Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category Winter Sports) for Wednesday, February 17, 2021 (Season 37, Game 103):
The specific skill that gave this sport its name was eliminated from intl. competition after the 1990 World Championships
(correct response beneath the contestants)
The Jeopardy! community is mourning the loss of Brayden Smith, who passed away on February 5. The Brayden Smith Memorial Fund has been established, dedicated to furthering the educational aspirations of Southern Nevada students.
Today’s contestants:
Natalie Walsh, a naturopathic doctor originally from Okemos, Michigan![]() |
Andy West, a medical information officer from Fishersville, Virginia![]() |
Phil Hoffman, a graduate student originally from Mountain Lakes, New Jersey (2-day total: $37,390)![]() |
Andy’s Pregame Thoughts: Phil has come from behind twice now in Final Jeopardy! to take victory. With his low numbers before Final Jeopardy!, Phil looks like he’ll either need a favorable board or another break in Final Jeopardy! in order to take win #3.
PSA: The best way to keep COVID-19 at bay (and keep Jeopardy! producing new episodes) is for everybody to abide by physical distancing guidelines and when you are not able to do so, properly wear a mask. Ensure that your mask covers both your nose and your mouth.
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(Content continues below)
Correct response: What is figure skating?
More information about Final Jeopardy: (The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2021 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
Until the 1960s, compulsory figures (like the famous figure-eight) made up the majority of a figure skater’s total score in international competition. Skaters were judged on precision based on the tracks their skates made on the ice and the positions of their bodies during the figures. However, with the advent of television, viewers became confused as to why the better free skaters weren’t winning competitions (the compulsory figures portion of the competition wasn’t televised, as it both made for poor television and took significant time to skate and judge—up to eight hours at a World Championships). By the time the International Skating Union decided to remove figures for the 1990-91 season, only the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and New Zealand opposed the removal.
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Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Tonight’s results are below!
Scores going into Final:
Andy $13,800
Phil $12,800
Natalie $8,800
Tonight’s results:
Natalie $8,800 – $8,793 = $7 (What is target-)
Phil $12,800 – $12,795 = $5 (What is curling?)
Andy $13,800 – $11,801 = $1,999 (What is skeleton?) (1-day total: $1,999)
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Andy $6,200
Natalie $3,200
Phil $600
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Opening break taken after: 15 clues
Daily Double locations:
1) U.S. CITIES $800 (clue #23)
Phil 600 -1000 (Andy 4600 Natalie 2800)
2) LEFT BEHIND ON THE MOON $2000 (clue #25)
Phil 5800 +5000 (Andy 13800 Natalie 9600)
3) RUN IT UP THE FLAGPOLE $1200 (clue #28, $3600 left on board)
Natalie 11200 -4000 (Phil 10800 Andy 13800)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: -50
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 154 (1.50 per episode average), 2 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Andy $13,800 Coryat, 20 correct, 2 incorrect, 35.09% in first on buzzer (20/57), 1/2 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Natalie $12,800 Coryat, 17 correct, 2 incorrect, 29.82% in first on buzzer (17/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Phil $10,800 Coryat, 15 correct, 4 incorrect, 26.32% in first on buzzer (15/57), 2/2 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $37,400
Lach Trash: $9,000 (on 7 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $7,600
Phil Hoffman, career statistics:
47 correct, 12 incorrect
5/6 on rebound attempts (on 15 rebound opportunities)
27.22% in first on buzzer (46/169)
2/4 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $500)
2/3 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $11,133
Andy West, career statistics:
20 correct, 3 incorrect
1/2 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
35.09% in first on buzzer (20/57)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $13,800
Natalie Walsh, career statistics:
17 correct, 3 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
29.82% in first on buzzer (17/57)
0/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: -$4,000)
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $12,800
Andy West, to win:
2 games: 42.679%
3: 18.215%
4: 7.774%
5: 3.318%
6: 1.416%
Avg. streak: 1.745 games.
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Interesting final. I learn something new every day.
I found this one brutally difficult. I scanned my knowledge of winter sports over and over, and nothing seemed to fit. Then I thought, maybe I’ll try to figure it out by Googling… still nothing. With the answer in front of me, now I can kind of see it, but figure skating went through my head originally and I thought “nope” the same way I did with hockey and skiing.
A one point in time TV did show some of the compulsories and, yes, it was boring.
Another when you know the answer it seems easy. Was shocked when all three missed it.
The clue wording made me think the answer needed to be two words. Figure Skating was obvious and remembered the figures being dropped from the competition. That said if you are under 40 you might not know that early days included compulsory figures and yes they were very boring to watch.
Been an Olympic fan all my life and could not even come up with a decent guess. The answer makes sense now.
Am I correct in thinking that Natalie made a poor bet by wagering too much in FJ, or is it just that it turned out that way in hindsight?
You are right about her wagering. I said that when they showed her wager. No matter how many times Andy warns them about how to wager, they just don’t listen.
The information is out there for people who want to use it. If they don’t, that’s their choice. I actually think that the game would be less interesting if people all bet the same way, so there’s at least some suspense to the proceedings.
I had more of a problem with Phil’s wager actually… way too much also. But you’re right about making it interesting…frustrating, but interesting. 🙂
I am not going to cavil at Ken’s pronunciation of Trieste which he pronounced with a silent “e”, but did he actually impart a “k” sound to the letter “c” in Václav Havel’s name? This is one of the things that I miss the most about Alex, his ability to pronounce “foreign” names.
I think he actually did, but let’s not cavil and just pretend it never happened. I know I’ll sleep better.
Is the $1999 won by Andy following a game with no unplayed clues any kind of record for underachievment?
No. It’s not even in the top 10 of such games.
Maybe Jeopardy should give Andy an extra dollar because he was in first place and the second place finisher gets $2000.
I feel most sorry for Natalie. It didn’t occur to her that both her opponents would make big bets so she shouldve bet ZERO. She failed to benefit from this triple stumper.
I guess Jeopardy does not tell its contestants about the betting recommendations on this site. Making the right FJ nets is just as important as doing well during the first two rounds.
My jaw is still on the floor over Natalie’s answer of “Shillelagh” for an Irish musical instrument on her DD. Just goes to show how sometimes the pressure of the game can get to you. Tough break for her. She had a great game going.