Final Jeopardy: New Nations (1-16-24)

The Final Jeopardy question (1/16/2024) in the category “New Nations” was:

In Sept. 2023 the U.S. recognized 2 new nations in free association with New Zealand: Niue & this archipelago

Starting today, we’re in for a couple of Champions Wild Card tournaments that will take up the rest of this month and most of February. The contestants competing in the first match are: Andy Tirrell, a poly-sci & intl. relations professor from San Diego, CA; Katie Palumbo, a museum membership specialist from Amawalk, NY; and Sharon Stone, an early childhood intervention manager from Round Rock, TX.

Round 1 Categories: World Geography – 1980s Pro Wrestling – A Matter of Law – Hats in Other Words – Our Feathered Friends – Major “Key” Alert

Katie found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Feathered Friends” under the $1,000 clue on the 19th pick of the round. She was in second place with $1,800, $3,200 less than Andy’s lead. Katie made it a true Daily Double and she was RIGHT.

With a wingspan of about seven feet, the largest eagle in the Amazon is this species named for foul bird-like women of Greek myth show

WHAT IS A HARPY (EAGLE)?

Andy finished in the lead with $6,400. Katie was in second place with $5,400. Sharon was last with $600. All clues were shown.

Round 2 Categories: 20th Century Americans – Half a Category – Ballet – TV Cliffhangers – Authors as Book Characters – Rhyme Time

Sharon found the first Daily Double in “Authors as Book Characters” under the $1,600 clue on the 4th pick of the round. She was in last place with $1,800, $6,200 less than Andy’s lead. Sharon bet $1,500 and she was RIGHT.

“Vanessa and Her Sister” by Priya Parmar refers to Vanessa Bell & this literary sibling show

WHO IS VIRGINIA WOOLF?

Andy got the last Daily Double in “20th Century Americans” under the $1,200 clue on the 8th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $9,600, $4,200 more than Katie in second place. Andy bet $5,000 and he was RIGHT.

Mario Savio led the 1964 free speech protests at this California Univ. & protested Sonoma state fee hikes late in his life in 1996 show

WHAT IS THE UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY?

Andy finished in the lead with a runaway $21,800. Sharon was in second place with $6,100. Katie was last with negative $1,000 and out of the game at this point. All clues were shown.

Only ONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT ARE THE COOK ISLANDS?

First of all, wikipedia’s article Associated State has the details on “free association”, with a list of political territories in that category. (It’s not that many,). The Cook Islands and Nuie are the minor partners in such an arrangement with New Zealand, which began in 1965 and 1974, respectively.

In September of 2023, the United States formally established diplomatic ties with the Cook Islands and Niue, “in a move widely seen as part of efforts to roll back China’s expanding influence in a strategically important region”, according to Kyodo News, Japan’s largest news agency.

Sharon wrote out her wish that Andy would “bet it all.” She lost $6,000 and finished with $100.

Andy got it right. He bet $1,800 and won the game with $23,600. Andy advances to the semi-finals.

A triple stumper from each round:

MAJOR “KEY” ALERT ($600) Lester “The Long Fellow” Piggott & Steve Cauthen, “The Kentucky Kid”, were these track stars— a different kind of track

20TH CENTURY AMERICANS ($2000) Brought back to his place in history by a 2023 movie, he was the main organizer of the March on Washington

More clues on Page 2

2 years ago: NONE of the players got this FJ in “Broadway Musicals”

Each in a show that ran more than 2 years, Ethel Merman & Sarah Jessica Parker played 2 different characters with this first name show

WHAT IS ANNIE?

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