Final Jeopardy: 19th Century Europeans (1-25-18)

Today’s Final Jeopardy question (1/25/2018) in the category “19th Century Europeans” was:

In an 1889 letter to his brother, he wrote, “I wouldn’t exactly have chosen madness if there had been a choice”

4x champ Rachel Lindgren has won $65,199 so far. She’ll hit the 5-game mark today if she can defeat these two players: Jeff Machusko, from Centennial, CO; and Rosie Jonker, from New York, NY.

Round 1 Categories: The Quotable Will Rogers – 3-Letter Words – Band of Brothers & Sisters – Train Time – Found My Place in the Book – Crayola Colors

Rosie found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Will Rogers” under the $400 clue, with 3 more clues in the same category still to go. She was in second place with $4,000, $1,200 less than Rachel’s lead. She bet $2,000 and guessed Interpol. That was WRONG.

This then 96-member institution “opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation” show

Rachel finished in the lead with $5,200. Rosie was second with $2,800 and Jeff was last with negative $800.

Round 2 Categories: 3-Name the Author – Historic Boycotts – Rhyming Terms – The Producers – Heavens – Tibet See

Jeff found the first Daily Double in “Rhyming Terms” under the $1,600 clue on the 5th pick. He was in third place with $800 now, $4,800 behind Rachel’s lead. He bet the $2,000 allowance and he was RIGHT.

Greek term for the unwashed masses show

Rosie found the last Daily Double in “3-Name the Author” under the $1,200 clue on the 13th pick. In second place with $6,800, she had $1,600 less than Rachel’s lead. She bet $3,000 and she was RIGHT.

“Jo’s Boys, and How They Turned Out show

Rosie finished in the lead with $13,800. Rachel was next with $10,800 and Jeff was in third place with $5,200.

NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHO IS VINCENT VAN GOGH?

Vincent Van Gogh regularly corresponded with his younger brother, Theo, who was a source of both emotional and financial support to the artist. The phrase in the clue is in a 4/21/1889 letter to Theo, written before Vincent admitted himself to the Saint-Paul Asylum at Saint-Remy for treatment on 5/8/1889. In the letter, Vincent acknowledged his unstable state of mind (that led him to cut off his left ear on 12/23/1888). Yet he held out hope that he might recover. Neither Van Gogh brother lived very long after that. Vincent died from a gunshot wound to the stomach on 7/29/1890 at age 37. Theo died at age 33 on 1/21/1891 from dementia paralytica.

Their letters (as well as letters Vincent wrote and received from others) are all available in English on VanGoghLetters.org.



Jeff had a blank. He lost his $3,000 bet and was left with $2,200.

Rachel came up with Dostoevsky. That didn’t cost her a ruble so she remained at $10,800.

Rosie thought it was Nietzsche. Her $7,801 bet dropped her to $5,999. That made Rachel the winner with a 5-day total of $75,999 and Gilbert Collins has some company in the next ToC.

Final Jeopardy (1/25/2018) Rachel Lindgren, Jeff Machusko, Rosie Jonker

A triple stumper from each round:

TRAIN TIME ($600) In the 1800s inventions like this man’s improved steam engine were adapted for trains

3-NAME THE AUTHOR ($2000) “The Magician of Lublin”

2 years ago: ALL of the players got this FJ in “British Musical Theater”

A critic said, “I doubt if there is a single joke in” this 1885 work “that fits the Japanese. But all the jokes… fit the English” show

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8 Responses

  1. timmeh says:

    I thought the Will Rogers quotes category was tough. I mean it’s real easy to mess up a quote plus are his quotes that popular to begin with?

    No Fats Domino fans on the panel today.

    • VJ says:

      Yeah, I agree on the quotes– very easy to get a word wrong and I’d say it’s probably a good idea to leave it be if you’re not 100% sure. idk how popular Will Rogers’ quotes are. I’ve never found them to be all that myself. On the other hand, Fats Domino’s songs are all that 🙂

  2. Ginny says:

    F. J. question was so simple. Why wouldn’t anyone get it?

  3. Richard Corliss says:

    The College Championship is on April 9-20th.

  4. Lou says:

    how come none of the contestants knew Vincent Van Gogh, VJ? I thought there was going to be a triple solve today. But Rachel was smart not to bet anything. I guess she must have learned from Seth Wilson when he bet zero dollars in a few of his games. Dostoyevsky was not a painter since he contributed most of his life writing novels. Are the categories becoming harder this year for the newcomers VJ?

    • VJ says:

      To be fair, Lou, the clue did not give the person’s occupation — only that he lived in the 19th century and was writing his brother about his madness. Apparently, the players were unaware of the letters between the Bros Van Gogh.

      In case they stick with the brothers theme, Nietzsche had one brother– Josef, who died shortly before his second birthday. Dostoevsky had a few brothers but he wasn’t writing to anyone in 1889 because he died in 1881.

      • Lou says:

        Interesting theme to today’s final. But still glad this week had that sibling theme since we had that mycroft holmes response.

  5. Dalton Higbee says:

    It’s been a tough week (so far) for FJ!s. I hope someone wins big tomorrow.