Final Jeopardy: European Borders (4-9-20)

Today’s Final Jeopardy question (4/9/2020) in the category “European Borders” was:

Barely changed since a 1297 agreement, the border between these 2 countries is called La Raya on one side & A Raia on the other

Today is the fourth quarter-final of the 2020 College Championship. Competing today: Joe Coker, a junior (Hendrix College); Beni Keown, a freshman (Northwestern Univ.); and Xiaoke Ying, a sophomore (Univ. of So. California)

Round 1 Categories: Where Ya Goin’ for Spring Break? – Homophones – College Law – Sports History – Shopping – Returns

Beni found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Returns” under the $600 clue, with a dozen clues to go after it. He was in second place with $2,000, $1,200 less than Joe’s lead. He made it a true Daily Double and took a guess with Cain. That was WRONG.

After he returns in Luke 15, his dad says “Bring hither the fatted calf and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.” show

WHO IS THE PRODIGAL SON?

Beni finished in the lead with $5,200. Joe was second with $3,400 and Xiaoke was last with $2,000.

Round 2 Categories: European History – Party in the USA – Don Quixote – T Off – Movie & TV Romances – Chemistry

Joe found the first Daily Double in “Party in the USA” under the $1,200 clue on the 16th pick. He was in second place with $9,000 now, $1,000 behind Beni’s lead. He bet $5,000 and he was RIGHT.

Due to the participation of Bull Moose, Teddy Roosevelt, this incumbent president finished third in 1912. show

WHO IS WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT?

Beni got the last Daily Double in “Chemistry” under the $1,200 clue, with 5 clues left after it. In second place with $13,600, he had $3,600 less than Joe’s lead. He bet $1,000 and went with “oxygen gas.” That was WRONG.

The main products of the alcoholic fermentation of sugar are ethanol & this gas. show

WHAT IS CARBON DIOXIDE?

Joe finished in the lead with $15,200. Beni was next with $14,800 and Xiaoke was in third place with $6,400.

ALL of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT ARE SPAIN & PORTUGAL?

The 1297 Treaty of Alcañices, signed by King Denis of Portugal and King Fernando IV of Castile, hammered out the border between the two kingdoms and led to a 40-year peace. (It also led to a couple of grandchildren for King Denis when his daughter married King Fernando IV.) There have been several treaties since then (see the Important Treaties section on Wikipedia’s Portugal-Spain border article). They were mainly concerned with settling disputes over which country owned which border town, although disputes over the town of Olivença have continued to the present day. Spain and Portugal’s border became open in the 1990s with the Schengen Agreement; however, as we know, COVID-19 has drastically affected Europe’s open borders policy.

There are various translations of “La Raya” and “A Raia” online — I saw: the border, the line, the streak and the stripe.

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Xiaoke bet it all and doubled her score to $12,800.

Beni bet $1,000 and finished with $15,800.

Joe bet $15,000 and won the semi-final spot with $30,200. With one quarter-final left, Beni and Xiaoke are looking real good for Wild Card spots.

A triple stumper from each round:

WHERE YA GOIN’ FOR SPRING BREAK? ($1000) We’re off to Mexico! Check out Lover’s Beach at this cape on Baja California’s extreme southern tip

MOVIE & TV ROMANCES ($2000) He played Rory Gilmore’s boyfriend Jess; now he plays Mandy Moore’s hubby Jack Pearson

More clues on Page 2

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

In 1546 architect Pierre Lescot began rebuilding King Francis I’s palace, which is now this museum show

WHAT IS THE LOUVRE?

Click here to leave well wishes and prayers for Alex Trebek for continuing success in his battle against cancer. There’s also a link to where you can make a donation to pancreatic cancer research in his honor.