Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category Fantastic Beasts) for Monday, December 7, 2020 (Season 37, Game 61):
Symbols of strength in the Bible include Behemoth & this horned creature, perhaps an extinct wild ox, which the KJV mentions 9 times
(correct response beneath the contestants)
We may have lost Alex, but the show must go on. Alex wouldn’t want it any other way. Please, let’s remember him over the next few weeks of banked episodes, and then afford him the same respect to his successors that we afforded Alex when he replaced Art Fleming in 1984. Alex’s last episode airs Friday, January 8, 2021; Ken Jennings’ first episode as guest host airs on January 11.
Today’s contestants:
John Vigna, a communications manager from Los Angeles, California
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Amy Kimmel, a career counselor originally from Bend, Oregon
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Katherine Ryan, a nonprofit executive originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina (1-day total: $22,801)
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(Content continues below)
Correct response: What is a unicorn?
More information about Final Jeopardy: (The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2020 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
When talking about unicorns in the Biblical sense, the animal in question is also known as the re’em, or the aurochs/oryx (the aurochs became extinct in the 17th century). However, the King James Version unequivocally translates this to “unicorn” (Numbers 23:22, Numbers 24:8, Deuteronomy 33:17, Job 39:9, Job 39:10, Psalm 22:21, Psalm 29:6, Psalm 92:10, Isaiah 34:7); there are zero citations of any of “re’em”, “aurochs”, or “oryx” in the King James Version. A source of confusion between the double-horned aurochs and what is ostensibly a single-horned unicorn would be that depictions of the animal were only done in profile (meaning, the second horn of the aurochs was not portrayed). Today, the term “unicorn” refers to a legendary, beast with a single, pointed, spiral horn protruding from its forehead; most modern depictions give a rare and magical quality to the unicorn.
Something to note for future contestants on Jeopardy!: The show’s generally preferred translation of the Bible when it comes to clues is the King James Version.
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Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Tonight’s results are below!
Scores going into Final:
John $22,000
Katherine $16,400
Amy $9,800
Tonight’s results:
Amy $9,800 – $9,700 = $100 (What is a manticore?)
Katherine $16,400 – $16,400 = $0 (What is a Gorgon?)
John $22,000 – $10,801 = $11,199 (What is the Jus Beast) (1-day total: $11,199)
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
John $6,600
Amy $3,800
Katherine $1,800
Opening break taken after: 15 clues
Daily Double locations:
1) BRIDGES $800 (clue #19)
John 3800 +800 (Katherine 1000 Amy 1600)
2) PLANETARY EXTREMES $1600 (clue #5)
John 9000 +3000 (Katherine 2600 Amy 3800)
3) OXFORD’S VERY SHORT INTRODUCTIONS $2000 (clue #29, $800 left on board)
Katherine 7800 +7800 (Amy 9800 John 22000)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 154
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 115 (1.89 per episode average), 2 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
John $20,600 Coryat, 26 correct, 2 incorrect, 40.35% in first on buzzer (23/57), 1/3 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Amy $9,800 Coryat, 12 correct, 2 incorrect, 22.81% in first on buzzer (13/57), 0/1 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Katherine $10,600 Coryat, 15 correct, 3 incorrect, 28.07% in first on buzzer (16/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 1 rebound opportunity)
Combined Coryat Score: $41,000
Lach Trash: $7,600 (on 7 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $5,400
Katherine Ryan, career statistics:
31 correct, 5 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
27.19% in first on buzzer (31/114)
2/2 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $9,800)
1/2 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $12,600
Amy Kimmel, career statistics:
12 correct, 3 incorrect
0/1 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
22.81% in first on buzzer (13/57)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $9,800
John Vigna, career statistics:
26 correct, 3 incorrect
1/3 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
40.35% in first on buzzer (23/57)
2/2 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $3,800)
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $20,600
John Vigna, to win:
2 games: 67.163%
3: 45.109%
4: 30.297%
5: 20.348%
6: 13.667%
Avg. streak: 3.045 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
- Today saw another situation where a player’s overbet in Final Jeopardy! cost them victory; any bet between $3,201 and $5,200 would have worked just fine for Katherine—and would have won her the game.
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Unicorn wasn’t even on my radar screen; I was trying to come up with creatures I knew were in the Bible. TIL there are unicorns in the Bible!
Like last week, have to start the week by slapping my forehead. 🙁
I now know what TIL means, thanks to Fahrrad and to Google.
Today I learned what TIL stands for, also 🙂
So, would they accept oryx (my guess). Thinking that it might not fall under the category of fantastic beasts.
I specifically mentioned in my writeup why I didn’t think anything but “unicorn” would be accepted — there are zero KJV citations for any of the alternative terms.
When I read “KJV” the first thing that popped into my head was “Ken Jennings Version”. 🙂
Never even considered a unicorn. Unicorns are those cute magical animals my granddaughter loves.
NKJV translates all of these to “wild ox”. Since they specifically say KJV in the clue I suspect they will only allow unicorn.
Well it appears as if all wagering strategy has gone out the window! This is like the 5th game in a row where at least 1 contestant has made a wagering gaffe that either could have or did cost them the game. Tough final though.
On the other hand, the no missed clue streak keeps going, so looking forward to exciting play in regulation!
Wait, are you the same Ben from 2 weeks ago?
Last week. Fan of the site! Andy and I are on the same page when it comes to overall strategy. Although I did not follow his advice once it was a lockout game and made a non-analytical, sentimental bet, since the difference between $2k and $1k isn’t a big deal. Overall, I’m a fan of large wagers on the DD as well, although I never got to put my money where my mouth is in the game. You should’ve seen me in rehearsal though… 🙂
I know the Bible quite well, including the KJV, but this is such an obscure reference that I am confident so very few will get it right, and most probably not those in that Jeopardy! “animal” (GOAT) tournament. I’d be surprised if even 1 in a 1000 viewers know it.
There has been some criticism of contestants not knowing religious material lately, perhaps the secularization of the culture in general, but this was beyond what most players could reasonably be expected to know. They must have Finals either this difficult, or very easy triple-solves, from time to time to keep wagering in check.
Being Jewish, the KJV is not the version I am most familiar with, but even so I thought of unicorn immediately and was shocked it was a triple stumper.
yeah, the Artscroll Chumash does not not say unicorn 🙂
I have never seen a unicorn referred to as beast. Hence I regard the clue as somewhat misleading. No wonder all failed to respond with the correct question.
It’s a Harry Potter reference.
The category narrowed it down to animals that aren’t real, which is another reason they would likely not have given credit to auroch or wild ox.
As a DISH subscriber, we are not able to watch Jeopardy! due to a fee conflict with DISH and Nexstar…so the local affiliates have been withdrawn from our viewing package. I have been a faithful watcher of Jeopardy! and Alex Trebek my entire adult life. Now, in the final weeks of Alex’s appearances, the corporations have ruined the viewing pleasure of millions of people. Fortunately, this website gives me an overview of the show. Any ideas for alternative viewing for me without having to subscribe to another service, incurring an additional fee and becoming locked in on another contract.
ConnieMarie:
The best I might suggest would be to get an antenna and pick up the signal over the air.
The Antenna should certainly be the first and obvious choice. I have ATT Uverse, and they have dropped NBC for the time being due to the issue. Went to rabbit ears and pick it up just fine. As she has Dish, she may or may not be close enough to a local affiliate to pick it up well. The smaller town I grew up is in a valley, and can’t pick up broadcast stations very well, if at all, with a basic antenna.
ConnieMarie, how about going to your neighbor’s (or friend’s) house to watch it. Maybe they watch the show too and the two (or more) of you can have some fun watching it together.
We’re in the middle of a pandemic. This is not a good idea.
Andy, I understand what you are saying, but I was thinking more like what Kent wrote.
While the virus itself can be dangerous, it doesn’t make us radioactive. As long as people mask up, and keep a safe distance, two neighbors watching Jeopardy together should not be that dangerous.
Totally bogus question for Final Jeopardy. Ridiculous.
When I saw the word, Behemoth, my first thought was Leviathan. I certainly don’t associate unicorns with the Bible, let alone 9 times, and I’d hardly consider ‘extinct wild ox’ as synonymous with a unicorn. In my opinion, a very bad clue.
I agree with you, Gary. Leviathan immediately came to mind, especially because of the Behemoth and strength references. Not the best clue.
Why was Katherine’s Final Jeopardy bet considered an ‘overbet’? If John had been correct, he would have won with his bet.
If John is correct and makes the standard bet, he wins regardless of what Katherine does. Thus, Katherine’s only chance of winning is to make sure she stays ahead of John’s score if he’s wrong.
More info here: https://thejeopardyfan.com/final-jeopardy-betting
I had to think about it for a while, but it makes sense. I’d really have to study Jeopardy betting more to be comfortable making such decisions in a short period of time, under pressure. Of course, I would never make it on the show. Even when I know the answer, I can’t always come up with it fast enough to out-buzz everyone else. There are times I, and I’m sure all of us, know some answers none of the contestants know. But not enough to be competitive.
They have plenty of time to work out their wagers – more than the length of the commercials we have to sit through to from the announcing of the category to the clue.