Final Jeopardy: Mammals (1-30-26)
The Final Jeopardy question (1/30/2026) in the category “Mammals” was:
Wrangel Island, off the coast of Siberia, may have been the last place on Earth where this 2-word prehistoric mammal lived
Today is an “Exhibition Match” between the 3 top champs of the 2026 Tournament of Champions, who didn’t play in the quarterfinals. They are: 16x champ, Scott Riccardi, an engineer from Somerville, NJ;; 8x champ, Laura Faddah, a manager from Memphis, TN; and 7x champ, Paolo Pasco, a puzzle writer from San Diego, CA. As Ken points out, there are no stakes involved in this match. It’s just for fun.
Round 1 Categories: Politics Rhyme Time – Sports – “Q_ed” – I’m Talkin’ Here! – Facts – Face Cards
Paolo found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “I’m Talkin’ Here!” under the $400 clue on the 19th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $7,600, $6,200 more than Scott in second place. Paolo bet all of his imaginary dollars, and he was RIGHT.
Neil Armstrong said he meant to put an “a” in between these 2 of his first words on the moon show
Paolo finished in the lead with $15,200. Scott was second with $3,200 and Laura was last with $2,400. All clues were shown.
Round 2 Categories: International Colleges & Universities – The Films of Alfred Hitchcock – Medicine – The 2012 Time 100 – How Are You Feeling? – Nothing a Little Opera Can’t Cure!
Paolo found the first Daily Double in “How Are You Feeling” under the $1,200 clue on the 6th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $18,400, $14,000 more than Laura in second place. Paolo bet $5,000 and he was RIGHT.
2014 Pharrell Williams Hit show
Laura got the last Daily Double in “International Colleges & Universities” under the $2,000 clue on the 14th pick of the round. In second place with $6,000 now, she had $20,600 less than Paolo’s lead. Laura bet $2,000 and she was RIGHT.
Woof! AIU is this “international university” in Japan focusing on liberal arts & foreign languages show
Paolo finished in the lead with a runaway $29,000. Laura was in second place with $8,800. Scott was last with $5,200. All clues were shown.
ALL of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.
WHAT IS THE WOOLLY MAMMOTH?
According to eartharchives.org, mammoths were monster-sized elephants living on several continents during the Ice Age. The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) is believed to be the last species of mammoths to survive, after being isolated on Wrangel Island.
Wrangel Island’s current inhabitants: “Because of the high numbers of polar bears, walruses, and other wildlife, Russia has designated Wrangel Island as a zapovednik: a nature reserve under the strictest possible level of protection.”
Scott stood pat on his $5,200.
Laura bet $1,601 and finished with $10,401.
Paolo bet $1,118 and won the game with $30,118. We will see Scott and Paolo in the final games of the 2026 Tournament of Champions beginning next week. TJ Fisher will round out the panel.
A triple stumper from each round:
FACTS ($1000) Milwaukee is at the confluence of the Milwaukee, the Kinnickinnic & this river
INTERNATIONAL COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES ($1200) Some say the Univ. in South Africa’s eastern cape named for this 19th c. Brit should become Steve Biko University
2 years ago: NONE of the players got this FJ in “ARMY TECHNOLOGY”
Bearing the name of a man who died in Iowa in 1838, these began service in 1979 & today number in the thousands show
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The finals is a best-of-seven, not a two-game total point affair.
Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. Thanks, Dalton, though I surely hope it doesn’t go that far 😁