Warning: This page contains spoilers for the July 12, 2024, 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 Names In Medicine) for Friday, July 12, 2024 (Season 40, Game 220):
He got a special Presidential citation in 1955, passed away in 1995 & was dubbed “the man who saved the children”
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Ashley Weaver, an attorney from Lakewood, Ohio
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Mike Ferguson, a chemistry professor from Edmond, Oklahoma
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Isaac Hirsch, a customer support team lead from Burbank, California (7-day total: $161,388)
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Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
Isaac Hirsch has now become a 7-day champion on Jeopardy, hoping to finish the week as champion, picking up win #8 in the process. Oklahoma’s Mike Ferguson & Ohio’s Ashley Weaver are hoping to stop him.
Having seen the categories this morning in J!6, I would like to say the same thing I always do when this topic comes up: I am profoundly disappointed to see a Harry Potter category in this game because of J.K. Rowling’s continued transphobia. At least the show doesn’t have to pay royalties for using the content, putting more money directly into her pocket.
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(Content continues below)
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Correct response: Who is Jonas Salk?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
(The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2024 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
Jonas Salk is best known today for developing one of the first successful polio vaccines in the 1950s; he spent seven years between 1948 and 1955 developing the vaccine and became a hugely public figure when the vaccine’s success was announced in 1955. By the 1980s, the polio vaccine was so effective that direct transmission of polio had been eliminated in the United States.
I get the sense that there are going to be some people in today’s society angry that they are being told of a time when vaccines were celebrated, and their developers were hailed as saviors. And I will say that if you are mad about this Final Jeopardy clue, that would be a you problem.
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Game Recap & Tonight’s Game Stats:
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Friday, July 12, 2024 Jeopardy! by the numbers, along with a recap:
Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Who’s Speaking In The Harry Potter Books?; Set The Table; U.S. Coins; Transported To Chicago Through The Magic Of Entertainment; The Only Vowel Is “Y”; Lakes & Rivers)
A missed Daily Double was the only incorrect response from Isaac, but it was enough for Mike to lead at the break. At the interviews, Mike had $3,800 to Isaac’s $3,000 and Ashley’s -$1,000.
Statistics at the first break (15 clues):
Mike 5 correct 0 incorrect
Isaac 7 correct 1 incorrect
Ashley 0 correct 1 incorrect
Today’s interviews:
Ashley ran one marathon in Greece—and that’s it.
Mike had a chemistry lesson that saved a student’s dog’s life.
Isaac is also a stand-up comedian.
The second half of the opening round saw Isaac pick up 9 correct to re-take the lead.
Statistics after the Jeopardy round:
Isaac 16 correct 1 incorrect
Mike 10 correct 0 incorrect
Ashley 0 correct 1 incorrect
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Isaac $6,600
Mike $5,800
Ashley -$1,000
Double Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Doom Scrolling; Gardening Glossary; Art Around Europe; First Ladies; Passionate About Neutral Words; Lakes & Rivers)
Double Jeopardy saw Isaac find DD2; however, Mike found DD3 and newly doubled up to make things very close going into Final. While Ashley did avoid a Becky Lynch, she wasn’t able to get out of the hole and didn’t make it to Final.
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
Isaac 28 correct 5 incorrect
Mike 16 correct 0 incorrect
Ashley 2 correct 3 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 21 (0 today).
Scores going into Final:
Isaac $21,500
Mike $17,000
Ashley -$2,600
Both Isaac and Mike got Final Jeopardy correct; Isaac wins game #8 and goes for #9 on Monday!
Tonight’s results:
Ashley -$2,600 (By rule, did not participate in Final Jeopardy)
Mike $17,000 + $4,501 = $21,501 (Who is Salk? Love you Dayna!)
Isaac $21,500 + $12,501 = $34,001 (Who is Salk?) (8-day total: $195,389)
Other Miscellaneous Game Statistics:
Daily Double locations:
1) SET THE TABLE $1000 (clue #14)
Isaac 5600 -2600 (Mike 3200 Ashley -1000)
2) FIRST LADIES $1200 (clue #5)
Isaac 11800 +2500 (Mike 5800 Ashley -2600)
3) PASSIONATE ABOUT NEUTRAL WORDS $2000 (clue #15, $14000 left on board)
Mike 7400 +6000 (Isaac 21900 Ashley -4200)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 56
Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:
J! Round:
Isaac 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 5*
Mike 5 4 3 5 4
Ashley
DJ! Round:
Isaac 3 4 5 3* 4 5 4† 3 2 3 4 5 4
Mike 5*
Ashley 1
† – selection in same category as Daily Double
Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:
Isaac 3.86
Mike 4.33
Ashley 1.00
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 21 (0.10 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Isaac $22,800 Coryat, 28 correct, 5 incorrect, 52.63% in first on buzzer (30/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Mike $13,000 Coryat, 16 correct, 0 incorrect, 26.32% in first on buzzer (15/57), 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 7 rebound opportunities)
Ashley -$2,600 Coryat, 2 correct, 3 incorrect, 8.77% in first on buzzer (5/57), 0/0 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $33,200
Lach Trash: $12,800 (on 13 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $8,000
Lead Changes: 2
Times Tied: 2
Player Statistics:
Isaac Hirsch, career statistics:
226 correct, 35 incorrect
11/12 on rebound attempts (on 27 rebound opportunities)
49.67% in first on buzzer (226/455)
12/15 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $17,900)
6/8 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $20,850
Mike Ferguson, career statistics:
17 correct, 0 incorrect
0/0 on rebound attempts (on 7 rebound opportunities)
26.32% in first on buzzer (15/57)
1/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $6,000)
1/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $13,000
Ashley Weaver, career statistics:
2 correct, 3 incorrect
0/0 on rebound attempts (on 4 rebound opportunities)
8.77% in first on buzzer (5/57)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/0 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: -$2,600
Isaac Hirsch, to win:
9 games: 66.828%
10: 44.660%
11: 29.845%
12: 19.945%
13: 13.329%
Avg. streak: 10.015 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
- On THE ONLY VOWEL IS “Y” $600, Ken ruled Mike correct before Mike changed his response from a correct to an incorrect one; thus, the original ruling stood.
- I would say that the insistence on first names in the FIRST LADIES category is a direct result of fans making noise on the past for the judges not insisting on it in the past. Thus, if you don’t like it, I would definitely say “be very careful what you wish for” in terms of rule changes on the show in general.
- Today’s box score will be linked to when posted by the show.
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: Isaac $21,500 Mike $17,000 Ashley -$2,600)
Isaac: Standard cover bet over Mike is $12,501. (Actual bet: $12,501)
Mike: Bet between $4,501 and $8,000. (Actual bet: $4,501)
Ashley: (By rule, did not participate in Final Jeopardy)
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“Who is Jonas Salk?” The dates, plus “The man who saved the children”, were what gave it to me.
A Baby Boomer, I was one of the children he saved. This was a no-brainer for me. Also, a good week for me. I don’t remember ever getting 4 out of 5 Finals correct before. I’m not getting any smarter, so either the Finals were easier this week, or they were subjects I was familiar with.
This is one of those ones where I went back and forth between Salk and Sabin. Not sure where I ended when the thirty seconds was up.
I didn’t know about the “the man who saved the children” title, but seeing 1955 made me think of someone who lived around the time of FDR, and from there, it was a pretty easy connection of “FDR -> Polio -> Jonas Salk”. Good job, me! (And yes, I agree, people getting mad at the show for a vaccine-related Final Jeopardy is 100% a problem with that person.)
I had an uncle that developed polio before I was born in December of 1954. When I eventually met him in 1972, he was confined to his bed in a sanitorium in Maryland. But for me, I thank Jonas Salk for keeping me from getting polio.
As usual the explanations behind quotes used in Final Jeopardys make understanding the “answers” (clues) easy. I didn’t get this final because I allowed myself to be distracted when it was revealed. Seeing it now< I’m not certain if I would have came up with Salk.
Just like Rowling’s “anti-trans” beliefs, “anti-vax” beliefs, aren’t part of Jeopardy.
Having had both the Salk vaccine and the Sabin vaccine, this was easy for me. I remember having had all the shots (the needles weren’t as sharp back then) for the Salk vaccine in the 1950’s and, then, being given a sugar cube with the Sabin vaccine in the 1960’s. Given the year 1955 meant it had to be Salk as his was first.
In an odd coincidence, I was just talking to a Pharmacist yesterday about my experience with these vaccines and how I had wished the oral vaccine had come out first so that I wouldn’t have had to have the shots. In any case, I was glad I got them.
I, too, remember having those immunizations. I wonder if the Salk vaccinations were a bit slow to get to my rural southern area because I really think I do remember getting the shots, but even by 1955 I probably would not have been old enough to actually remember. But I definitely remember the sugar cubes.
I remembered both Salk and Sabin but was sure FJ was Salk because I knew he was first (and that Sabin seems to be barely remembered, much less celebrated).
I had forgotten about the sugar cube that I ingested many years ago. I never knew who came up with that until now. One can get educated on this site.
The only name I knew that was related to saving the children in the 1950s was Jonas Salk.
Johnny Gilbert turns 96 tomorrow. Off topic for today’s show, but an impressive run!
Yes, happy birthday to Johnny Gilbert at 96. He still looks great.
Had the answer to this FJ in about 2 seconds. I had never of Sabin. Odds are good that I got a Polio vaccine in 1971 or 1972, as a 3 or 4 year old and I would bet it was the Salk vaccine. I probably cried because I loathed needles. Got my blood drawn 6 days ago and I put up with that. Ha!
The year 1955 means that this honor to Salk was given out by Eisenhower. Now, unfortunately, most of the party that Eisenhower was part of wouldn’t be honoring Salk. They’d likely be calling for his arrest for poisoning the children. Where has the common sense gone in this party? I digress!
Retro congrats to Isaac for running out the week and having to fight hard to win vs a notable challenger, who might get a call for Second Chance.
Everyone enjoy the weekend everyone and we’ll see on Monday if Isaac can get win #9! 🙂
Two significant oddities in today’s game. I’m hopeful Andy can clarify when these have occurred (if ever) in the past.
1. A contestant gets more incorrect answers than correct answers. Seems pretty unusual.
2. A contestant gets 0 incorrect answers. I’m sure this has happened before but wonder if anyone has gotten as many as 17 correct answers without a single incorrect guess. Congrats to Isaac!
Sorry, I meant Congratulations, Mike.
1) It’s unusual but it’s generally something that I haven’t kept track of;
2) James Holzhauer had a pair of games (April 30 and May 3, 2019) where he had 44 correct (including Final) without being incorrect.
Wow, that is super impressive. I guess if anyone could do that it’d be the famous Jeopardy villain! 😊
I, too, was profoundly disappointed to see a Harry Potter category, because I have not read the books or seen the movies. But I have somehow gleaned enough over the years to manage to get 4 out of 5.
I also have no idea how I knew Mrs. McKinley’s first name was Ida.