First things first: Don’t forget to enter my contest! Just become a follower of this blog by May 3rd for a chance to win a prize. (See the April 3 entry to see the prize.)
Second: Below are some of my recent scores. Sometimes I feel like these scores need commentary all their own! (In case you are new to this blog, I play along at home with my Jeopardy Challenger, and I post my scores.)
Charlotte Hotchkiss, WA 300
Ian Silverman, CA 16000
Arthur Christy, VA 6608
Me 18398
Elizabeth Richards, NJ 799
Ken Starnes, AR 21800
Ian Silverman, CA 1800
Me 11198
Rick Reed, VA 10002
Amy Wilson, OR 19999
Ken Starnes, AR 16100
Me 20002
Yesterday’s episode featured Patsy Chrysson of NC, Phil Bucska of MI, and 1-day returning champ Amy Wilson of OR. If you saw Amy’s first episode, you know she had a come-from-behind win that day. It seems that such champions prove to be rather weak, and indeed, she was behind throughout the game. At the end of the Jeopardy round, she was in the hole at -800. Phil had 6400 and Patsy had 1800. Though Amy was able to accrue 10000 by Final Jeopardy, Phil continued to lead, thanks in part to getting the two Daily Doubles correct and adding 2000 each time. He also nearly swept a category about the Ottoman Empire that was way over my head. Phil had an insurmountable 21200 before Final Jeopardy, and Patsy had 4600.
The Final Jeopardy category was Sainthood. Before finding out people’s responses, Mr. Trebek said he thought it was a “slam-dunk,” like it had been for me. But I thought it was a toughie for anyone who was not Catholic, and indeed, no one on the show got it right! Not even the history teacher, Phil Bucska. I’m curious to know how many of YOU knew the answer: “In 2009, this man who died on Molokai became Hawaii’s first saint.”* Phil lost 800, while Amy lost 500 and Patsy lost 4000.
Do you recall any clues that you got right that no one else did? I had two, not counting Final Jeopardy. For 1000 in Space Missions: “The Messenger craft is the first mission to explore this planet since Mariner 10 in the 1970s.” And for $1200 in Edible Instant Replay: “This rich 5-letter cake with eggs, ground nuts and little to no flour, is down by contact with my stomach.”
One more thing – Did you notice that Game Show Network is not showing Jeopardy! at all anymore?! I am outraged, enough so to write a letter to both GSN and to my cable company. (I only get a bunch of extra channels for Jeopardy! on GSN.) Showing Jeopardy! just once a day was bad enough. Now not at all? Please join me in contacting GSN and your cable company. And let me know about your efforts!
*Father Damien, Mercury, torte