Final Jeopardy: Notable Americans (1-9-26)

The Final Jeopardy question (1/9/2026) in the category “Notable Americans” was:

Known in Mexican history as the Sale of the Mesilla Valley, the 30,000-square-mile deal was negotiated by this U.S. diplomat.

By the end of today’s Champions Wildcard quarterfinal, we’ll have the full semifinals lineup. These 3 players all have a chance to come back next week: James Corson, a nuclear engineer from Frederick, MD; Ryan Sharpe, a recent graduate from Oakville, Ontario; and Ian Morrison, an airline ramp agent orig. from Aurora, CO.

Round 1 Categories: All These Things That I’ve Done – Alliteration – Biblical Language – That’s Fashionable – Why Not? Football! – Teaching to the Test

Ian found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Biblical Language” under the $600 clue on the 4th pick of the round. He was in second place with $800, $1,000 less than Ryan’s lead. Ian bet $1,000 and came up with Gideon. That was WRONG.

An Israelite military leader lends his name to this species of yucca show

WHAT IS THE JOSHUA TREE?

Round 2 Categories: U.S. Bodies of Water – Known Whereabouts – Adapted for High School – They Call Me Mellow Yellow – Fantastic Tales – Teaching to the Test

Ryan found the first Daily Double in “U.S. Bodies of Water” under the $2,000 clue on the 3rd pick. He was in the lead with $9,200 now, $5,000 more than James in second place. Ryan bet $6,174 and he was RIGHT.

Named for a duke, this nearly 700-mile-long river rises in Kentucky, flows through Tennessee, then back into Kentucky show

WHAT IS THE CUMBERLAND?

Ryan got the last Daily Double in “They Call Me Mellow Yellow” under the $1,600 clue on the 10th pick of the round. In the lead with $18,974, he had $13,374 more than Ian in second place. Ryan bet $2,048 and he was RIGHT.

At the turn of the 20th century, Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World & this publisher’s New York Journal spread lurid yellow journalism show

WHO IS WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST?

Ryan finished in the lead with $24,222. James was in second place with $11,000 and Ian was last with $8,800. All clues were shown.

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TWO of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHO IS JAMES GADSDEN?

The Gadsden Purchase is named for James Gadsden, who was appointed Minister to Mexico by President Franklin Pierce in 1853. Sent to Mexico to buy as much land as possible from recently re-elected President Antonio López de Santa Anna, Gadsden negotiated a deal for land along the U.S.-Mexico border that was whittled down to $10 million for a 29,640 sq mi region. Today it is part of southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. There was quite a bit of intrigue involved and while Gadsden and Santa Anna may have thought future glory would come their way, it didn’t.

Watch this amusing clip about the Gadsden Purchase and other treaties.

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Ian got it right. He bet it all and doubled his score to $17,600.

James was missing the other D in both of his misspellings (Gasden & Gadsen). He bet and lost his whole $11,000.

Ryan also got it right. He bet $1,729 and won the game with $25,951. Ryan Sharpe advances to the semifinals. Ian Morrison’s high score gets him a ticket to the semifinals, too.

As always, thanks to Richard for posting the winners and Wild Card list.

A triple stumper from each round:

KNOWN WHEREABOUTS ($1600) Albert DeSalvo, known as this notorious name of the ’60s, lived with his wife & 2 kids in Malden, Massachusetts

THEY CALL ME MELLOW YELLOW ($2000) When an employee agrees as a condition of employment to not join a union, it’s called this kind of unlawful contract

More clues on Page 2

2 years ago: Only ONE of the players got this FJ in “RIVERS”

A European capital got its name as a consequence of flooding on this river show

WHAT IS THE AMSTEL RIVER?

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