Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category The Postcolonial World) for Friday, October 18, 2019 (Season 36, Episode 30):
This African nation left the British Commonwealth in 2003 over sanctions on its undemocratic government; in 2018 it applied to rejoin
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s contestants:
Amanda Borowski, an editor from Winter Springs, Florida
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Brian Lynch, a filmmaker from Los Angeles, California
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Daryn Firicano, a clinical representative from Las Vegas, Nevada (1-day total: $18,200)
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From October 19th through the 26th, Gamers vs. MS will be doing a 168-hour charity video game marathon in support of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world, with an estimated 1 in every 385 Canadians living with the disease. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) that attacks myelin (the protective covering of the nerves), causing inflammation and damage. With that damage, nerve impulses can be completely disrupted. Currently, there is no cure. I’ll be taking part in the relay for six hours at 8 PM Eastern on October 23, on my own Twitch channel.
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(Content continues below)
Correct response: What is Zimbabwe?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
Zimbabwe (which was the British colony of Southern Rhodesia) had been a member of the British Commonwealth since 1980; however, it was suspended in 2002 following accusations that president Robert Mugabe had abused human rights, rigged elections, and undermined the country’s economy. After the suspension was not lifted in 2003, Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth. Under president Emmerson Mnangagwa, who replaced Mugabe in late 2017, the country applied to rejoin. In February 2019, Harriett Baldwin, the UK’s Minister of State for Africa and International Development, said that the UK was not in support of the application.
As an interesting historical sidenote, the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique is part of the Commonwealth because of its efforts to aid the Commonwealth in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Since Alex Trebek’s diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer, many community members have been raising money. The Jeopardy! Fan Online Store is as well! All proceeds from any “Keep The Faith And We’ll Win” shirt sold will be donated to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. To date, over $370 has been raised.)
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Tonight’s results are below!
Scores going into Final:
Daryn $14,200
Brian $12,400
Amanda $10,000
Tonight’s results:
Amanda $10,000 – $9,998 = $2 (What is eSwatini)
Brian $12,400 – $10,000 = $2,400 (What is Congo?)
Daryn $14,200 – $10,601 = $3,599 (2-day total: $21,799) (What is South Africa)
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Daryn $6,200
Brian $4,800
Amanda $4,800
Opening break taken after: 14 clues
Daily Double locations:
1) ENABLING COOKIES $800 (5th pick)
Amanda 600 +400 (Brian 1400 Daryn 0)
2) BEST PICTURE OSCAR WINNERS $1200 (10th pick)
Amanda 11200 -4000 (Daryn 6600 Brian 6400)
3) THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES II $1200 (15th pick)
Daryn 9400 +2000 (Brian 10000 Amanda 7200)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 26
Unplayed clues:
J! round: None!
DJ! round: THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES II $2000
Total $ Left On Board: $2,000
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 88 (2.93 per episode average), 1 Daily Double
Game Stats:
Daryn $13,400 Coryat, 19 correct, 3 incorrect, 33.93% in first on buzzer, 2/2 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Brian $12,400 Coryat, 18 correct, 2 incorrect, 30.36% in first on buzzer, 3/3 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Amanda $14,400 Coryat, 15 correct, 2 incorrect, 25.00% in first on buzzer, 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $40,200
Lach Trash: $7,200 (on 7 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $4,600
Daryn Firicano, stats to date:
40 correct, 6 incorrect
4/6 on rebound attempts (on 11 rebound opportunities)
34.26% in first on buzzer (37/108)
1/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $2,000)
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $15,300
Daryn Firicano, to win:
3 games: 50.592%
4: 25.595%
5: 12.949%
6: 6.551%
7: 3.314%
Avg. streak: 3.024 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
- I feel as though this clue would be easier for Canadians, being that Canada is a member of the Commonwealth.
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To me the word “undemocratic” is almost a red herring in this clue. The clue seems to refer to a country that has changed its undemocratic ways. If someone doesn’t know much about the history of certain African countries, the fact a country is now called (once again) the Democratic Republic of the Congo, could lead to a wrong response.
And again we end the week with a TS. Nevertheless congrats to Darin. Geography outside the U.S. is one of the weak categories for contestants….alas!
Have a great weekend everybody!
I said Sudan. I know it had a British colonial history, and 2003 was around the time the genocide in Darfur was reaching the world’s attention.
That’s the second week that we end with a triple stumper.
It’s also the end of a long, tiring day for everyone, including ailing Alex.
Gee, I thought he seemed especially vibrant and energetic today. Go Alex!
Amanda only lost because she, like most others in third place, didn’t know how to bet on final Jeopardy. Look, if either guy with a higher score gets it right, he will bet enough to beat her. Her only chance to win is when they both get it wrong. In that case, they will each drop to about $4000 and she will win (whether or not she gets the right answer) as long as she bets zero. It’s her only logical wager, and it would have been a winning strategy today. Sorry Amanda.
This scenario happens often and it’s a very common error. Many many have lost unnecessarily.
I’m American, and I had no problem getting this Final clue (although you might have suspected that already if you recall some of the Complete the List categories in which I’ve been particularly strong). “Undemocratic” + “left Commonwealth” pointed me right in the direction of Zimbabwe, and “sought to rejoin in 2018” helped to confirm, as I remembered that was shortly after Robert Mugabe lost power.
After the show, I checked the date of Mugabe’s recent death – September 6 of this year. I was interested in that because I thought it might have been near when this episode was taped (and there might be something similar going on to the FJ clue that wanted “Godspeed” just after John Glenn died). But I suspect that this game was taped before then, in which case the players would not have had that to possibly guide them to the correct response.
Amanda’s bet was mind-numbing. If you’re in 3rd place and close to 1st, you bet $0. I was stunned when I saw her bet. It’s unbelievable that people this smart can’t figure that out time and time again.
Gary:
In the future, please be more respectful of contestants when discussing strategy.