# Final Jeopardy and miracles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501 "2014-05-15T03:44:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/21 "2014-05-15T21:27:01Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The final matchup, airing tonight and tomorrow night, looks interesting. It’s going to be Ken Jennings (winner of 74 consecutive regular season games) against Brad Rutter (who won the 2001 Tournament of Champions, the Million Dollar Masters Tournament and the Ultimate Tournament of Champions) against Roger Craig (who has the single-game record). And Jennings and Rutter competed against the IBM Watson computer is a special tournament a few years ago. That’s tonight and tomorrow’s excitement. Followed on Monday by the return of Julia Collins, who is two wins away from being the third best\* contestant since the five-game limit was dropped in 2003. (\* Most consecutive “regular” game victories.) As things now stand, here are the rankings: - Ken Jennings (74 wins) - Dave Madden (19) - Arthur Chu (11) - Julia Collins (10 so far) As I mentioned in my DOA Jeopardy thread of May 5th, I like her. At first I found her unassuming and a little goofy, took me a few games to notice how good she really is. Also- Wife and I still remember how much we liked Chuck Forrest in his first run of games in '85. It was gratifying to see him give Ken Jennings some real competition the other night. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/22 "2014-05-15T21:35:19Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I was lucky in already knowing who Joey Levitch and Dino Crocetti were (I had just finished reading a book about them), but it took me a few seconds to figure out who John Joseph Patrick Ryan was. Again, it required lateral thinking. > > See if you can identify the man without either knowing his stage name or looking him up, and I’ll tell you later how I did it! 😉 Damn. For reasons I can’t even remember I’ve known JL’s identity most of my life, and that made DC obvious. But I had to give up on JJPR and really want to know how you did it. I love these kind of things. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/23 "2014-05-15T21:36:44Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > …I used to work on the radio, and we would sometimes play something called “The Name Game,” where listeners had to tell us the stage name of a celebrity after we gave them his or her real name. The DJ chose the names at random, not me (I was the news anchor and co-host); I was lucky in already knowing who Joey Levitch and Dino Crocetti were (I had just finished reading a book about them), but it took me a few seconds to figure out who John Joseph Patrick Ryan was. Again, it required lateral thinking. > > See if you can identify the man without either knowing his stage name or looking him up, and I’ll tell you later how I did it! 😉 I don’t know the answer, and won’t look up JJPR. But I did recognize “Dino Crocetti” as Dean Martin…I think. If that’s right, then “Joey Levitch” is probably the real name of Jerry Lewis. So if we’re talking lateral thinking, John Joseph Patrick Ryan…would be someone associated with Martin & Lewis…hmn…Martin was part of the Rat Pack (not so much Lewis, though). So maybe JJPR is Joey Bishop…? Maybe that’s lateral thinking, and maybe it ain’t…:o ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/24 "2014-05-15T21:37:43Z")
Rats. I forgot to mention that Julia is alone in 4th place, there are no other 10 game winners. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/25 "2014-05-15T22:40:52Z")
i am amused by your tread as i gave the answer of the lone contestant, " what is arms?" it is interesting that when you come across something you think uncommon, you see it everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/26 "2014-05-16T01:55:59Z")
I don’t think such a coincidence is even rare. It’s obvious that many of the contestants are making educated guesses all the time, and would have a hard time remembering how they know certain things. Even playing at home, I’m often getting the correct response, and totally baffled as to what dusty corner of my brain it came from. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/27 "2014-05-16T02:42:28Z")
Chronos, Hungarian is not a language isolate: > **[Uralic languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uralic_languages)** > > The Uralic languages (/jʊəˈrælɪk/; sometimes called Uralian languages /jʊəˈreɪliən/) form a language family of 38 languages spoken natively by approximately 25 million people, predominantly in Europe (over 99% of the family's speakers) and northern Asia (less than 1%). The Uralic languages with the most native speakers are Hungarian (which alone accounts for nearly 60% of speakers), Finnish, and Estonian. Other significant languages with fewer speakers are Erzya, Moksha, Mari, Udmurt, Sami, Ko Th... ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/28 "2014-05-16T04:53:46Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Damn. For reasons I can’t even remember I’ve known JL’s identity most of my life, and that made DC obvious. But I had to give up on JJPR and really want to know how you did it. I love these kind of things. My reasoning went like this: “Dude is famous … obviously Irish … John … Maybe … Jack? Played an Irishman? What famous characters are known for being Irish? Aha! An Irish Jack … must be…” Jack Lord, aka Steve McGarrett on the old _ **Hawaii Five-O** _! Viola! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/29 "2014-05-16T05:19:33Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I don’t know the answer, and won’t look up JJPR. But I did recognize “Dino Crocetti” as Dean Martin…I think. If that’s right, then “Joey Levitch” is probably the real name of Jerry Lewis. So if we’re talking lateral thinking, John Joseph Patrick Ryan…would be someone associated with Martin & Lewis…hmn…Martin was part of the Rat Pack (not so much Lewis, though). So maybe JJPR is Joey Bishop…? > > Maybe that’s lateral thinking, and maybe it ain’t…:o Good thinking, actually, but remember that the names were picked at random. No one had to be associated with anyone else (in fact, only one name was given out every evening). One reason I was so confident of my answer was that I watched the show religiously from 1968 to around 1976, and I knew the character was Irish. So background experience did help a little, but mostly it was pure deduction. ---
**Author:** ![Krav\_Manga](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krav_manga/32/3153_2.png) [@Krav\_Manga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krav_Manga)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/30 "2014-05-16T06:05:34Z")
Answer: What is the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/31 "2014-05-16T06:37:53Z")
> [@Krav\_Manga](#): > > Answer: What is the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon? Something like the Stockholm Syndrome, where terrorists kidnap you and you become one of them, a la Patty Hearst? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/32 "2014-05-16T07:31:19Z")
I took the online test a couple years ago. At work, I make cations and subtitles for TV. I had just finished a Behind The Music: Carrie Underwood two hour special. First clue was : This country western singer’s first hit was Jesus, Take the Wheel. I stared blankly at the screen for 15 seconds. I KNEW it was her, whatshername I just spent 6 hours on her background… Sometimes it works the other way too. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/33 "2014-05-16T13:29:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Wendell Wagner** : > > Chronos, Hungarian is not a language isolate: Oh. In that case I guess I just got lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/34 "2014-05-16T13:56:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I remember one time when knowledge of Klingon enabled me to get a Jeopardy question. The question was what country some particular sort of wine was from. I don’t know wine, but the name sounded Klingon to me. Well, I knew that Klingon was loosely based on Hungarian, and that Hungarian is (on Earth, at least) a language isolate, so therefore any word that sounds Klingon must presumably be Hungarian. It was. My only qualification in this area is a fascinated amateur interest in the idea of language families… but I thought Hungarian was one of the Uralic languages. ETA: never mind: > [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Chronos, Hungarian is not a language isolate: > > [Uralic languages - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uralic_languages) ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/35 "2014-05-16T14:00:17Z")
My only Jeopardy miracle came a few years ago. I usually like to play “blind no-peek Final Jeopardy,” which is, guess the answer when they give the category before the commercial. So if it’s British Monarchy, I’ll blurt out “Edward VII” without knowing the clue. Once, several years ago, I hit it … and it would be much more impressive if I could remember what it was I said! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/36 "2014-05-16T17:05:19Z")
I should have gotten “Prince Edward Island” the other night, but I was thinking Canadian city, not province. Damn! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/37 "2014-05-16T17:52:17Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I routinely smugly answer most of the normal Jeopardy questions, from the safety of my couch of course. Back in the VCR days, I taped an episode of Jeopardy. That evening we had friends over and I played the episode. Everyone thought we were watching live television. Then I started answering correctly _question after question_, often before even half of the clue was given. I eventually picked up the remote and hit pause. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/38 "2014-05-16T18:10:12Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > My only Jeopardy miracle came a few years ago. I usually like to play “blind no-peek Final Jeopardy,” which is, guess the answer when they give the category before the commercial. So if it’s British Monarchy, I’ll blurt out “Edward VII” without knowing the clue. Once, several years ago, I hit it … and it would be much more impressive if I could remember what it was I said! :rolleyes: A few years ago the Final Jeopardy category was Alliterative Athletes. I thought “Mark McGuire, or it could be Sammy Sosa.” "In 1998 these 2 baseball rivals shared top honors as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsmen of the Year"Top that. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/39 "2014-05-16T19:33:37Z")
Got this one in about two seconds as well; again, lateral thinking. Final Jeopardy from 4 November 2010: **Buried at Arlington** His grave notes his 1842 West Point graduation, his time at Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, and 2nd Bull Run. But it does not mention sports. Abner Doubleday. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501/40 "2014-05-16T21:24:03Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Back in the VCR days, I taped an episode of Jeopardy. That evening we had friends over and I played the episode. Everyone thought we were watching live television. Then I started answering correctly _question after question_, often before even half of the clue was given. > > I eventually picked up the remote and hit pause. 😃 That’s the high-tech [solution](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lXmvunn7XI)… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-jeopardy-and-miracles/688501.md?page=3)