No “Cliffhanger” here

     This morning I watched Robin Carroll‘s classic Crackle episode (5-19-00). My Coryat was 16800 (19000 without negs). My Coryat from this weekend’s rerun, which originally aired 1-8-13, was 30000 (31200 without negs). The first time I played, my Coryat was 27200 (29800 without negs).

Tony Knechtges

Arthur Chu

Kirsten Albair

     Do you kind of get the feeling when the show starts whether it’s gonna be boring (at least as Jeopardy! goes), or exciting? This was a boring one (but do keep reading), all the way through the contestant interviews.

The portion of jeopardy where they talk about random contestants’ stories is so awkward to watch, holy moly
— Shana Herron (@shanaherron15) March 11, 2014

     Maybe I feel ‘blah’ because I ate brown sugar this afternoon like it was a meal. Or maybe I’m ready for Arthur to move on. In their interviews, Tony talked about his marriage proposal, Kirsten talked about writing the history of Caribou Maine, and Arthur talked a little about his voiceover work. At least this didn’t happen to me:

@WNEMTV5news way to ruin my day no Jeopardy, who do you think you are?
— Jacob Petzold (@jacob_Petzold) March 11, 2014

Arthur 1200 (5 right and 2 wrong)
Kirsten 2600 (4 right)
Tony 1800 (3 right)
     I had the best of intentions, and started to track my Coryat. When I realized I had no more 800s but there was one left on the board, I dropped it. Good thing this clue hadn’t come up yet, or I’d have negged for sure (in Reddit AMA Responses): “This guy: ‘Forshizzle.'” Actually there were a few like that. I’d have gotten this triple-stumper though, on a guess (which might explain why I’d have negged so often elsewhere). In Bestselling Nonfiction: “Neurosurgeon Eben Alexander recounts his near-death experience during a coma in ‘Proof of’ this.” Arthur and Tony negged! Mr. Trebek gave the less-than-a-minute warning. There were 6 clues left, and Arthur hadn’t found the Daily Double yet! He finally did though, in Bestselling Nonfiction.
Arthur 2000 (3 right and 3 wrong)
Kirsten 4400 (3 right)
Tony 1000 (2 right and 3 wrong)
     Arthur wagered it all on this clue: “The first edition of his ‘Diet Revolution’ was a bestseller back in 1972.” Arthur got it right. Tony had time to get one more right before the round ended early.
Arthur 4000
Kirsten 4400
Tony 1400
     Arthur picked up steam then and was leading by the time he found the first Daily Double of Double Jeopardy in Home of the Cave.
Arthur 8800 (4 right and one wrong)
Kirsten 4800 (One right)
Tony 1800 (One right)
     This would be the first clue we’d seen in the category, but Arthur wagered 4000 on: “The Big Room — this New Mexico national park.” He and I got it right.
     I got this triple-stumper in Land of the “Free”: “Moving independently, like Bob Dylan in the title of a 1963 album.” Arthur negged on it with something that had already been a correct response in the category! And Arthur had gotten that response! I got this because Dylan’s girlfriend had written a book with this title.
     Arthur found the next Daily Double in Give My Regards to Broadway.
Arthur 16400 (4 right and one wrong)
Kirsten 6400 (One right)
Tony 1800
     With all the negs (and “oh”s afterward), Arthur’s score at least looked like his usual. He wagered on this clue: “Oh yah, in 1988, pre-‘Fargo,’ she was Stelllllla! In ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ dontcha know.” I got this right but Arthur was nicked for changing a vowel sound. Trebek laughed later when Arthur enunciated every sound in his correct response. I remember in Arthur’s “winner’s circle” video he said he was tired. I wonder if that fatigue was showing there. Later Arthur got into it again with Trebek over the pronunciation of “Gerry,” as in the vice president. Arthur cited the word “gerrymandering,” and Trebek said that’s just a weird thing about the language. ?
     We’ve all seen this album cover, but can you come up with the title (in Album Covers)?: “2010: A tastefully nude Katy Perry prone on a cloud of pink cotton candy.” I wasn’t sure I even knew what it was but I blurted it out in my head at the last second. It was a triple-stumper.
     There were 2 clues left on the board (both in Album Covers!) when the round ended. Arthur didn’t seem like he killed ’em but these are the scores:
Arthur 17000 (5 right)
Kirsten 5200 (One right and one wrong)
Tony 2200 (One right)
     The Final Jeopardy category was Novel Titles. Thankfully nobody would have to speak his or her response. This is the clue: “The title of this 1951 novel comes from the hero’s fantasy of rescuing children falling from a cliff.” If Tony’s response of “Cliffhanger” was a novel title, I’ve never heard of it. He lost 2000. Kirsten got it right and added 799. Arthur got it right and added 3000. Mr. Trebek wondered whether Arthur will go over 300,000 tomorrow.  

   
One year ago: Playing better small ball
Two years ago: Talking turkey at least twice
Three years ago: No Maas
Four years ago: More Common Than I Thought? , More Stumpers and “Deo Volente”?