Before I tell you what that’s all about, I want to remind you about a contest starting tomorrow that involves keeping track of your scores at home using a simple scoresheet. The more you play, the more chances you have to win. The prize is Steven J. Ferrill’s book The Cultural Literacy Trivia Guide. Click on the link above for details, and please ask if you have any questions!
I was lucky enough to catch this weekend’s rerun of Jeopardy!, which was rather unexpected. But, when I use a recording device other than my own, I frequently run into problems. Once again, this time it was no sound on the recording! I had muted the TV while I set up the recording (the show was on at 4 in the morning), not knowing that I couldn’t watch the episode with sound if I wanted to once it was recorded. But I watched anyway, and my sister joined me. (She helped with the title of this entry!)
The contestants were Kimberly Jantz, Shawna Brandle, and Ryan Swaim. (Like last time I blogged about a rerun, I am not able to upload pictures. I think it must be this location.)
Silent, but not deadly
Were you surprised that Alex didn’t know what a “parrothead” was in the contestant interviews? (Ryan says he is one.) I did not know, though, what a “gateway drug” is, which is what knitting is for Shawna. I did look it up just now.
The Jeopardy round featured a chess theme. I thought this second clue in King Takes Queen, which was a triple-stumper, was pretty hard, and I’d like to know if any of you answered it (or can answer it) in the allotted time. You have to name the two people who got married: “London, England. January 25, 1533.”* I mean, come on! I don’t think it belongs anywhere on the board, but especially not for 400.
Kimberly found the Daily Double of the round, in Prawns. She had 2600, Shawna had 3000, and Ryan had 1000. Kimberly wisely wagered all of her 2600 and got it right. This was the clue: “If you’re enjoying prawns puri in Dhaka, they probably came from this large bay.”* So at the end of the round, Kimberly had 7800, Shawna still had 3000, and Ryan had 2800.
Ryan found the first Daily Double of the Double Jeopardy round, in That’s What She Said. (Barf.) He had 3600, Shawna still had 3000, and Kimberly had 10200. Ryan wagered everything, which was a good idea, but it didn’t work out. This was the clue: “‘I’ll paint (the flower) big and they’ll be surprised into taking time to look at it.'”* Ryan almost seemed frustrated when he suddenly picked a 1000 clue the very next time. When he got that one right, he went back to a 200.
There were two clues left (but one remained hidden) when Kimberly found the next Daily Double in T.S. Eliot. She had 14600, Shawna had 8200, and Ryan had 8000. The clue: “Appropriately, this verse drama was first produced at the 1935 Canterbury Festival.”* Kimberly lost 2600 on the clue. Strangely, the next correct response, given by Shawna, was the response that Kimberly had given for her Daily Double!
So at the end of Double Jeopardy, Kimberly had 12000, Shawna had 9800, and Ryan had 8000. The final category was Political Philosophy. This was the clue: “The subtitle of this influential 1762 treatise is ‘Principes du Droit Politique.’ (Principles of Political Right)”* Kimberly and Ryan missed it, while Shawna not only got it right, but doubled her score! So she is the champ.
I noticed that there are some great matches in the coming weeks and months: Tournament of Champions contestant Dave Belote plays next week. Ryan Chaffee and Stephen Weingarten will follow soon.
*Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Bay of Bengal, Georgia O’Keeffe, “Murder in the Cathedral,” “The Social Contract”