Final Jeopardy: Compound Words (6-21-19)

Today’s Final Jeopardy question (6/21/2019) in the category “Compound Words” was:

This 8-letter word can follow nuclear to refer to a dangerous accident, or mean a total loss of emotional control

It’s the last quarter-final of the 2019 Teen Tournament. Today’s teens are: Avi Gupta, a senior from Portland, OR; Hannah Nekritz, a senior from Stamford, CT; and Shriya Yarlagadda, a sophomore from Grand Blanc, MI.

Round 1 Categories: Young Love – U.S. Presidents – Colors of the Rainbow – Pop Music – Awards & Honors – What Food is That?

Shriya found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “U.S. Presidents” under the $1,000 clue, with 6 clues to go after it. She was in third place with $2,000, $2,600 less than Avi’s lead. She bet $1,600 and she was RIGHT.

The 400,000 men & women buried in Arlington include 2 U.S. Presidents, John F. Kennedy & this man, who was also Chief Justice. show

WHO IS WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT?

Hannah finished in the lead with $6,600. Avi was second with $5,400 and Shriya was last with $4,000.

Round 2 Categories: A S.T.E.A.M. Category – One Actor, Multiple Roles – Rhyme Time – Only Half Showed Up – Backpacking – Around Europe

Shriya found the first Daily Double in “Around Europe” under the $1,600 clue on the 9th pick. She was in third place with $7,200 now, $2,200 less than Avi’s lead. She bet $2,000 and she was RIGHT.

At almost 10 miles, Samaria Gorge on this largest Greek island is the longest gorge in Europe. show

WHAT IS CRETE?

Shriya found the last Daily Double in “Only Half Showed Up” under the $1,200 clue, with 4 clues left after it. In the lead with $15,600, she had $1,800 more than Hannah in second place. She bet $2,000 and she was RIGHT.

We planned on fourscore guests, but only half showed up, so now this many have to eat all that food. show

WHAT IS 40?

Shriya finished in the lead with $17,600. Hannah was next with $16,200 and Avi was in third place with $14,200.

ALL of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT IS A MELTDOWN?

The Etymology Dictionary traces the first use of “meltdown” as originally being used by 1922 as “an act or the process of melting metal.” By 1956, it was being used with “nuclear” to refer to the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor. They have 1979 as the year the word began to be used to mean a breakdown in self-control. Here’s a tweet from Merriam Webster that says it was used in the ice cream industry before the “nuclear” and “loss of control” associations.

From CNBC: 11 Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters

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Avi bet $11,399, bringing him up to $25,599.

Hannah bet $2,000 for an $18,200 finish.

Shriya bet $5,400 and finished with $23,000. So the semi-final spot went to Avi but Hannah and Shriya both got Wild Cards, so we will be seeing all of them next week.

A triple stumper from each round:

ONE ACTOR, MULTIPLE ROLES ($800) Yael Grobglas plays 2 very different roles on this CW show that’s set in Miami

A S.T.E.A.M. CATEGORY ($800) Scientifically, the one that’s part of your hand is the metacarpus; the tree is NYPA fruticans

2 years ago: NONE of the players got this FJ in “Books of the 1960s ”

“Wherever I sat… I would be sitting under the same glass” this, the title of the author’s only novel. show

WHAT IS “THE BELL JAR”?

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