Final Jeopardy: Vocabulary (9-15-25)
The Final Jeopardy question (9/15/2025) in the category “Vocabulary” was:
Today it’s used as a verb on social media; in previous centuries its meanings included an enemy & not a Quaker
3x champ Paolo Pasco, a puzzle writer orig. from San Diego, CA, won $79,741. In Game 4, he’s up against: Kelsi Tyler, a nonprofit program director from Austin, TX; and Ryan Sharpe, a student from Oakville, Ontario.
Round 1 Categories: Wars & Battles – In the Library of Congress – It’s a Sign – Not Like Us – Opposites – Sesame Street
Ryan found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “It’s a Sign” under the $800 clue on the 9th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $2,000, $200 more than Kelci in second place. Ryan bet it all and he was RIGHT.
In Paris’ Montmartre neighborhood, the sign & red windmill atop this cabaret was first illuminated in 1889 show
Ryan finished in the lead with $7,200. Paolo was second with $4,800 and Kelsi was last with $3,200. All clues were shown.
Round 2 Categories: The Nordic Countries – American Poetry – Metal Mania – Forever Young – Songs in Gangster Movies – “Q” Up the Adjectives
Kelsi found the first Daily Double in “American Poetry” under the $1,200 clue on the 1st pick of the round. She was in last place with $3,400, $3,800 less than Ryan’s lead. Kelsi bet all of it and guessed Emily Dickinson even though I told her not to. That was WRONG.
A fan of repetition, she began her poem “Susie Asado”, “Sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet tea” show
Ryan got the last Daily Double in “The Nordic Countries” under the $1,600 clue on the 5th pick of the round. He was in the lead with $8,400, $2,000 more than Paolo in second place. Ryan bet all of it, and he was RIGHT.
A series of clashes between the U.K. & Iceland over territorial rights in the North Atlantic were called these “fishy” wars show
Ryan finished in the lead with $27,600. Paolo was second with $16,800 and Kelsi was last with $4,800. All clues were shown.
Only ONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.
WHAT IS UNFRIEND?
Word Histories has specific examples of prior usage of unfriend as a verb before widespread usage in connection with Facebook. There’s a 1655 passage written by English clergyman Thomas Fuller, where he hopes that he and a colleague are not “mutually un-friended” by a difference of opinion. Prior to that, Shakespeare used “unfriended” as an adjective. Even earlier than that (late 12th-early 13th century), unfriends was used as a noun to refer to one’s enemies.
I really can’t find anything concrete about the Quakers referring to nonmembers as “unfriends”. The Quaker Glossary calls nonmembers “universalist friends”, for one thing. For another, I’d think you’d have to be a friend before you could be an unfriend. Quakers call giving someone the boot “disownment”.
Kelsi thought it was nemesis. She lost her $3,800 bet and finished with $1,000.
Paolo got it right. He bet $10,801 and finished with $27,601.
Ryan came up with troll. He lost $6,001 and finished with $21,599. That handed the game to Paolo, who now has a 4-day total of $107,342.
A triple stumper from each round:
IT’S A SIGN ($1000) A relic of its manufacturing heyday, a light-up Domino Sugars sign has graced this city’s inner harbor since 1951
SONGS IN GANGSTER MOVIES ($2000) “That’s Entertainment” by the mod band The Jam closes out “The Gentlemen” by this British director
2 years ago: Only ONE of the players got this FJ in “AUTHORS”
He dedicated books to each of his 4 wives, including Hadley Richardson & Martha Gellhorn show
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Late start again due to MNF. All 3 DD wagers were daring, none moreso than the last one. (Only one I knew was the first.) As a very active Facebook user, I figured out Final about halfway through the think music, secure in the knowledge that Quakers are also known as Friends. I was 100% certain that a youngster like Ryan would know that one. Darn shame, cost him over $33K. Maybe we’ll see him again.
Knew the Inner Harbor city, guessed the Brit director, Cicero Field city wasn’t that impossible, neither was the Cookie Monster segment.
I was thinking too bad they didn’t watch/read some Al Capone stuff. They’d know where Cicero is in a heartbeat.
3/3 on DD, but drew a blank on FJ.
I am a big fan of the Jam and the Style Council, and Paul Weller as the lead of each. “Long Hot Summer” by the Style Council is an absolute favorite, and this, right now, is the time of the year he sang about.
IMHO, “nonfriend” may have been used a time or two since the days of Chaucer, but it was certainly not good English. In fact, I’m sure that I won’t find such a word in my dictionary. Anyways, I couldn’t come up with any response for FJ. Well, it was another great game, and kudos to Paolo for the correct FJ response!
You will find it in the New Oxford American Dictionary, Rick. They picked it for their 2009 Word of the Year.
I’m pretty sure that “unfriend” won’t be found in the American Heritage dictionary that I had since the 1970s. However, as you pointed out VJ, it is now in common use (as per the New Oxford American dictionary).
With a score of 27,600, Ryan has to be in the running for the Second Chance competition later this season. He had a big lead but Paolo got it right and Ryan didn’t and Paolo survived a scare. It’s most likely that we’ll see Paolo in this year’s TOC.
Yes, Ryan was very sharp … pun intended 🤣🤣🤣