Warning: This page contains spoilers for the April 17, 2023, game of Jeopardy! — please do not scroll down if you wish to avoid being spoiled. Please note that the game airs as early as noon Eastern in some U.S. television markets.
Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category English Literature) for Monday, April 17, 2023 (Season 39, Game 156):
It says, “The mind is its own place, & in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. What matter where, if I be still the same”
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Madeleine McKenna, an attorney from Los Angeles, California |
Daniel Ciarrocchi, a writer from Baltimore, Maryland |
Toni Van Kampen, a retired systems analyst from Mount Prospect, Illinois |
Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
The biggest question on everyone’s minds today: where is Ben Chan? Thankfully, we do have an answer. According to a news report from WLUK, Ben’s local TV affiliate, Ben will be returning on Monday, May 15 in an attempt to win his fourth game “due to an ill-timed illness”. Ben becomes the fourth player in the Sky’s the Limit Era (after Priscilla Ball in 2009, Claudia Corriere in 2015, and Zach Newkirk in 2020) to be unable to return immediately to defend their title, having to return at a later date. Your three new players today are L.A. attorney Madeleine McKenna, Baltimore writer Daniel Ciarrocchi (the surprise contestant from someone paying attention to the previews on Friday), and Chicago-area retiree Toni Van Kampen. (One further consequence of this: you’ll also see Ben’s statistics in the sidebar for the next month. Looking back, I quite enjoyed Zach’s “from the sidebar” meme in the fall of 2020.)
In general, this is a rare, but not unprecedented occurrence on the show, and it’s completely understandable to me why a player will not be able to return. However: it really bothers me as a Jeopardy! fan that the show’s Preview at the end of Friday’s episode said that Ben would be returning today to defend his title. Under Harry Friedman, I could absolutely trust when the show’s producers made statements on the show or other media. Since then, though, I have been burned so many times by inaccuracies from the show and its producers that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to trust them when they make statements.
One user on Reddit this morning speculated that this situation was caused by the show wanting to maintain an illusion that Jeopardy! is essentially a same-day production. In my opinion, it’s an outdated conceit that only serves to treat its audience as though they’re of a lower intelligence level than they actually are. (In other words: We’re not stupid. We know it’s not live, or same-day. Stop trying to keep an illusion together that doesn’t exist.)
Meanwhile, we are three weeks out from the debut of Jeopardy! Masters on ABC primetime. Some gameplay tweaks are being hinted at, but not announced for Masters. In order to be prepared to provide the best possible coverage and showcase Jeopardy! in the best light, it would be nice to hear what those potential gameplay tweaks are beforehand. (Otherwise, my overall enjoyment of the show might be clouded by having to change my game-tracking mechanisms on the fly while trying to actually watch it.)
On to better news: I’d like to thank everyone who contributed last week to the Gamers vs. MS charity livestream relay for MS Canada. With your help, over $30,000 was raised over the 10 days of the relay, and my portion of that raised nearly $400. Thank you all so much again! It will absolutely help the fight against multiple sclerosis.
PSA: The best way to keep COVID-19 at bay (and keep Jeopardy! producing new episodes) is for everybody to get their vaccinations as soon as they can, including any boosters as recommended. When wearing a mask, please ensure that your mask covers both your nose and your mouth.
Are you going on the show and looking for information about how to bet in Final Jeopardy? Check out my new Betting Strategy 101 page!
(Content continues below)
Correct response: What is Paradise Lost?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
(The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2023 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
The quote “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. What matter where, if I be still the same” comes from John Milton’s famous work Paradise Lost.
I could talk more about Paradise Lost, but I feel it’s more important to go off on a tangent today. It seems to me that “The mind…can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven” is a very poignant quotation for anyone suffering from depression and anxiety, especially for those who struggle with cognitive distortions. In so many cases, negative thinking can essentially turn heaven into one’s personal hell, or positive thinking can turn a hellish situation into heaven.
We have many new offerings at The Jeopardy! Fan Online Store! Proceeds from the sale of the “Doctor Oz’s Fast-Acting Snake Oil Elixir” T-shirt are being donated to The Trevor Project:
Game Recap & Tonight’s Game Stats:
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Monday, April 17, 2023 Jeopardy! by the numbers, along with a recap:
Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Texas State Symbols; In The Bookstore; Body Language; Measure For Measure; Non-Bomb Rom Coms; Ends In Silent “E”)
All three players had a good round—it certainly helped that Ben’s dominance on the buzzer from the past three shows wasn’t there to hinder our new players. Toni doubled up on the Daily Double just before the first break and had a strong back half of the round to lead after 30.
Statistics at the first break (14 clues):
Madeleine 5 correct 0 incorrect
Daniel 5 correct 1 incorrect
Toni 4 correct 1 incorrect
Today’s interviews:
Madeleine studied abroad in Ghana in college and went on safari.
Daniel would say “This! Is! Nemeny!” as a child when trying to emulate Johnny Gilbert.
Toni volunteers at O’Hare Airport.
Statistics after the Jeopardy round:
Toni 10 correct 2 incorrect
Madeleine 10 correct 1 incorrect
Daniel 7 correct 1 incorrect
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Toni $5,200
Madeleine $4,600
Daniel $3,200
Double Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: The 12th Century; World Geography; 3-Syllable Verbs; Alphabetically First; TV Before & After; Gods & Myths)
The Daily Doubles went to Madeleine and Daniel in this round; both saw their scores fall, though, as a result. However, Daniel didn’t let the miss get him down, he bounced back with a pair of $2,000 gets—one a rebound from a Toni incorrect response—to lead going into Final Jeopardy!
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
Daniel 15 correct 3 incorrect
Toni 17 correct 5 incorrect
Madeleine 15 correct 4 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 25 (2 today).
Scores going into Final:
Daniel $8,800
Toni $8,000
Madeleine $3,800
Only Daniel was correct in Final—he becomes the new Nemeny! champion! He’ll be back tomorrow to defend.
Tonight’s results:
Madeleine $3,800 – $3,799 = $1 (What is Canterbury Tales)
Toni $8,000 – $1,000 = $7,000 (What is Ode to the Portuguese?)
Daniel $8,800 + $7,201 = $16,001 (What is Paradise Lost?) (1-day total: $16,001)
Other Miscellaneous Game Statistics:
Opening break taken after: 14 clues
Daily Double locations:
1) IN THE BOOKSTORE $600 (clue #14)
Toni 1200 +1200 (Daniel 2400 Madeleine 3000)
2) GODS & MYTHS $1600 (clue #19)
Madeleine 7000 -2000 (Toni 8800 Daniel 4000)
3) ALPHABETICALLY FIRST $1600 (clue #21, $13600 left on board)
Daniel 5200 -2000 (Toni 8800 Madeleine 5000)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 33
Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:
J! Round:
Toni 1 1 1 3*
Daniel 3 5 4 4 5
Madeleine 3 4 3 2 2
DJ! Round:
Toni 1 1 1 2 3
Daniel 2 1 3 2 3 2 4*
Madeleine 2 4 5 1 3 4 5 4* 3
Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:
Daniel 3.17
Toni 1.56
Madeleine 3.21
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: THE 12th CENTURY $2000 GODS & MYTHS $2000
Total Left On Board: $4,000
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 25 (0.16 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Daniel $10,800 Coryat, 15 correct, 3 incorrect, 29.09% in first on buzzer (16/55), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
Toni $7,400 Coryat, 17 correct, 5 incorrect, 34.55% in first on buzzer (19/55), 1/2 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Madeleine $5,800 Coryat, 15 correct, 4 incorrect, 27.27% in first on buzzer (15/55), 2/3 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $24,000
Lach Trash: $11,000 (on 9 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $15,000
Player Statistics:
Toni Van Kampen, career statistics:
17 correct, 6 incorrect
1/2 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
34.55% in first on buzzer (19/55)
1/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $1,200)
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $7,400
Daniel Ciarrocchi, career statistics:
16 correct, 3 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
29.09% in first on buzzer (16/55)
0/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: -$2,000)
1/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $10,800
Madeleine McKenna, career statistics:
15 correct, 5 incorrect
2/3 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
27.27% in first on buzzer (15/55)
0/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: -$2,000)
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $5,800
Daniel Ciarrocchi, to win:
2 games: 31.934%
3: 10.198%
4: 3.256%
5: 1.040%
6: 0.332%
Avg. streak: 1.469 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
- As a result of some reader feedback I received recently, I have chosen to rearrange things slightly in the recap to craft more of a game narrative.
- Today’s box score: April 17, 2023 Box Score.
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: Daniel $8,800 Toni $8,000 Madeleine $3,800)
Toni: Limit your bet to $399 to keep Madeleine locked out. (Actual bet: $1,000)
Daniel: Standard cover bet over Toni is $7,201. (Actual bet: $7,201)
Madeleine: Limit your bet to $2,199—that way, you stay ahead of Daniel if he is incorrect. (Actual bet: $3,799)
Become a Supporter now! Make a monthly contribution to the site on Patreon!
Contestant photo credit: jeopardy.com
When commenting, please note that all comments on The Jeopardy! Fan must be in compliance with the Site Comment Policy.
If you are going to quote any information from this page or this website, attribution is required.
No one’s mentioned it yet but when Ben comes back, he’ll be faced with a new host/hostess. Mayim Bialik is scheduled to return as the hostess on May 1st, so in addition to facing a returning champ, he will also have to adjust to a new person reading the clues. It will be interesting to see if that has any affect on Ben’s speed on the buzzer.
Even if on return Ben seems to have lost some of his skill with the buzzer, it would be hard to tell if it was the away time, the host difference, or some very small result of whatever kept him out, wouldn’t it?
It is nice to speculate on those as negatives, though, to counteract those who will no doubt claim an unfair advantage due to a rest (just because some seem to take every chance to criticize, reasonable or not).
Matt Amodio thrived under six hosts during his run and didn’t miss a beat. Mattea Roach also thrived under both of the current hosts. Obviously both of these players are much better than average, but their experiences do lead me to question how much of a disadvantage switching hosts really is.
It looks like Ben will have missed several weeks (five?) by the time he gets back (going by the Tape Dates and schedule as shown in the Archive). I’d figure that would have the biggest impact on his buzzer time, but ?🤷
It may seem to be an unnecessary conceit to pretend it’s Friday or Christmas Eve or whatever but it’s part of the fabric of the show. It certainly doesn’t interfere with my enjoyment; in fact, I like how it’s sync’d with the calendar.
I recorded one season of The Amazing Race years ago. A friend and I then binge-watched it before binge-watching was even a thing. It made it more real somehow. The players only have 12 hours to rest before they have to start the next leg. Waiting a week for the next episode implies they had a much longer break somehow.
Did I just contradict myself? Oh well. It wouldn’t be the first time.
If I recall correctly Ken said at the beginning of the show Ben was unable to travel this week but didn’t elaborate further. Thanks for the update Jeopardy fan and wish Ben a full recovery