Final Jeopardy: Musical Pieces (7-22-26)

The Final Jeopardy question (7/22/2026) in the category “Musical Pieces” was:

Words later applied to this 1867 piece include “Far from the Black Forest you hurry to the sea”

New champ Grace Biermann, a writer & librarian from Valparaiso, IN, won $32,000 yesterday. In Game 2, she takes on these two challengers: Jennifer Canterbury, a teacher from Tuscaloosa, AL; and Dean Zach, a creative writing graduate student from Pearland, TX.

Today is the 86th anniversary of the birth of Alex Trebek. We will never forget you!

Round 1 Categories: Crossword Clues “P” – Books & Authors – Birthstones – A Drop in Stock Price – TV Food for Thought – Welcome to Texas with King of the Hill

Dean found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Birthstones” under the $400 just after the break. He was in the lead with $5,200, $3,800 more than Grace in second place. Dean made it a true Daily Double and he was RIGHT.

In Native American lore, this December birthstone was believed to be pieces that fell from the sky show

WHAT IS TURQUOISE?

Dean finished in the lead with $13,600. Grace was in second place with $2,400. Jennifer was last with $1,200. All clues were shown.

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Round 2 Categories: People & Places – Double Letters at the End – Science Glossary – Been There, Done That – Poetry in Motion Pictures – 5 Sixths

Dean got the first Daily Double in “Poetry in Motion Pictures” under the $1,600 clue on the 6th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $17,600 now, $15,200 more than Grace and Jennifer, who were tied in second place. Dean bet $10,000 and he was RIGHT.

Featured in the trailer, “28 Years Later” included a 1915 reading of “Boots” by this British poet, about Boer War marchers show

WHO IS RUDYARD KIPLING?

Dean got the last Daily Double in “5 Sixths” under the $1,600 clue with 8 clues left after it. In the lead with $30,800, he had $16,400 more than Grace in second place. Dean bet $2,000 and he was RIGHT.

Elected in 1492 corrupt & worldly Pope Alexander VI was from this vastly powerful family show

WHO ARE THE BORGIAS?

Dean finished in the lead with a runaway $36,000. Grace was in second place with $14,400. Jennifer was last with $2,400. All clues were shown.

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NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT IS “THE BLUE DANUBE”

Austrian composer Johann Strauss II (“The Waltz King”) composed “The Blue Danube” in 1866. Its German title, An der schönen blauen Donau, translates to “On [or By] the Beautiful Blue Danube”. Joseph Weyl, a popular humorist and translator, wrote the original lyrics. However, the popularity of the piece soared in 1867, when it was performed in orchestral form at the World Exhibition in Paris. The Danube’s source is in the Black Forest of Germany, a reference Franz von Gernerth included in the lyrics he wrote for the waltz in 1889. The sea it is hurrying to is the Black Sea.

Fun Stuff: All the times “The Blue Danube” was used in Looney Tunes

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Jennifer had no response and a zero bet meant her score remained $2,400.

Grace went with “La Marseillaise”. That cost her $14,399 and left her with $1.00.

Dean had Erlkonig, a Goethe poem set to music by Schubert, among others. Dean also stood pat so he won the game with $36,000. Dean Zach is the new Jeopardy! champ. Wow! This week feels like the Fantastic Players Runaway Week.

A triple stumper from each round:

BOOKS & AUTHORS ($1000) Virginia Evans had a sleeper hit with this 2025 novel whose title refers to the letter-writing Sybil Van Antwerp

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT ($1600) Stayed up late in St. Petersburg, Russia to experiencethese colorful intervals that draw visitors every June & July

More clues on Page 2

2 years ago: Only ONE of the players got this FJ in “U.S. PLACE NAMES”

This name of a national forest means “fool” & may be one Apache group’s name for another group; it’s also a problematic TV character show

WHAT IS TONTO?

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