Final Jeopardy: Alphabetical America (4-18-24)
Today’s Final Jeopardy question (4/18/2024) in the category “Alphabetical America” was:
Until Alabama became the 22nd state, this one was first alphabetically
5x champ Alison Betts, a writer & creative exec. orig. from San Jose, CA, has
now won $121,500. Her opponents are: Rob Blumenstein, a paralegal orig. from Montreal, Quebec; and Marko Saric, a math professor from Chapel Hill, NC.
Round 1 Categories: At the Start of the Sport – Second Cities – All Up in Your Business – What a Literary Character – Crossword Clues “R” – Patience
Alison found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Second Cities” under the $1,000 clue on the 9th pick of the round. She was in second place with $1,800, $600 less than Rob’s lead. Alison made it a true Daily Double and said Buenos Aires. That was WRONG.
The historic site Pedra do Sal in this second city has been called “the birthplace of Samba” show
Alison finished in the lead with $5,000. Marko was in second place with $4,400. Rob was last with $3,600. All clues were shown.
Round 2 Categories: Books in History – Medals & Decorations – 9-letter Words – Acting Up at Juilliard – Biblical Garb – Patients
Rob found the first Daily Double in “9-Letter Words” under the $1,600 clue on the 2nd pick of the round. He was in last place with $3,600, $1,400 less than Alison’s lead. Rob made it a true Daily Double and he was RIGHT.
This verb can mean to create through skill, or to construct a lie or forgery show
Marko found the last Daily Double in “Books in History” under the $1,200 clue on the 5th pick of the round. He was in second place with $6,000, $800 less than Rob’s lead. Marko bet $2,900 and he was RIGHT.
Economist F.A. Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom” came out in 1944 when this woman was at Oxford & was a huge influence on her later policies show
Marko finished in the lead $12,900. Alison was in second place with $11,000. Rob was last with $9,600. All clues were shown.
NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.
WHAT IS CONNECTICUT?
Here’s a link to my helpful little list of U.S. States and their dates of admission to the Union. It is arranged by century and by who was President on the date of admission. Everyone should know that Arizona and Alaska joined the Union in the 20th century so we only have Arkansas left to consider. Alabama was admitted when James Monroe was President. Arkansas came later during Andrew Jackson’s tenure.
Of course, if you already knew Alabama was admitted before Arkansas, you would go straight to the 13 original colonies and realize the answer is Connecticut. Currently, the Nutmeg State is 7th alphabetically, after the 4 “A” states, and 2 other “C” states (California and Colorado).
Rob went with Arkansas. He lost $9,559 and finished with $41.
Alison settled on Arkansas after crossing out Arizona and Arkansas. That cost her $8,500 and left her with $3,799.
Marko made it an Arkansas trifecta. He lost $9,101 but won the game with the remaining $3,799. Marko Saric is the new Jeopardy! champ.
2 triple stumpers from the last round:
BOOKS IN HISTORY ($800) Alfred Thayer Mahan changed military thinking with his 1890 work on this type of power that he said had made Britain dominant
ACTING UP AT JUILLIARD ($2000) Alum Robin Williams set up a scholarship won by this woman, who made it from Group 32 to the lead in “Zero Dark Thirty”
2 years ago: NONE of the players got this FJ in “Women in British History”
The orphaned future Queen Elizabeth I was devoted to this stepmother who died 2 days before Elizabeth’s 15th birthday show
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Alison showed a few chinks in her armor yesterday and today. If they’re still taping a week’s worth of shows in a day, I wonder if the grind got to her. Tonight might have been her fourth taping that day, and there is little time in between.
FJ looked easy but was awfully tricky. I considered Arkansas but suspected it wouldn’t be an A state. But still didn’t come up with it. And for some reason I thought Sao Paolo was the 2nd city in Brazil but is more likely the most populous. I was a bit surprised to hear “Ashley” as acceptable.
@Howard, I was surprised about “Ashley” too, but I guess it was accepted since they only had Melanie for the wife’s name. It would have been worse if the clue said Melanie Hamilton and they then accepted just Ashley,
I got Final easily. At first, I said Delaware, but told myself that that could not be right. Then, I got it.
I recall that Alabama was created, along with Mississippi, from one vast Georgia.
The things that Alison knew, and didn’t know, was, literally, remarkable. I was downright quizzical at her miss on the DD.
I predict Marko to be a 1-day champ.
I attributed the lower TS count
.to the men. I don’t think Alison will make it out of the quarter finals in the TOC.
Nice list, VJ.
Thanks, Steve 😁
The clues were super easy tonight, and I did unusually well throughout the game. In fact, despite missing a few no brainers, I may have broken a record (or at least tied). That was, unfortunately, until I hit a roadblock with FJ..
Thanks to that evil geography clue, we got another triple stumper in the Final this week since today’s Final was a tough one.
You forgot to put down what Rob wrote in his FJ! response. Well either way all three players had the same incorrect response and the last time it happened was exactly three months ago from today. Alison had a great run and we’ll see her in the Tournament of Champions and we’ll see if Marko can earn a lot more than 3,799 tomorrow.
I didn’t forget, Kevin. That line got accidentally deleted somehow but I put it back