Master Minds Recap: February 17, 2021

Here’s a recap of the clues on Master Minds for Thursday, February 17, 2021 with host Brooke Burns.

Today’s episode title: “Trivia, Smarts & Romantic Cities”
Today’s Master Minds: Ken Jennings, Muffy Marracco, Jonathan Corbblah
Today’s challengers: Yanni, Emily, Jason

The show’s format pits 3 contestants against each other and 3 Master Minds against each other. There are 3 rounds and the contestant with the highest score wins $1,000 and faces off in the Ultimate Trivia Challenge against the winning Master Mind. If the contestant beats the Master Mind, the prize money goes up to $10,000.

Round 1: Here are the 7 categories and questions. 100 points for each correct answer.

(1) PLANTS: Famous for its large white blossoms, which of these is both the state tree and state flower of Mississippi?
(a) magnolia (b) palmetto (c) live oak
(2) FOOD: Traditionally, how is a Monte Cristo sandwich cooked?
(a) broiled (b) fried (c) toasted
(3) MUSIC: In 2007 who became the first hip-hop act inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
(4) DISCOVERIES: The 6,000-year-old skeletons known as the “Lovers of Valdaro” were found just 25 miles from which romantic city?
(a) Paris (b) Verona (c) Prague
(5) TRANSPORTATION: After an online poll dubbed it “Boaty McBoatface”, a British research vessel was named for what nature documentarian?
(a) David Attenborough (b) Jacques Cousteau (c) Michael Palin
(6) HOLIDAYS: Which animal was given to President Coolidge as a menu option for Thanksgiving but became his pet instead?
(a) pig (b) raccoon (c) flamingo
(7) ANATOMY: What digestive compound plays a key role in the breakdown of fats?
(a) pepsin (b) insulin (c) bile

CORRECT ANSWERS show

Scores at end of Round 1:
Yanni 300 Emily 500 Jason 400 / Ken 600 Muffy 500 Jonathan 300

Round 2: There are 5 subjects and questions. No multiple choice. Only the first player on each team to buzz in gets to answer. Correct answers are worth 200 points for the first 4. The last question is worth 400 points. Wrong answers are penalized by the value of the question. At the end of the round, the person with the lowest score on each team is eliminated.

(1) TRAVEL: A hub in the Midwest, what airport’s seemingly random 3-letter code stems from its previous name, Orchard Field?
(2) BIRTHPLACES: Someone who is a lifelong Alsatian is a native of what country?
(3) SCIENCE: Used in both cellphone batteries and mood-stabilizing drugs, what is the lightest metal on the periodic table?
(4) TECH: Inspired by a puzzle called “Pentominoes”, Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov created what video game?
(5) GOVERNMENT: Created during the 1930s, what Federal agency initially insured bank accounts up to $2,500?

CORRECT ANSWERS show

Scores at end of Round 2:
Yanni 100 Emily 1100 Jason 800 / Ken 800 Muffy 900 Jonathan 900

Yanni and Ken are eliminated.

Round 3: Each team faces off in a rapid-fire 1-minute trivia battle. The first question is worth 500 points and each additional question goes up an additional 100 points. The winners go on to the last round.

Emily and Jason go first:

(500) The buttons used to close the front of a woman’s shirt are attached to which side?
(600) What bald Procter and Gamble mascot is known as “Mr. Proper” in Europe?
(700) Napoleon married Austrian archduchess Marie-Louise after divorcing what Empress?
(800) What city replaced Rio de Janeiro as a national capital?
(900) In an Ironman triathlon, what is the second event?
(1000) “A Walk in the Woods” and “Notes from a Big Country” are best-selling works by what humorous travel writer?
(1100) An association of more than 45 independent coach companies make up what nationwide bus line founded in 1936.

CORRECT ANSWERS show

Scores at end of Round 3:
Emily 2400 Jason 2100

Emily wins $1,000 and advances to the Ultimate Trivia Challenge. But first, Muffy and Jonathan will battle it out for a minute to see who joins Emily.

(500) What type of cosmetic shares its name with the lowest part of a building?
(600) A librarian from upstate NY popularized using the name of water sport for doing internet research?
(700) Torn from the gravitational pull of their host planet, ploonets are what objects that then drift away?
(800) What first secretary of the Soviet Communist Party famously told NATO envoys, “We will bury you”?
(900) in 1948, what Chester Gould comic strip featured a device that inspired the invention of the smartwatch?
(1000) “The Days of Anna Madrigal” is the final book in what Armistead Maupin series set in San Francisco?
(1100) Founded by Wally Byam, what aerodynamic aluminum car trailer came in models such as the “Liner”?

CORRECT ANSWERS show

Muffy finished with 4400 to Jonathan’s 3000 so Muffy will join Emily in the Ultimate Trivia Challenge. If Emily beats Muffy, she will return on the next show. Any player who makes it through 3 shows and wins $30,000, gets to join the Master Minds expert team.

Ultimate Trivia Challenge: The questions are presented to the players at the same time and they write their answers down.

(1) What is the most spoken language on the African continent?
(2) What company started the modern-day gift wrap industry when it sold envelope linings for wrapping paper?
(3) A collection of unheralded songs owned by MGM Studios formed the basis for what celebrated 1952 movie musical?
(4) Made from a 16th century pig bladder, the world’s oldest ball used to play what sport was found in a Scottish castle?

ANSWERS: (unless otherwise indicated, both were correct)
show

Emily didn’t get any right. Muffy got 3. Emily is going home with $1,000 and there will be 3 new players tomorrow.

Master Minds airs daily on Game Show Network. Check your local listings for times. (Here in the Central Time Zone it comes on at 3:00 p.m.)

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