Final Jeopardy: U.S. Presidents (1-1-25)
The Final Jeopardy question (1/1/2025) in the category “U.S. Presidents” was:
According to his son Fred, this man first tried smoking just because it was against the rules at West Point
Today’s Second Chance contestants are: Colleen Matthews, a speech-language pathologist from Portland, OR; Gino Montoya, an attorney from Albuquerque, NM; and Josh Moss, a craft distillery owner from Boston, MA.
Click on the links in the players’ names if you want to see their first game recaps.
Round 1 Categories: Happy New Year’s Day! – State Parks – The Race is on – Potpourri – It Comes in Bottles – 4-Letter Words With an “X”
Gino found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “The Race is On” under the $400 clue, with 4 clues left after it. “The Race is On” under the $400 clue on the 26th pick. He was in 2nd place with $5,000 now, $1,000 less than Josh in the lead. He bet $2,000 and he was RIGHT.
Talk about a dynasty–the New York Yacht Club won this race 24 straight times from 1870 to 1980 show
Gino finished in the lead with $7,000. Josh was second with $6,200 and Colleen was last with $3,800. All clues were shown.
Round 2 Categories: Shakespeare – TV Music – People of Africa – I Use 3 Initials – Medical Terminology – Jane Stone, WWII Linguist
Josh found the first Daily Double in “Jane Stone, WWII Linguist” under the $2000 clue on the 6th pick. He was in the lead with $9,400, $2,400 more than Gino in 2nd place. He bet $1,600 and tried ocean mines. That was WRONG.
17-letter German words are child’s play for Jane, who tells the Navy that Unterwasserbomben are these 2-word anti-sub weapons show
Colleen got the last Daily Double in “Shakespeare” under the $800 clue on the 16th pick. In the lead with $12,200, she had $1,600 more than Josh in 2nd place. Colleen bet $2,000 and she was RIGHT.
Polonius saying “I hear him coming, let’s withdraw, my lord” is the cue for this immortal line show
Colleen finished in the lead with $18,600. Josh was next with $12,200 and Gino was in third place with $11,800. All clues were shown.
TWO of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.
WHO IS ULYSSES S. GRANT?
Grant Cottage State Historic Site has a comprehensive article regarding Ulysses S. Grant’s cigar smoking and the public’s fascination with it, including lots of photos, cartoons and cigar ads featuring Grant. At the top is a quote from Frederick Grant, the 18th President’s oldest son: “He never smoked as much as he seemed to smoke.”
That quote is actually from an interview Fred gave after his father had died from cancer, when Fred said his father took up the habit at West Point just because it was against the rules. It may not have been the only bad habit Grant took up at West Point. Col. Parmenas Taylor Turnley claimed in his memoir (Ch.1, pg.1) that Grant got so drunk on Christmas Day 1843, he and another cadet had to help him back to the barracks.
Gino got it right. He bet $11,000 and finished with $22,800.
Josh thought it was Eisenhower, who took up cigarette smoking at West Point. That cost Josh $6,401 and left him with $5,799.
Colleen also got it right. She bet $5,801 and won the game with $24,401. So the 3 finalists we’ll be seeing for the next 2 days are Will Yancey, Kaitlin Tarr and Colleen Matthews.
Reversal: See the $800 Sneak Peek clue on page 2
2 triple stumpers from I USE 3 INITIALS:
($1200) “Avatar” & “The Shield” actress, Carole Christine Hilaria
($1600) William Edward Burghardt, unafraid to edit things down
2 years ago: Only ONE of the players got this FJ in “CONTINENTAL GEOGRAPHY”
Until a 1903 secession, this country’s contiguous territory spanned 2 continents show
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Hmmmm………..As for FJ, I also went with Dwight D. Eisenhower since he was not only a West Point graduate, but was a well known chain cigarette smoker as well. Yes, it certainly would have helped in this case if one knew that Frederick was one of the sons of Ulysses S. Grant.
I was 3/3 on DD, but went with Eisenhower for FJ!
Yeah, only Grant and Ike at USMA, while the newly deceased Carter as the only POTUS from USNA!
Now, really? “Unterwasserbomben”? Even if you don’t speak German, you could make a VERY educated guess at “under water bomb”. With the added “anti-sub” and 2 words, my goodness, but, could it be any easier for a sharp Jeopardy! contestant?
I’ll take Will as my horse.
I answered (incorrectly) a multiple-choice trivia question the other day re how many US presidents served in the Navy. I answered four (JFK, first Bush, Carter, Ford) but omitted LBJ and Nixon.
Terrific, competitive game, and a strong comeback from way down by Colleen, who’s from a city not far from mine. FJ came to me right away, although it could have been any of however many presidents attended the USMA. They left me in the dust on too many of the game clues.
Thought someone for sure would know the Wm Ed Burghardt clue. Same with the Japanese war cry (how many are there?).
2nd chance players may or may not be of ToC caliber, but I must say they play the game with confidence and authority.
Grant and Eisenhower were the only 2 Presidents who went to West Point. Both were smokers, but only Grant had a son named Frederick. His other 2 sons were Ulysses, Jr. and Jesse.
Josh’s “Gonbai” got me. That is actually Chinese, literally meaning “bottoms up”! And, they really mean it! If you have an old fashioned, or a liter of beer, chug it down, ready or not! I didn’t know if it went over to Japan, but, I’ll defer to the craft distiller!
Happy New Year, everyone! The finals should be interesting.
$25,601 Will
$24,401 Colleen
$8,401 Kaitlin
Even if Kaitlin got her FJ right, her score would have been lower than the others. But if I’m remembering right, she was quick on the buzzer, so I’m sort of leaning towards her.
We don’t see the image yet. Anyway Happy New Year to you.