Final Jeopardy: Name That -ism (6-6-25)

The Final Jeopardy question (6/6/2025) in the category “Name That -ism” was:

This word first appears in English in a letter explaining that “Candide” is meant to ridicule the philosopher Leibniz

New champ Nikhil Joshi, a veterinarian orig. from Montville, NJ, won $5,400 in yesterday’s game. In Game 2, he competes against: Elizabeth Hawkins, a software engineer from Oakland, CA; and Brian O’Heron, a graduate student from St. Louis, MO.

Round 1 Categories: London Literary Landmarks – Hodgepodge – Cybercrime – Hits Across the Decades – Comparative Adjectives – Shaped Like

Elizabeth found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “London Literary Landmarks” under the $800 clue on the 8th pick of the round. At $800, she was the only one with money. Elizabeth bet the $1,000 allowance but thought it was “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court”, a different Twain tale. That was WRONG.

In this Twain tale Tom Canty is welcomed to the splendor of the Guildhall while the real royal is mocked trying to get in show

WHAT IS “THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER”?

Nikhil finished in the lead with $4,200. Elizabeth was second with $1,200 and Brian was last with $800. All clues were shown.

Round 2 Categories: Volcanoes Are So Hot Right Now – Mythology – Weights & Measures – TV Creators – America in the 1920s – We’d Like a Short Word With “U”

Brian found the first Daily Double in “Short Word With ‘U'” under the $2,000 clue on the 16th pick. He was in second place with $5,600 now, $8,600 less than Nikhil’s lead. Brian bet $4,000 and struggled to come up with something. I’m not sure what he said but it was WRONG.

3 letters: It follows “grand” to designate the ritziest bottles in a wine appellation show

WHAT IS CRU?

Two clues later, Brian got the last Daily Double in “Weights & Measures” under the $1,600 clue. In second place with $3,600, he had $10,600 less than Nikhil’s lead. Claude bet $3,200 and, this time, he was RIGHT.

A French scientist is honored in the name of this unit of pressure that’s equal to one Newton per square meter show

WHAT IS A PASCAL?

Nikhil finished in the lead with $16,200. Brian was next with $8,800 and Elizabeth was in third place with $1,200. All clues were shown.

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Only ONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT IS OPTIMISM?

German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz published “Theodicée” in 1710, entertaining the idea that we live in “the best of all possible worlds” courtesy of God. First, let’s establish that Leibniz died in 1716. The French word “optimisme” was coined in 1737 by the Jesuits of Trévoux, giving Leibniz’s philosophy a name. Voltaire used “l’Optimisme” as a subtitle for his satirical novella “Candide” in 1759.

“Candide” was a huge success and was translated into English, among other languages. Thus, the word “optimism” first appeared in print in English in articles about “Candide” or in translations of the book itself.

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Elizabeth got it right. She didn’t bet anything though, so she stayed at $1,200.

Brian went with absurdism. That cost him $7,401 and left him with $1,399.

Nikhil wrote down existentialism. He lost $1,401 but won the game with the remaining $14,799. Nikhil’s 2-day total is $20,199.

A triple stumper from each round:

HODGEPODGE ($800) Longevity must run in the family– this son of Lamech & grandson of Methuselah lived to the ripe old age of 950

AMERICA IN THE 1920s ($1200) He escaped harm but 7 associates of this gangster were gunned down in Chicago on February 14, 1929

More clues on Page 2

2 years ago:Only ONE of the players got this FJ in “BRITISH NOVELS”

Midway through this 1928 novel, the title character briefly takes “their” instead of his or her show

WHAT IS “ORLANDO”?

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