 

*1492, Portnoy's Complaint, flow/wolf, Moscow, Daimler-Chrysler