Final Jeopardy: Short Stories (2-24-26)

The Final Jeopardy question (2/24/2026) in the category “Short Stories” was:

Encountering one that snarls at him in an 1819 work, this title character exclaims, “My very dog…has forgotten me!”

2x champ, Trey Hart, a grant writer from Petaluma, has now won $34,300. In Game 3, he’s up against: James Hirsh, a lawyer from Toronto, Ontario; and Christa Fidel, a musician from Wellington, FL.

Round 1 Categories: Ends in “Ella” – Abbreviated Magazines – Americans in History – Who Wants Gum? – Kiddy Lit – Fake Doctors, Real Actors

James found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Who Wants Gum?” under the $600 clue on the 4th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $1,400 now, $600 more than Trey in second place. James made it a true Daily Double and he was RIGHT.

In 1926 the former Weeghman Park was named this in honor of a chewing gum magnate show

WHAT IS WRIGLEY FIELD?

James finished in the lead with $5,600. Trey was in second place with $5,400. Christa was last with $4,800. All clues were shown.

Round 2 Categories: World Cities – Broadway Theatres – Space – Banned Camp – I’m All Lost – No Time to Say the Whole Word

Trey found the first Daily Double in “I’m All Lost” under the $1,600 clue on the 14th pick. He was in second place with $11,000 now, $200 less than Christa’s lead. Trey bet $4,000 and he was RIGHT.

The location of the 1909 jeweled Alexander III commemorative imperial one of these has yet to be cracked show

WHAT IS A FABERGÉ EGG?

James got the last Daily Double in “World Cities” under the $1,200 clue with 8 clues left after it. In last place with $8,800, he had $8,600 less than Trey’s lead. James bet $8,000 and he was RIGHT.

Like his famous grandfather, portrait artist Lucian Freud died at home in this city show

WHAT IS LONDON?

James finished in the lead with $20,400. Trey was in second place with $16,200 and Christa was last with $15,600. All clues were shown.

ALL of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHO IS RIP VAN WINKLE?

Rip Van Winkle, a hen-pecked husband, is the title character of one of Washington Irving’s most famous tales. His wife’s shrewish temper is the reason Rip stays away from home. (“… a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use.”) Rip goes off high in the Catskills on one of his escapes from home, gets drunk and sleeps for 20 years. Even his faithful companion of yore, Wolf, doesn’t recognize Rip (or at least Rip thinks it’s Wolf).

“Rip Van Winkle” was part of a collection published in “The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” (1819). “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” was also in that book and those two stories made Washington Irving famous. The characters from those tales continue to appear in derivative works to this day. My favorite is the doo-wop song by the Devotions that I couldn’t resist posting!

Christa stood pat on her $15,600.

Trey bet $8,000 and finished with $24,200.

James bet $12,018 and won the game with $32,418. James Hirsh is the new Jeopardy! champ.

A triple stumper from each round:

AMERICANS IN HISTORY ($800) In 1893 Howard Hyde Russell founded a force to reckon with for the next 40 years: not the anti-bar or -tavern but the anti-this league

SPACE ($1600) An “M” in front of a galaxy refers to this Frenchman who catalogued a bunch of them in the 18th century

More clues on Page 2

2 years ago: ALL of the players got this FJ in “MILITARY HISTORY”

A prototype of this craft was deployed in August 1955; it made headlines in May 1960 show

WHAT IS THE U-2 SPY PLANE?