I think I did well on today’s Summer Hiatus Challenge questions. The categories were Clearing the “Bar” and Portmanteaus. I left one question blank and there were a couple I am still not sure of even after reading everyone else’s answers! The responses were all over the place. Go have a look and play along, and let me know if you do. You’ll be eligible then to win my giveaway of a copy of Chuck Forrest’s Secrets of the Jeopardy! Champions.
Today was the first day of the 2010 College Tournament. The contestants:
Ryan Stoffers Surya Sabhapathy
Nick Yozamp
I got three triple-stumpers right today. See how you do on these:
In Can I Get a Witness?: “A witness doesn’t have to swear to tell the truth; some, for reasons of religion, or lack of religion, prefer this word, also an option in the presidential oath of office.”*
In “UO” Me: “Do not deny him or refuse his name; it’s John Bartlett’s ‘familiar’ specialty.”* (I swept the category.)
In The New York Times Frugal Traveler: “The Frugal Traveler suggests saving in this city by getting around on its metro or its Velib bike rental system.”*
Ryan found the first Daily Double today in Cycle of Life, with one category to go in the Jeopardy round. He had 3000, Nick had 6000, and Surya had 600. Ryan wagered 1500 on this clue: “In addition to a cardio workout, cycling gives strength to muscles like this 4-part one at the front of the thigh.”* He missed it. At the end of the Jeopardy round, though, he had 3300, Nick still had 6000, and Surya had 1800. I had 8000.
Surya found the first Daily Double in the Double Jeopardy round, in We’ve Got Chemistry. My dad is a chemistry teacher, and I’m pretty good with chemistry myself. I was sweeping the category when the Daily Double came up, and I wound up sweeping all of it. Surya had 3800 and wagered 2000 on this clue: “Cellulose and nylon are examples of these large molecules made up of many smaller molecules called monomers.”* When I was a kid, I saw one of my dad’s colleagues give a demonstration at the Children’s Museum on this very topic, and it is now infamous in our family! Surya got it right, too, which left her 1000 behind Nick.
Surya also found the second Daily Double of the round, in The Fiction File. She was 3000 behind Nick with 11800. She wagered 2000 on this clue: “In ‘The Tin Roof Blowdown,’ Iberia parish sheriff Dave Robicheaux deals with the aftermath of this 2005 event.”* I can’t believe that happened so long ago! Anyway Surya got it right. At the end of Double Jeopardy, then, she had 17400, Nick had 15600, and Ryan had 9300. I had 28600. Remember that contestants have to wager on Final Jeopardy considering that today’s total will be added to tomorrow’s to determine the champion.
The final category was College History. This was the clue: “The Pittsburgh University named for Andrew Carnegie is the USA’s first to offer a degree in this musical instrument.”* Ryan and Nick got it right, while Surya and I guessed the same thing and were wrong. Surya ended the day with 12800. Nick had 20000, Ryan had 14800, and I had 22400. So it still clearly “anyone’s game,” to borrow a cliche!
*affirm, quotations, Paris, quadriceps, polymers, Hurricane Katrina, bagpipes