Final Jeopardy: Notable Names (1-23-14)

The Final Jeopardy question (1/23/2014), in the category “Notable Names” was:

During a Jubilee Celebration in 2003, he became the first foreigner to be made an honorary citizen of Nepal.

New champ Karen Ruckert won $12,400 yesterday, and returns for a second shot today. Her opponents are: Chip Bell, from Marysville, OH; and Jennifer Cross Miller, from Pacheco, CA.

Chip found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double under $1,000 in “Scandal” under the very last clue on the board. He was in the lead with $6,200, $1,000 ahead of Jennifer in second place. He bet $2,000 and he was RIGHT.

In 1991 he went to prison on drug charges; 3 years later he was reelected mayor of D.C. show

WHO IS MARION BARRY?

Chip finished in the lead with $8,200. Jennifer was second with $5,200 and Karen was last with $800.

Jennifer found the first Daily Double in “Geometry” under the $1,600 clue. Still in second place, she had $600 less than Chip’s lead. She bet $1,400 and thought it was an ellipsis. That was WRONG.

Johannes Kepler used this geometric figure to describe the orbits of the planets, with the sun as a focus. show

WHAT IS AN ELLIPSE?

Karen found the last Daily Double in “Flakes” under the $1,200 clue. In third place with $4,000, she had $5,000 less than Chip’s lead. She bet $2,000 and, just like her art DD yesterday, she misunderstood the clue and said the Sistine Chapel. That was WRONG.

One reason this famed fresco began flaking soon after completion in 1498 was that it was painted on dry plaster. show

WHAT IS “THE LAST SUPPER”?

Chip finished in the lead with $9,000. Jennifer was next with $8,600 and Karen was in third place with $3,600.

Only ONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHO IS SIR EDMUND HILLARY?

(On May 29, 2003) “Nepalese Crown Prince Paras today conferred the “Sagarmatha Swarnamahotsav Padak’’ (Everest Golden Jubilee Medal) on Sir Edmund Hillary, 50 years after he became the first person to set foot on the top of Mount Everest,” and “on behalf of King Gyanendra, Nepalese Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand conferred… the Nepali citizenship here, for being the first person to conquer Mount Everest and for making valuable contributions in fields of health and society of Nepal. (Tribune: Nepal honours Hillary)

Karen wrote down Prince Charles. That cost her $2.900. She finished with $700.

Jennifer thought it was the Dalai Lama. She lost her $8,000 bet and finished with $600.

Chip got it right and added $8,300 to his score, so he won the game with $17,300. Chip’s our new champ.

Did you notice that all the Daily Doubles were in one-word categories today? Maybe they’re trying to save precious seconds since Alex Trebek can’t remember to keep it short, but it didn’t work. Two clues went uncovered in “Flakes.” As for us, we lost today’s bet that everyone would get this FJ right, but at least it wasn’t a total fail, like yesterday, thanks to Chip.