Teen Tournament revisited

     I kinda like watching these reruns and seeing my Coryat compares to the first time I played.  Last time I played today's episode, my score was 27200.  Today my score was 30200!  That's good, but it could've been higher.  I was spacing a little bit for the "park" clue, and I thought of "overfishing" but didn't say it in time.  Like last time, I still missed 4/5 of TV Shows by Cast, and "Smallville" was still the one I got right.  I didn't sweep Drama Club Tryouts this time - I, like Kate, said "Godot" instead of "Waiting for Godot."
     A small update on the Summer Hiatus Challenge: The clues for days 1 and 2 this week have been posted!  (They'd been delayed, in case you missed yesterday's post.)

The Challenge goes on Hiatus

     Here's the original entry on today's episode.  My Coryat today was 31400.  The first time I watched this episode, it was 25200!  However, when I read the original post, I see that I swept Castles (which I did again), missed two in Current Music (did that again too), swept The Rhinoceros (said "Tibet" instead of "Nepal" this time!) and missed three in Geometry (did that again).  I did get the "trapezoid" Daily Double right today, and I didn't last time.  I swept Literary Genres today, while I apparently missed the Daily Double in that category last time.
     As for the Summer Hiatus Challenge, the man who posts the questions has been ill, and nothing's been posted this week.  Let's pray for him and wish him the best of luck.
     Recent Coryats:
originally 10-28-05: Laura Henne 6600     Alaric Smith 6400     Joey Bland 15400     Me 13600
originally 2-24-11: Raya Elias-Pushett 15200   Idrees Kahloon 6600    Brandon Welch 15400    Me 30800
     (Good news: My Coryat the first time I watched this episode was 25800.  It looks like something's working with the studying I'm doing.)

     Happily, I've gotten some interest in the idea I had about reading the works that had been adapted into Best Screenplay Oscar nominees.  I've also gotten a couple of suggestions.  Actually the first person to respond, a co-worker, was confused by what I wrote.  That confuses me.  Does anyone else need clarification?
     Another co-worker is interested but thinks we should just read the winners of Best Adapted Screenplay, not all the nominees.  (I suppose if we get done we could do the other nominees then.)  Furthermore, once she discovered that the most recent winner was "The Social Network" (adapted from Ben Mezrich's book The Accidental Billionaires), she asked that we start with "Precious," which won the previous year. :-)  Also interested: My aunt, my mom, and maybe my sister and uncle. And I want you!  Let's get reading, although I still think I will wait to start watching the movies until after I get back from Europe (early October).  So the first two books will be the Mezrich book above and the novel Push, by Sapphire.  If you're ready for the next book after those, just keep going and ask me if you want to know what it is.
     Strangely enough, this is one of the questions in the Summer Hiatus Challenge this week: "Larry McMurtry won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for this 2005 cowboy romance starring Heath Ledger."  Which makes me think, "Oh, no, I have to read that?"  Has anyone reading this already read the book in question?  What did you think?
     Another weird coincidence related to the Summer Hiatus Challenge: Some clues from two episodes I just watched were somehow related to clues in the Challenge.  This clue came from the Challenge category Opera: "This Rossini title character planned to kill Gessler with the second arrow had the first arrow missed its target."  Related clue from Jeopardy! (category Where There's a Will): "Set in 1307, this 4-act opera has long been the apple of my eye."
     From the Challenge, in 3-D Art and Artists: "This school, which taught German Modernist architecture during the Weimar Republic, was run at various times by Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe."  And these two clues from Jeopardy! (both in Architects): "Walter Gropius founded this innovative design school at Weimar in 1919" and "In 1929 he created the "Barcelona Chair", a chair of curved steel bands cantilevered to support cushions."
     How about this clue from the Challenge (category British Literature): "This author of Lord of the Flies won the Booker Prize for his 1980 novel Rites of Passage."  And this one from the show (category Where There's a Will): "His island-set 1954 novel divided characters into 2 groups; hunters & fire-keepers."
     From the Challenge, category U.S. Cities: "This city named for Ceclilus Calvert started as a tobacco port at Locus Point in 1706."  From the show, category The 13 Colonies: "Last name of the family that regained control of Maryland from the Crown in 1715."  (I didn't get this one right in the Challenge, but I did watching the show!)
     My point is that participation in the Challenge can help you study for Jeopardy!  As for the past champs participating in the Challenge, only scores from Monday and Tuesday have been posted so far.  So, for those two days, of 20 responses:
                                                                      correct     incorrect     no response    
Bill MacDonald (Rex Kramer)                            20               0                      0                   
Paul Wampler (paul5562)                                    17              0                       3                                         
Nick Condon (njcondon)                                    17               0                       3
Buddy Wright (aggiebud)                                       17              1                       2                  
Ryan Chaffee (mrbungle)                                    15               1                       4
Megan Barnes (Rafferty Barnes)                       15               1                      4                   
Stefan Goodreau (seaborgium)                           13               1                       6
Liz Murphy (emurphy)                                        13               3                        4                     
Alison Stone Roberg (Asphodel)                       12               0                        8 
Hans von Walter (hanzz)                                     10               3                       7                                     
Me (thejeopardyfan)                                            10               3                        7                 
 
     My recent Coryats:
originally 10-27-05: Jennifer Furlong 1000     Joey Bland 20400     Jeff Pandin 11400     Me 16600
originally 2-23-11: Carlee Jensen 3800     Erin Hart 20400     Raynell Cooper 14400     Me 36200
     My Coryat score the first time I played this one was 29200!  I went 26/30 in Double Jeopardy on this episode today.  And by the way, I saw a lot of Raynell during the National History Bowl/unofficial Jeopardy! reunion.

A Novel Idea

     This idea's been coming together very slowly.  It's an endeavor that I really think will help me learn what I need for Jeopardy!: Reading the works that became films nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars, then watching those films.
     I first had the idea when I realized I like to just do something fun on Saturday nights (something that doesn't feel like "studying").  This would all be studying disguised as an adventure and a challenge.  I don't watch a lot of movies (another reason to do this), but that can be a treat when I want to relax.  I also have been reading more, and I felt overwhelmed by how much there is to read that I might both enjoy and learn something from.  This will give me focus, and it would help me learn about everything that might be on Jeopardy!: History.  Music.  Geography.  Of course literature.  Not to mention the Oscars themselves.
     At first I just thought of doing it on my own; then I thought, "My sister might be interested."  Then my mom.  Then my uncle.  Now my dad.  I'm going to invite all of 'em, and you guys, too.  Would you join me?  Don't worry; we can take our time.  I thought my trip to Germany next month would be a perfect time to start reading/keep going. 
     So I'd love your feedback, including whether you think this would be a worthwhile way to study for Jeopardy!
     Speaking of going to Germany, that trip coincides with the beginning of the next season.  But never fear.  I have a guest-blogger lined up who is going to be great.  More on that soon.
     Recent Coryats:
originally 2-22-11: Cosi Audi 4400     Idrees Kahloon 25000     Lindsey Thiesfeld 13400  Me 32200
     (My Coryat when this episode originally aired was 31200.)
originally 2-21-11: Andrew van Duyn 4200    Raya Elias-Pushett 13400    Nikhil Desai 19200    Me 35400
     (I don't have a Coryat for the first time I watched this episode because the recording was messed up.)

Now "Sea" Here, people

     See here for the original blog entry on today's Teen Tournament episode.  Today's episode featured a triple-stumper that I tried to write a blog post on.  Believe it or not I still missed that clue again today.  My Coryat was 28200.  My Coryat when I watched this episode the first time was 30400.  Encouraging.  I never felt like I was in the groove today, and I had some things on my mind.   
     Recent Coryats:
originally 2-17-11 (I didn't keep track of my Coryat score the first time.):
     Brandon Welch 13600     Kate Wadman 21000     Christian Ie 5600     Me 24000
originally 10-25-05: Diane Mettam 11400     Chris Jones 9800     John Kelly 12600     Me 26200
*originally 10-26-05: Susan Klak 7200     Jeff Pandin 15000     Diane Mettam 6600     Me 10600
     *I'm embarrassed both by the Coryat and by the number of "negs" (wrong answers) I had in this game, but I feel like I need to explain: I had 11 - 11! - negs, compared to Diane's and Susan's 6 apiece, and Jeff's 3.  If I'd not responded to any of those clues that I negged, my Coryat would be 20200.  Wow.
     A brief update on the Summer Hiatus Challenge - I did well on Days 5 and 6 last week.  On Day 5, my score was higher than those of these champs: emurphy (Liz Murphy), Asphodel (Alison Stone Roberg), hanzz (Hans von Walter), NJCondon (Nick Condon), and aggiebud (Buddy Wright).
     Day 6's scores are not available yet, but I think I did okay.  One question created more debate than usual, and I actually put my own two cents in.  The category was Now "Sea" Here, and this was the clue, written by DadofTwins: "This tailoring measurement is taken from the top of the waist to where the shoe meets the foot just below the ankle."  Many people, including some strong past Jeopardy! champions, said "inseam," which you would naturally think of first.  The author of the question was going for "outseam," which many people had never heard of.  Some are complaining that there should be a new clue for those whose missed it, but I can't find a good reason for it.  (I admit I did get the answer right myself on a wild guess.)  Ultimately, DadofTwins did decide to give a new question.  I still disagree but I'm moving on.

     Look here for a recap of today's episode.  My Coryat today was 26600.  Both Erin McLean's and Sam Spaulding's was 14800.  Hans von Walter's was 8800.  At the end of today's episode, they showed a clip of Mr. Trebek saying that a rerun of the Teen Tournament will begin Monday.
     As promised, today I'm going to give a little more detail into the performances of some former Jeopardy! champs playing the Summer Hiatus Challenge.  Players have 48 hours from the posting of the clues to submit their responses.  That means that I should have the results of this week through Wednesday.  (That is, the correct responses/scores are posted.)  Here are the results for the week so far (Monday + Tuesday + Wednesday).  Of 30 responses and 225 possible points:
                                                                      correct     incorrect     no response     total points
Bill MacDonald (Rex Kramer)                            26               1                      3                     183

Paul Wampler (paul5562)                                    25              2                       3                   149
Megan Barnes (Rafferty Barnes)                       18               1                      11                       122

Nick Condon (njcondon)                                    19               1                       10                   112

Ryan Chaffee (mrbungle)                                    20               3                       7                    101
Stefan Goodreau (seaborgium)                          18               1                       11                     100
Alison Stone Roberg (Asphodel)                       15               1                       14                     82

Hans von Walter (hanzz)                                     16               5                       9                   72
Liz Murphy (emurphy)                                        14               4                       12                   62
Me (thejeopardyfan)                                            11               5                       14                  44
Buddy Wright (aggiebud)                                      (hasn't played this week)

Pardon the Interruption

     With four clues remaining in today's Jeopardy round, the screen froze on a clue and the show has not come back on yet.  I tried different things, including changing the channel back to the channel I had on before watching Jeopardy!  The show (which also just had a blank screen)? "Pardon the Interruption."  Luckily I've blogged about today's episode before and was just keeping track of my Coryat score.  But it still looks like that's out the window.  It's probably for the best because this episode was a little painful to watch the first time around.
     Sometime this weekend, I'm going to post a more detailed review of some past champions' progress in the Summer Hiatus Challenge.  I'm thinking I will have a table with their score, how many they've gotten right, how many they've answered incorrectly, and how many they did not answer.  I think it'll be kind of a lot of work, but I'm looking forward to it!  I think it'll help me remember the correct answers better, too.

     Look here for the original entry on today's episode.  My Coryat today was 29600.  Sam Spaulding's was 16400, Lea Tottle's was 15400, and Sid Chandrasekhar's was 5400.  Coryats yesterday:
originally 11-16-10: Steve Greene 6400     Ellen Eichner 6200     Hans von Walter 18400     Me 23600

     Today's contestants:

Marshall Flores

Erin McLean

Kyle Kahan

      I count six triple-stumpers that I got right today.  See if you know these:
In State Facts: "They city of Tahlequah in this state is the capital of the Cherokee Nation."
In Money Not from the Mint: "A stock certificate is an example of this, also a word before a kid's 'blanket.'"
In Proverbially Speaking: "'Man proposes, God' does this."
In Since the Iron Curtain: "In this country's 1996 elections, the statist Iliescu lost to the more market-
     oriented Constantinescu."
In Art 101: "He once said, 'When I was young I could draw like Raphael, but it has taken my whole life to learn how to draw like a child.'"  (Jeopardy! now tweets clues in a category that is featured on that day's episode.  Today, they tweeted a clue from Art 101.  I decided to study a little bit about art before today's episode, in the hopes that I met get a clue or two right from it and increase my Coryat.  I can't say for sure that it helped me get this clue, but I did read about Picasso today.  I might try that again in the future!)
Finally, in Art 101: "For centuries, artists have mixed egg yolk with pigment to make this kind of paint."
      I thought this was a triple-stumper, but Erin's response of "journey" or "long journey" was ruled acceptable on this clue in Proverbially Speaking: "Attributed to Lao-Tzu, it 'begins with a single step.'"
     Kyle found the first Daily Double in State Facts after knowing the correct response to this clue that both his opponents missed, in the same category: "As of 2008, Asians made up nearly 40% of this state's population."  (I, like Marshall, said "California," and I think I did the first time this episode aired, too.)  Kyle had 600, Erin had 1000, and Marshall had -200.  Kyle wagered 600 on this clue: "This state is named for the King of England who reigned from 1727-1760."  I got it right, but Kyle missed it.  He led anyway at the first break, with 1200.  Erin had 1000 and Marshall had -800.
     I swept International Celebrities.  The last clue in the category referred to a favorite of mine, who celebrates his 30th birthday today: "In 2010, he won the Australian Open for his 16th grand slam title."
     I would've swept Money Not from the Mint if not for this clue: "The U.S. Postal Service and Big Ed's Check Cashing & Corn Dog Hut both offer these to send bucks through the mail."  I had the right response in my head but didn't ring in and say it in time.  I blame it on being easily distracted (trying to write stuff down for the blog at the same time).
     Like Marshall and Kyle, I screwed up the title in the correct response to this clue in Twain Tracts: "A blow on the head sends a man back to Camelot in this 1889 Mark Twain novel."
     At the end of the Jeopardy round, Erin had 4200, Kyle had 5600, and Marshall had 200.
     I shouldn't have missed this clue in Since the Iron Curtain, because a friend and I just covered this over the weekend: "Vitosha Boulevard in this Bulgarian capital is now a shopping hub."  Marshall found the Daily Double in the same category.  He had 3400, Erin had 5800, and Kyle had 7600.  Marshall wisely wagered everything on this clue: "Five hundred thousand people, many lighting candles, marched in this country in 2005 to honor the late Pope."  Marshall answered so quickly I didn't get a response in.  He was wrong, though, and Mr. Trebek said he "spoke too quickly."
     Marshall found the next Daily Double, too, in G-Force.  He still trailed by a significant amount.  He had 1600, Erin had 6600, and Kyle had 5600.  Marshall wagered 1000 on this clue: "Newton said the gravitational force between 2 objects is inversely related to the square of this measurement."  We both got this one right.
     At the end of the round, Erin had 14600, Kyle had 11200, and Marshall had 3000.  The Final Jeopardy category was Sports in America, and this was the clue: "Seen with a piece of equipment, Bryn Mawr's 1st phys ed director brought this sport to the U.S.; it shares part of its name with another sport."
     Kyle and Marshall got it wrong, and both wagered all but a dollar!  Erin got it right and added 7801 to her score.  So we will see her in the Finals on Thursday and Friday.  My Coryat today was 30000.  Erin's was 14600, Kyle's was 11800, and Marshall's was 7400.
     Now for an update on the champs I'm following in the Summer Hiatus Challenge.  A note on the scoring:  As mentioned in a previous post, each day players are given 10 clues in 2 categories.  (Think of it as a Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy round.)  In the first category, clues are worth 2-4-6-8-10, and clues in the second category are worth 3-6-9-12-15.  You don't lose any points if you choose not to respond to a clue.  You lose -1, -2, -3, -4, or -5 in both categories when you get a clue wrong.
     So the results for the first week, from first place to last:

Bill MacDonald (Rex Kramer) - 375

Megan Barnes (Rafferty Barnes) - 322

Stefan Goodreau (seaborgium) - 317

Ryan Chaffee (mrbungle) - 307

Alison Stone Roberg (Asphodel) - 278

Buddy Wright (aggiebud) - 274

Liz Murphy (emurphy) - 273

Hans von Walter (hanzz) - 275, and in 5th place among kids/teens/college players

Nick Condon (njcondon) - 250, and in a tie for 5th place among rookies

Me (thejeopardyfan) - 184

Paul Wampler (paul5562) - 135 (He didn't play every day.)

     Remember, there are many more people playing.  Also, you can start playing any time.
     My recent Coryats:
originally 11-11-10: Tim Relihan 9600     Steph Gagelin 7600     Marshall Flores 13600     Me 26200
originally 11-12-10: Sam Spaulding 18600     Katie Singh 10200     Amanda J. Ray 8000     Me 28400
originally 10-21-05 (aired on GSN this weekend):
     Amanda Traphagan 9800     Paulette Beete 8800     Steve O'Connor 9600     Me 22800
originally 10-24-05: Claire O'Brien 10800     John Kelly 15800     Amanda Traphagan 8800     Me 13000

     Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to blog tonight, but I've blogged about today's episode before.  I haven't played today's episode, so I'll tell you my score next week.
     Here are the latest results available (Tuesday's) for the former champs I'm following in the Summer Hiatus Challenge.  I've added another Jeopardy! heavyweight, Bill MacDonald (Rex Kramer), to the list.  In order of how they did Tuesday:
Stefan Goodreau (seaborgium)
Hans von Walter (hanzz)
Liz Murphy (emurphy), Ryan Chaffee (mrbungle), and Bill MacDonald (tie)
Megan Barnes (Rafferty Barnes)
Alison Stone Roberg (Asphodel)

Buddy Wright (aggiebud) and Nick Condon (njcondon) (tie)
Me (thejeopardyfan) I am not a former champ.  But this is where I ranked among these champs that day.

Jeopardy! to return to GSN

     That's right...According to the blog Game Show Kingdom, Jeopardy!'s coming back to the Game Show Network.  According to my own onscreen guide, it will be on both Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. Central. I'm signing back up for that channel.  Who's with me?
     Last year, I had fun tracking the progress of former champs who played in the Summer Hiatus Challenge.  I've decided to do it again, and now that another year has passed there are even more champs to follow.  In order of how they did on the first day of the Challenge (the only day that is complete so far):
Alison Stone Roberg (Asphodel)
Megan Barnes (Rafferty Barnes)
Ryan Chaffee (mrbungle)
Stefan Goodreau!! (seaborgium)
Liz Murphy (emurphy)
Buddy Wright (aggiebud)
Nick Condon (njcondon)
Hans von Walter (hanzz)
Me (thejeopardyfan) Of course, I am not a former champ.  But this is where I rank of as of the first day.
Paul Wampler (paul5562) (Only because I don't believe he played the first day.)     If anyone thinks of anyone else, please tell me!  Keep in mind that there are many, many more people playing.  These are just former champs that I know if.  If you want to jump in and start playing, you can do that any time.
     Today's contestants:

Folake Dosu (She met Arnold Schwarzenegger!)

Kyle Kahan

Ellen Eichner

     See if you knew these triple-stumpers that I got today.  In Homophones: "This word can refer to a boat's large hooked pole or a social blunder." (I've never heard of the former, but I took a guess based on the latter.)  In Lady Antebellum: "Ladies learned this French square dance whose name hints that it's for four couples."  In College Before and After: "Paterno sends his 'Happy Valley' boys to get some 'neighbor'ly life insurance."  (Thank you, Nebraska, for joining the Big 10!)
     I'm not sure Ellen's response of "pork" should've been accepted in response to this clue in Lady Antebellum: "Women knew how to salt; this animal was the main source of meat, with slaves getting about 3 pounds a week."
     There was one category left to play in the Jeopardy round when Kyle found the Daily Double, in Kites.  He had 2200, Folake had 3800, and Ellen had 2000.  Kyle wagered just 600 on this clue: "Samuel Cody crossed this waterway in 1903 in a dinghy pulled by kites, reaching Britain after a 13-hour trip."  He and I got it right.  At the end of the round, Folake still had 3800, Ellen still had 2000, and Kyle had 4000.
     When Kyle found the next Daily Double in World of War Fact, he had 10400, Folake had 6200, and Ellen had 7600.  Kyle wagered 3000 on this clue: "Two days before this war was declared, the British said they'd repealed the laws that were the chief reason for fighting us."  I didn't get this one right in time, and I was just at Fort McHenry!  (That's a hint.)  Kyle missed it, too.
     Ellen found the last Daily Double, in Spacing Out.  She led with 9600, Folake still had 6200, and Kyle had 7400.  Ellen wagered 1200 on this clue: "The speed needed for a rocket to break free of Earth's gravity--6.96 miles per second--is called this, E.V. for short."  Like Ellen, I had the second word right but not the first one.
     At the end of the round, Folake still had 6200, Ellen had 10000, and Kyle had 9800.  The Final Jeopardy category was U.S. Presidents.  This was the easy clue: "During his tenure, he never threw out an opening day first pitch, but before he was president, he did it for the Braves."  My dad got it first, but I would have.  All three contestants had it right, too.  Folake added 2500, Kyle added 6000, and Ellen added 9601.  I like that she wagered for the win without regard to wild card spots.  We'll see her next week, then, for the semifinals.  My Coryat today was 22400.  Folake's was 6200, Ellen's was 11200, and Kyle's was 13000.
     I watched two recent reruns this morning.  Here are the Coryats:
originally 10-28-09: Christine Valada 9600     William English 3600     Jennifer Cutshall 9400     Me 21000
originally 10-29-09: Christine Valada 10200     Sara Kniffen 4400     Ed Perez-Giz 11200     Me 16000

The Summer Hiatus Challenge, explained

     Don't despair, those of you who are missing fresh Jeopardy! episodes...The Summer Hiatus Challenge is upon us on the new Jeopardy! message boards!  There is still time to play the first day.  You have not missed anything.  For those of you unfamiliar with the game: Each year, when Jeopardy! is on its summer hiatus, the Jeopardy! message boards (specifically, this gentleman) hosts a game.  Each day, two categories of Jeopardy!-like clues are presented with point values for each clue.  (Think of it as Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy rounds.)  You post your responses, using only your brain (no one else's brain, no search engines, etc.).  There are other threads, too, for "smack talk" and other conversation about each day's clues.  (That thread has spoilers, so do NOT go there until you've played all the available days.)  Other people will keep track of your score and compare you with the other players.  Trust me, it's fun.  Last year, I kept track of former champs who were playing along, and that was fun, too.
     If you're going to play and you have not appeared on Jeopardy! (I think that's most of us), you need to sign up here as "ATB."  If you played less than 6 days last year, identify yourself as a "rookie," too. There are also divisions for kids/teens and college students. 
     If you have any questions, please leave a comment here, or catch me on Twitter.  Just sign up!
     The College Tournament reruns this week.  Look here for a blog entry from when I watched today's episode the first time.  Apparently I didn't keep track of my Coryats then, which is too bad because I was hoping to compare and see if I got any better since the last time.  Here are the Coryats from today and yesterday:
originally aired 11-8-10:
     Steve Greene 13000  Olivia Colangelo 7200  Sid Chandrasekhar 21800  Me 28600
originally aired 11-9-10: Hans von Walter 10000     Lea Tottle 11800     Erin McLean 14000     Me 25800