Office JEOPARDY!

There has been some interdepartmental game of the TV show Jeopardy going on around here. I was invited to join by this guy, not in my department, who told the organizer “Alex” that I’m really smart; thanks for the pressure. I wonder if “Alex” knows I was once on the real JEOPARDY?

Here are some of the rules.
* All the answers and questions come from the Jeopardy Desk calendar of the current date.
* Don’t cheat. NO looking at the desk calendar, NO looking up the answer anywhere (i.e. internet, dictionary, etc), NO discussing or giving it away with anyone.
* The Answer must be in the form of a question or you will lose points
* Don’t argue the answer. “Alex” will go only by what is on the desk calendar. If you have a problem with that, write the desk calendar people.
* Results are posted each day so that you know your standing.
* Spelling does not count; however, it does have to phonetically resemble the answer so “Alex” can give you points.
* Only those with positive points can play Final Jeopardy.
* Jeopardy will only be played on working days.

There are 17 players.

Play along and see how many points you’d get, WITHOUT looking it up.

Today’s Answer is worth $200 and the category is: Sports Talk
The Jeopardy game answer is: These two National Basketball Association teams play in the Staples Center.

I know this straight off. Those two teams in Los Angeles.

What are the Lakers and the Clippers?

Eight-way tie for first place.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: Sports Talk
The Jeopardy game answer is: Forty-Two-Pound polished stones with a handle on top are slid on ice in this sport.

I’ve watched the Winter Olympics several times, and know a guy who used to play locally.

What is curling?

Still an eight-way tie
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1000 and the category is: Sports Talk
The Jeopardy game answer is: What was originally the Houston Oilers is today this NFL team.

Sad, but I’m pretty expert at the moves of Major League Baseball and NFL teams. NHL relocations might trip me up.

What are the (Tennessee) Titans?

Four-way tie for first.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: Dramas
The Jeopardy game answer is: In the 15th Century, this alliterative type of play dealing with Jesus’ crucifixion could take 3 days to complete.

I used to get invitations to go to Europe to see these; never did it.

What is a Passion play?

Alone in first place by $1000. To my surprise, only one other person got it, and it wasn’t one of the co-leaders.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1000 and the category is: 5-Letter the Better
The Jeopardy game answer is: This five-letter coffee flavor comes from a Red Sea port in Yemen where coffee was exported.

I knew not drinking coffee would come back to bite me. Nothing is coming to mind. No guess, for getting it wrong costs points.

What is a mocha?

Lead cut to $200, $3000 to $2800 for 3 others.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $400 and the category is: Vice Precedents
The Jeopardy game answer is: She was the first woman nominated for Vice President by a major party.

Funny, but her name briefly left me. It knew it was 1984, I know she was on Walter Mondale’s ticket, I knew she was short, blonde, Italian. She’s now deceased. FINALLY it came to me.

Who was Geraldine Ferraro?

Maintain a $200 lead over 2 opponents, but 2 others are only $1000 back, with three more $1200 behind.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: Vice Precedents
The Jeopardy game answer is: He was the first Vice President to assume the Presidency upon the death of a President.

I knew this instantly. William Henry Harrison’s veep was elevated a month after the 1841 inauguration.

Who was John Tyler?

I have $4600, and my nearest opponent has $3600, with two others at $3200. BTW, there are 4 people at $0, and two less than zero.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $200 and the category is: Economic Terms
The Jeopardy game answer is: Two-word term for business between 2 countries unhindered by governmental restrictions like tariffs or quotas.

I was home sick that day, so that’s my explanation for not knowing this. I kept thinking “bilateral agreement,” but wasn’t feeling confident. I passed. And a good thing.

What is free trade? (It was the TWO countries that bugged me; NAFTA is among THREE countries, e.g.)

I still have $4600, and my nearest opponents have $3600, $3400 and $3200.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: Economic Terms
The Jeopardy game answer is: This term is from the Greek for “one” and “to sell”.

Well, one is mono. But I thought polis meant city, poly had to do with sides of a shape. Still what else could be “one seller”? Took a chance.

What is a monopoly?

A $1400 lead.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1000 and the category is: Economic Terms
The Jeopardy game answer is: It’s the study of large-scale or general economic factors, a country’s total economic activity.

Watching the show, sometimes stuff sticks.

What is macroeconomics?

With $6200, an $1800 lead.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $400 and the category is: TV
The Jeopardy game answer is: On January 22, 2010, this late night host said goodbye to NBC after 17 years on the network.

With a big lead, I got careless and guessed Jay Leno, when he left (for the last time), much later.

Who is Conan O’Brian?

I have $5800; second place is $4400, third is $4200, fourth is $2400, so it’s really a three-person contest right now.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: TV
The Jeopardy game answer is: He won a Golden Globe for playing himself playing a hockey coach in Showtime’s Episodes.

Don’t know, so didn’t guess.

Who is Matt LeBlanc? (Oh, the guy from Friends; if I were to have taken a wild guess, it would have been him.)

Top three stay the same, though someone got it right and is up to $3000 for fourth place.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: States by Cities & Towns
The Jeopardy game answer is: Medicine Lodge, Sublette, Leavenworth.

There’s a famous prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. My question: is there another Leavenworth? I take the chance.

What is Kansas?

Correct.
Coming up: the last question before the final.

I have $6400, followed by $5000, $4200, $3000, $2600, $2400. The rest have $1800 or less, including 6 with zero or less.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1000 and the category is: States by Cities & Towns
The Jeopardy game answer is: Ville Platte, Opelousas, Plaquemine.

The scoring now affects my play. If I’m wrong, and 2nd place person is right, I could lose the lead. But if I’m right, maybe I won’t have to bet so much in the Final. I actually have no specific knowledge, but they all sound French, which suggests Louisiana. And doesn’t Opelousas SOUND like Louisiana? Or Mississippi?

What is Louisiana?

(Crosses fingers, and hopes that those French-sounding names didn’t deceive me; they did not!)

I have $7400, followed by $5000, $4200, $4000, $2600, $2400
***
Now it’s Final JEOPARDY!
Alex gives the category and nothing else. Based on this, we need to place a wager with the amount of money we have. We get the final Jeopardy answer the next day.

The Final Jeopardy Category is: 19th Century Literature. This is not my favorite topic. I can’t keep the Bronte sisters straight and haven’t read a great deal in the category.

I have, really, only two choices. One is to bet nothing, and make one of the three people with $4000 or more get the answer correct. The other is to bet enough to win, $2601 or more, get it right, and it doesn’t matter WHAT they do. I opt for the latter, wagering $2700.
***

Friday you all sent me a wager based on this Category: 19th Century Literature
Your answer to this category is: In an 1877 novel, Mrs. Gordon initially suggests the name Ebony for this title character.

“Remember, if you wagered nothing ($0) then your money stays whether you answer or don’t answer. If you did not wager your total will automatically become your wager. If you wagered and you answer the question you will either gain or lose whatever you wagered based on whether or not you answer the question correctly.”

I have NO idea who Mrs. Gordon is. But ebony is black, so I took a guess.

Do you have a guess? I mused about a character that looked like black wood.

What is Black Beauty? (Talk about your educated guesses.)

If I have ever read that book, I don’t remember.

This turned out to be CORRECT.

And the October Jeopardy winner is…moi!

I had $10,100, followed by $10,000, $8000, $4200, $3600, $2000, $1199 and $400. Betting nothing would have put me in third place. Getting it wrong, in this instance, would ALSO have put me in third place.
***
In the next round, I ask “Alex” to invite some of my office colleagues. It should be a real challenge to defend.