Final Jeopardy: Word History (6-13-19)

Today’s Final Jeopardy question (6/13/2019) in the category “Word History” was:

This word for a bug or malfunction was popularized in the 1962 book “Into Orbit” by the Mercury astronauts

New champ E.J. Wolborsky, a project manager from Brooklyn, NY, won $28,800 yesterday. In Game 2, he takes on these two players: Adrienne Griffin, an attorney from Alexandria, VA; and Jim Napier, a poker dealer from West Des Moines, IA.

Round 1 Categories: A Lil Rap Category – History – Pronoun Loss – Restaurant Chains – Mexican Geography – Altar Egos

Adrienne found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Mexican Geography” under the $400 clue, with 11 clues left after it. She was in second place with $3,400, $400 less than E.J.’s lead. She bet $1,500 and she was RIGHT.

All topping 17,000 feet, Mexico’s 3 highest peaks are these, & it’s what Popocatepetl signifies. show

WHAT ARE VOLCANOES?

Adrienne finished in the lead with $6,300. E.J. was second with $5,200 and Jim was last with $2,400.

Round 2 Categories: Authors’ Rhyme Time – The Movies – Element Names – “Single” Servings – Religion – 5 Nobel Truths

E.J. found the first Daily Double in “Element Names” under the $1,600 clue on the 2nd pick. He was in the lead with $7,200 now, $900 more than Adrienne in second place. He bet $2,000 and he was RIGHT.

This alternate name for tungsten is made up of 2 animals, one known to prey on the other. show

WHAT IS WOLFRAM?

E.J.found the last Daily Double in “Nobel Truths” under the $1,600 clue on the 9th pick. In the lead with $14,400 now, he had $8,100 more than Adrienne in second place. He bet $4,000 and he was RIGHT.

Only 2 awardees have ever turned down a Nobel Prize: Peace winner Le Duc Tho & this French philosopher for Literature. show

WHO IS JEAN-PAUL SARTRE?

E.J. finished in the lead with $22,800. Adrienne was next with $12,700 and Jim was in third place with $10,800.

TWO of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT IS A GLITCH?

On Visual Thesaurus, Ben Zimmer relates how the term “glitch” came to be associated with John Glenn and his contribution to “Into Orbit,” the 1962 book jointly written by the Mercury astronauts. “Glenn wrote: Another term we adopted to describe some of our problems was ‘glitch.’ Literally, a glitch is a spike or change in voltage in an electrical circuit which takes place when the circuit suddenly has a new load put on it. You have probably noticed a dimming of lights in your home when you turn a switch or start the dryer or the television set. Normally, these changes in voltage are protected by fuses. A glitch, however, is such a minute change in voltage that no fuse could protect against it.” Zimmer traces the word back much farther, with some help from actor Tony Randall.

A year ago: A LITTLE MISTAKE ($600) It rhymes with “hitch” & once meant a hitch caused by a small spike in voltage

Jim wrote down “FUBAR.” (Cue the “contestant makes Alex say” articles). He lost $4,200 and that left him $6,600.

Adrienne got it right. She bet $12,000, bringing her up to $24,700.

E.J. got it, too. He bet $2,601 and won the game with $25,401. His 2-day total is $54,201.

A triple stumper from each round:

MEXICAN GEOGRAPHY ($1000) It’s the Mexican name for the Rio Grande

THE MOVIES ($2000) Title first name of novelist & Alzheimer’s sufferer Murdoch, played by Judi Dench

2 years ago: NONE of the players got this FJ in “Recent Oscar Winners”

For his portrayal of a famous man born in the 1940s, he was the first actor born in the ’80s to win the Best Actor Oscar. show

WHO IS EDDIE REDMAYNE?

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