Final Jeopardy: U.S. States (1-19-16)
The Final Jeopardy question (1/19/2016) in the category “U.S. States” was:
In 1721 explorer Charlevoix called a point at the border of these 2 states “the finest confluence in the world”.
Well, here we are with 3 new players again, after no one won yesterday’s game. They are: Hans Kamm from Fayettesville, AR, Matt Egbert, from New York, NY; and Kyle Webb, from Boyertown, PA.
Round 1 Categories: The Bridges of Other Counties – Literature – International Acronyms – NFL Nicknames – Straight Outta Compost – I Need My “Space”
Matt found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Literature” under the $1,000 clue before the first break. He was in third place, in the hole for $1,000, or $4,400 less than Hans in the lead. He bet the $1,000 allowance but could not come up with a response so he was WRONG.
On the “Fifth Day” as recounted in this 14th century collection by Boccaccio, the storytellers must tell tales of love. show
Hans finished in the lead with $3,600. Kyle was second with $2,600 and Matt was last, in the hole for $1,600.
Round 2 Categories: Early Start – Movie Role, TV Role – Crossword Puns – The Annals of Fashion – Japanese History – I Need My Space
Matt found the first Daily Double in “Early Start” under the $1,600 clue. He was in second place with $5,200 when he found it, $3,400 behind Kyle’s lead. A clue reversal* brought Hans’ score up to $5,600 and that put Matt in third place. He bet $4,000 and he was RIGHT.
In 1895 at age 13 he had his first exhibition in a furniture store on Calle Real in the town of La Coruna. show
The second Daily Double was under one of the 4 clues left on the board in “Japanese History” but we didn’t get to see it.
Kyle finished in the lead with $11,400. Matt was next with $9,200 and Hans was in third place with $5,600.
NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.
WHAT ARE MISSOURI & ILLINOIS?
“In 1721, French explorer, Father Pierre Francois de Charlevoix, wrote of the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, ‘I believe this is the finest confluence in the world. The two rivers are much the same breadth, each about half a league: but the Missouri is by for the most rapid, and seems to enter the Mississippi like a conqueror, through which it carries its white waters to the opposite shore without mixing them, afterwards, it gives its color to the Mississippi which it never loses again but carries quite down to the sea …'”
“Confluence Point State Park is located near West Alton, Missouri…. across the river from Alton, Illinois in the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway area.” (Great River Road.com)
Hans wrote down New York & New Jersey. He lost his $1,401 bet and finished with $4,199.
Matt had the same answer as Hans. He bet and lost it all.
Kyle wrote down Louisiana & Texas. She lost her $7,001 bet and finished with $4,399, today’s winning total. Now we’ve got a champ.
*That Clue Reversal: This was the $1,200 clue in “The Annals of Fashion”: A 20-teens trend is away from those boring identical earrings & toward this alliterative way of choosing a pair. Hans answered “mismatched” and was ruled incorrect. No one else went for “mix and match”. When Alex announced the change in scoring right before Matt bet on his Daily Double, he said: “… in the last few minutes, our researchers have discovered that in the world of fashion, miss match, two words, and so your response is going to be accepted and you pick up $2,400.” Not to nitpick, and not that it made much difference later on, but we disagree because Hans didn’t say “mismatch.” He said “mismatched.” Twice, in fact, because Alex asked him to repeat his answer.
2 years ago: Only ONE of the players got this FJ in “International Sports”
Twice the host country, this nation of 4-1/2 million leads the world in total Winter Olympic medals. show
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Is Kyle’s last name Schmdt??
No, IT’s Kyle Webb.
They mentioned my favorite book in the first round DD, but they simplified the clue greatly. Perhaps it would be more trouble than it’s worth to give an accurate clue, but topic of the fifth day as set by Fiammetta actually deals with lovers who face disasters before events are resolved happily. It’s meant to contrast with the previous day’s topic, set by Filostrato, where the stories are of tragic love. If anyone is interested in reading “Decameron”, I think the best English translation (and the one with the most informative endnotes) is the Guido Waldman translation published by Oxford World’s Classics.
I was surprised that nobody guessed “simultaneous” in the $200 category. I didn’t think it was that difficult a word to arrive at even if you aren’t a chess player like I am (and in the world of chess, we usually shorten the term to “simul”).
I am hard of hearing and missed most of the Q & A of a question in Straight Outta Compost (?); it was about a general’s (?) nickname which could be composted? Couldn’t wrap my head around it. Anybody help? It is poking at my memory.
I can’t recall the precise phrasing, but the clue was about General Winfield Scott, who was called “Old Fuss and Feathers” because he was a martinet when he came to parades and inspections, always insisting on precisely correct ceremonial behavior and dress. The clue gave the nickname as “Old Fuss and _____”, so “feathers” was the correct answer.
Here is the phrasing — “Big into discipline, Gen. Winfield Scott earned the Nickname “Old Fuss &” these, which the General could then compost”
@Alice, J! Archive has today’s game posted already. If you go there you can read the clues and the responses. Hope this helps.
As a resident of that part of the country, it saddened me that “the finest confluence in the world” wouldn’t instantly make any reasonably educated citizen of the U.S. think of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
By the way, I think the narrator of the video posted here isn’t correct when he says something about the Missouri-Mississippi system being the longest river in the world.
After the Missouri River was explored, it was understood that the “real” river is the one that starts up in Montana, travels southeastward, turns south at the Missouri/Illinois border and travels almost due south to the Gulf of Mexico. The river north of the confluence, up to Minnesota, should be thought of as a tributary. (It would be odd to think of what we call the Missouri a “tributary” of the Mississippi, as the Missouri is actually longer than the Mississippi.)
Even so, that “real” river, usually known as the Missouri-Mississippi, still wouldn’t be the longest river in the world. Some sources place it 3rd, behind only the Nile and Amazon; others say it’s 4th, with the Yangtze slightly longer. (You’d think this would be settled fact by now, but apparently it isn’t.)
I was hoping “What are Louisiana and Texas?” was a correct response to the Final Jeopardy! clue. I was expecting someone to go home with a lot of money. I feel bad for all three players. They should’ve gotten more than $10,000.
41/55 here. INoptimal wagering from second place, but at least no three way tie on zero. Wagering $201 less would have allowed Hans to win on a TS in this case.
I love alex trebek
Would it not be true that neither Missouri nor Illinois were states in 1721? I do not think there were states until 1776.
1821and 1818 respectively. Neither were states in 1721. Should have been phrased as the border of what two future states.
You are so correct. Furthermore, Charlevoix was talking about the 2 rivers in his 1721 quote. Poorly written clue.
Ooh, so that’s why I couldn’t come up with the right answer. Yeah, right! That’s why. :):)
@VJ, love that you’re now including the category names in the recap. :):)
@Cece, surprised you didn’t think this game was not up to par with such low scores going into fj and so many ts.
@Jacob, I just didn’t want to complain again…you forgot to mention wrong guesses, bad wagers., poorly written clues…. :):)
I also don’t get why lately they keep repeating the same subject for FJ’s—literature, literature, literature, religion, religion, religion, US states, US states, ad nauseam.
Happy now? :):)
Hey don’t forget they left the last DD on the board. Grrr….
@Cece, thanks about categories. I also want to get an emoji for when they don’t get to all the DDs to express my frustration. LOL! Any suggestions?
@VJ- I know how an uncovered DD pisses you off, LOL! As for the Icon suggestion, I have plenty but….huh….this being a family site and all… I think I’ll leave it to others here to contribute. :):)
Just watched the episode. I live in St .Louis, and the border of the two states was what I immediately thought of, but the term two states threw me off. Should have definitely been phrased better. They weren’t even colonies, which I think threw off the contestants as well. (at least the two that answered new york and new jersey)
I found Kyle’s answer of Mamie Eisenhower amusing.
Me, too :):) A definite LOL. Did you ever hear the tale of how mean old Mamie was to Jackie Kennedy while showing her around the White House after JFK won the election?
I think I did, VJ. Quite a contrast between First Ladies, to say the least!
Sorry for the duplicate post, my computer is acting up tonight.
no problem, I know the feeling… only with me it is the internet connection. Aggravating!
@Rhonda, that was hilarious. Mamie Eisenhower wore bangs, etc. Picture was not close to resembling her. lol
That was too much, and LBJ as Eisenhower lol?
I wanted to mention this Triple Stumper from “Movie Role, TV Role” – ($2,000) “Nick, a young professor & guest in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”; Pops on the Goldbergs”
It made me want to watch “King Rat” and “Invitation to a Gunfighter” again. I’ve already seen “Virginia Woolf” more than twice.
When I saw none of the contestants got it right, I was scared to death and also on my toes that a back2back no win would occur. Dang it!