Game Recap & Final Jeopardy – June 8, 2004 (Ken Jennings Game #5)

Today’s contestants:

Paula Filson, a system programmer from Powell, Ohio

Corey Halgren, a supplier quality engineer from Noblesville, Indiana

Ken Jennings, a software engineer from Salt Lake City, Utah (4-day total: $126,201)

J! round categories: NATIONAL ANTHEMS; TV-PODGE; COLORS OF THE RAINBOW; ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ CHILDREN; “EXTRA” HELPINGS; I’M ON A DIET

This was a tight 3-way game through the Jeopardy! round. Ken only picked up 13 correct in the entire round (though he went 4/5 in NATIONAL ANTHEMS and 3/5 in COLORS OF THE RAINBOW and “EXTRA” HELPINGS). After the Jeopardy! round, Ken had $6,600, Corey $6,000, and Paula $5,400.

DJ! round categories: OPERA; CELEBRITY SURNAME SPELLING; QUOTATIONS; “B” FOLKS; 1845; 4-LETTER WORDS

This was the first time that Ken had 20 or more correct responses in one round! He went 4/5 in OPERA and CELEBRITY SURNAME SPELLING, 5/5 in QUOTATIONS, and 3/5 in “B” FOLKS! However… in spite of having a $28,800 – $9,000 – $5,200 lead with three clues left on the board, one of those clues was a Daily Double, and it was Paula in second who got to play it! Betting $8,500 of her $9,000 she faced the following clue:

4-LETTER WORDS $1200: From the Latin words for “no one” & “empty” come these 2 words that cancel a contract (What are null and void?)

Paula gave the correct response to move to $17,500 — which meant the game wasn’t a runaway!

Scores going into Final Jeopardy:
Ken $32,400
Paula $17,500
Corey $5,200

Final Jeopardy! category: EUROPEAN ISLANDS

Final Jeopardy! clue: Gavdos, an islet administratively part of this larger island, is Europe’s southernmost point

[spoiler title=’Click/Tap Here for Correct Response’]What is Crete?[/spoiler]

Corey 5200 – 1800 = 3400
Paula 17500 – 17500 = 0
Ken 32400 – 2601 = 29799 (5-day total: $156,000)

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In spite of Ken’s performance, I remember thinking that he was vulnerable to this sort of defeat, as Ken wasn’t hunting for Daily Doubles. Also, as the streak went on, a few people started pointing out how close Ken’s streak was to being shut down after a scant four games. (That being said, we’d probably be viewing Ken as a ToC champ anyway, considering how strong of a player he was.)

Ken’s stats through 5 games:
157 correct (33 today)
9 incorrect (2 today, including Final)
8/8 on Daily Doubles
3/5 in Final Jeopardy
50.53% in first on buzzer
Average Coryat Score: $27,000
5 correct responses in a category: 4 times
4 correct responses in a category: 12 times
3 correct responses in a category: 16 times

(contestant photo credit: j-archive.com)

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