Final Jeopardy: Notable Americans (7-31-26)

The Final Jeopardy question (7-31-2026) 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?

Ryan finished in the lead with $6,400. James was next with $4,200 and Ian was last with $3,600. All clues were shown.
Continue to the original recap with the rest of the game, more information about Final Jeopardy! and 2 additional triple stumpers.

These are the stumpers and the Sneak Peek clues that are on page 2 of the original recap:

THAT’S FASHIONABLE ($400) In the fashion biz, it’s common to pronounce this word for a high-waisted dress style in the French way, as Napoleon might have

TEACHING TO THE TEST ($800) A bar exam may ask about this 2-word doctrine allowing police to chase a fleeing suspect into a home without a warrant

($1000) These exams date to 19th c. reforms; N.Y.’s ask about smoke detectors on the firefighter one, jobless clients on the caseworker one

KNOWN WHEREABOUTS ($2000) This ranch where Charles Manson & his gang hung out has been absorbed into Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park

ADAPTED FOR HIGH SCHOOL ($800) In “Do Revenge”, this actress & Camila Mendes take a page from “Strangers on a Train”

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SNEAK PEEK CATEGORY: TEACHING TO THE TEST (words between teaching & test)
($400) Some think of it as bluish-green, others as greenish-blue
($800) This adjective for looking good on “the tube” dates back to the 1930s, the infancy of the medium
($1200) Crab traps pose a threat to these salt marsh turtles
($1600) Sir, I am astounded that you have the recklessness, the foolhardiness, the chutzpah– nay, the this to speak to me thus
($2000) In geometry, it’s the 4-dimensional equivalent of a cube; in “a wrinkle in time”, it’s how the Murry kids travel the universe

ANSWERS: show