Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category British Army History) for Friday, January 29, 2021 (Season 37, Game 90):
The Army’s longest continuous campaign, 1969-2007, began in this Northern Ireland city known by either of 2 different names
(correct response beneath the contestants)
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Today’s contestants:
Bo Mendez, museum cultural professional originally from New Braunfels, Texas |
Kristen Seigel, high school Spanish teacher from Columbus, Ohio |
Zach Newkirk, attorney from Alexandria, Virginia (5-day total: $110,870) |
Andy’s Pregame Thoughts: Zach Newkirk’s long-awaited title defense turned out swimmingly for him, taking out a 7-time champion in an excellent game yesterday. This should cement him into the 30th Tournament of Champions; as Ken announced yesterday, the time cutoff for the 29th has already taken place, with Brian Chang also locking in a spot in number 30.
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Correct response: What is Derry/Londonderry?
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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.)
The August 1969 Battle of the Bogside was one of the early confrontations in what became known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland, with Catholic nationalists on one side and Protestant unionists on the other. Due to gerrymandering, the Unionists were the ruling party in a predominantly Catholic area and tensions had been rising until they culminated in clashes between both sides.
The naming of the area in Northern Ireland has become a shibboleth in order to determine which side of The Troubles one is on: nationalists generally prefer Derry, while unionists generally prefer Londonderry.
Which brings me to this: This is the worst Final Jeopardy! clue that the show has ever put together in the 37-year history of the show. Why does the show actually think that in 2021, that it is at all a good and proper idea to make its contestants essentially weigh in on The Troubles, one of the most politically charged and religiously charged events in the Western world in the late 20th century, in order to win on the show? Note that the clue is asking contestants to give only one of the two names. There is a nonzero chance that contestants are going to be harassed by supporters of the other side because of which response they elect to put down here. Here at The Jeopardy! Fan, I am spitting nails when it comes to this one. Mike Richards, you should have vetoed this clue. Forcing your contestants to weigh in on these matters in 2021 is a mark of an incompetent Executive Producer. Sony needs to find a new one.
One thing that I would like to say: This is a fan site. It has absolutely no ties to the show. If you would like to provide feedback to the show on this clue, you can go to their website and fill out the Contact form there.
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Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Tonight’s results are below!
Scores going into Final:
Zach $17,000
Kristen $7,000
Bo $4,400
Tonight’s results:
Bo $4,400 – $4,000 = $400 (What is Belfast?)
Kristen $7,000 – $1,900 = $5,100 (What is Belfast?)
Zach $17,000 – $2,999 = $14,001 (What is Belfast?) (6-day total: $124,871)
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Zach $4,800
Bo $3,000
Kristen $2,600
Opening break taken after: 15 clues
Daily Double locations:
1) LINCOLN BLOGS $800 (clue #4)
Zach 800 +1000 (Kristen 0 Bo 400)
2) AROUND THE CARIBBEAN $2000 (clue #6)
Zach 6800 +3000 (Kristen 1800 Bo 1400)
3) BIG STAR $2000 (clue #27, $4800 left on board)
Bo 5800 -2600 (Zach 15000 Kristen 5400)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 99
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: THE SPORTSCASTER’S QUOTE $200 $400
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $600
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 152 (1.69 per episode average), 2 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Zach $15,800 Coryat, 18 correct, 2 incorrect, 30.91% in first on buzzer (17/55), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 7 rebound opportunities)
Kristen $7,000 Coryat, 10 correct, 2 incorrect, 18.18% in first on buzzer (10/55), 1/2 on rebound attempts (on 8 rebound opportunities)
Bo $7,000 Coryat, 17 correct, 7 incorrect, 40.00% in first on buzzer (22/55), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $29,800
Lach Trash: $12,600 (on 12 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $11,000
Zach Newkirk, career statistics:
115 correct, 15 incorrect
11/14 on rebound attempts (on 32 rebound opportunities)
29.88% in first on buzzer (98/328)
8/12 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $17,000)
4/6 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $16,400
Kristen Seigel, career statistics:
10 correct, 3 incorrect
1/2 on rebound attempts (on 8 rebound opportunities)
18.18% in first on buzzer (10/55)
0/0 on Daily Doubles
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $7,000
Bo Mendez, career statistics:
17 correct, 8 incorrect
1/1 on rebound attempts (on 3 rebound opportunities)
40.00% in first on buzzer (22/55)
0/1 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: -$2,600)
0/1 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $7,000
Zach Newkirk, to win:
7 games: 57.175%
8: 32.690%
9: 18.691%
10: 10.686%
11: 6.110%
Avg. streak: 7.335 games.
Andy’s Thoughts:
- The clue was still wildly inappropriate, but all three players managed to duck it by picking Belfast. Crisis averted?
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