# The Jeopardy thread \[was James Holzhauer\]\[contains spoilers\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [April 17, 2019, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696 "2019-04-17T21:53:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 162
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3226 "2021-10-27T17:09:33Z")
I pulled “Agee” out of somewhere, and he’s not even a playwright. Got Frost though. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3228 "2021-10-27T17:39:55Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > For some reason, I could have sworn Frost was from Chicago. Perhaps you were thinking of Carl Sandburg. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3229 "2021-10-27T17:45:28Z")
Matt Amodio AMA on Reddit. Done on Monday, with a nice turn out of questions. Matt was generous with his time. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Jeopardy/comments/qc8y4c/whats\_amodio\_thats\_me/?utm\_medium=android\_app&utm\_source=share](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jeopardy/comments/qc8y4c/whats_amodio_thats_me/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3230 "2021-10-27T17:58:39Z")
This is very, very interesting. The show added a extra rehearsal after the season break. > **[r/Jeopardy - What's... Amodio? That's me!](https://www.reddit.com/r/Jeopardy/comments/qc8y4c/whats_amodio_thats_me/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)** > > 2,348 votes and 872 comments so far on Reddit ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3231 "2021-10-27T18:55:31Z")
Whoops that link doesn’t go directly to the quote from Matt. That thread is very long. It’s interesting because there has been questions about changes to the game. I’d assume adding a 2nd rehearsal is a long term change. It wasn’t done just during Matt’s streak. Quotes from. Matt. > [@](#): > > Yes, but not what you think: over the season break they added a second morning rehearsal game so all of the challengers get twice the practice now. > > This did not please me. > [@](#): > > I don’t think “getting burnt out on it” is a problem, I definitely did a lot better by the time Friday games rolled in 🙂 > > I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2nd buzzer practice has a measurable effect on the number of long runs going forward ---
**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:** [October 28, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3232 "2021-10-28T00:12:43Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > … I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2nd buzzer practice has a measurable effect on the number of long runs going forward Yes, buzzer skill really is key. It doesn’t matter how well-informed and quick-witted you are, if you can’t buzz in at the right time. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3233 "2021-10-28T06:11:26Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Perhaps you were thinking of Carl Sandburg. I think so. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3234 "2021-10-28T06:14:13Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Yes, buzzer skill really is key. It doesn’t matter how well-informed and quick-witted you are, if you can’t buzz in at the right time. I remember one contestant saying he practiced buzzing at home with one of those toilet-paper rollers. You know, with the spring action. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3235 "2021-10-28T06:58:06Z")
I got the FJ today when none of the contestants did. Love it when that happens. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2021, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3236 "2021-10-28T11:48:20Z")
Don’t gloat too much. Those three missed lots of no-brainers. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2021, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3237 "2021-10-28T23:54:46Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I remember one contestant saying he practiced buzzing at home with one of those toilet-paper rollers. You know, with the spring action. Retractable pens are usable for that purpose, too. I had no idea of the name of the bit you click on, and found: > [@](#): > > …The magic sauce in the click action pen is called the cam or thrust device. The cam sits above the ink cartridge and has little grooves, slants, and ledges that push the cartridge into a different position with each click. > > Each click does one of two things: Pushes the cam against the force of the spring to a groove where the ink cartridge is fully extended but not locked in place; or rotates the cam to one of two grooves that let the spring force the cartridge back up into the barrel until it’s either locked in fully retracted position, or until it’s locked in writing position. … So now we’re all ready in case Jeopardy! does a question on the topic! > **[Parts of a Pen: Anatomy of Ballpoint, Stick & Fountain Pens | Pens.com](https://www.pens.com/blog/parts-of-a-pen/)** > > Here we explain parts of a pen including how a click pen, stick pen & fountain pen work. Includes our best-selling pens to promote your brand. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3238 "2021-10-29T00:38:04Z")
That reminded me of a clickbait I clicked of a slideshow of what things look like sliced in half. Some were interesting, some were lame, but I closed it in disgust when they showed a sliced tomato. So that’s what they look like! Assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3239 "2021-10-29T02:14:14Z")
Is it me, or was tonight’s Final Jeopardy well-nigh impossible to know for sure? Two of the contestants obviously misread the question and/or had no sense of how far 7000 miles is, but ISTM that even if you were good with geography, you’d only be in the right ballpark, and still have to take an educated guess. Just look at a map of the Earth–unless you had somehow previously come across the extremely obscure piece of trivia that Santiago is closer to 7000 miles east of Sydney than 7300-7400, and/or the 1/2 degree of latitude thing, how would you know it wasn’t Buenos Aires or Montevideo? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3240 "2021-10-29T02:31:43Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > … how would you know it wasn’t Buenos Aires or Montevideo? Because part of the clue said, “this capital, also on the Pacific.” Neither Buenos Aires nor Montevideo is on the Pacific. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3241 "2021-10-29T02:35:48Z")
I believe the question specifically mentioned the Pacific Ocean, which lets out Buenos Aires and Montevideo. I took an educated guess and was right, but if you look at an actual globe, it’s blindingly obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3242 "2021-10-29T02:41:22Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > “this capital, also on the Pacific.” I really had no idea that Santiago was on the coast, although it certainly makes sense that it would be located there. I guessed Lima, because I was aware that it was on the coast, although I thought it was farther north than Sydney. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3243 "2021-10-29T02:56:42Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Because part of the clue said, “this capital, also on the Pacific.” Neither Buenos Aires nor Montevideo is on the Pacific. It was actually the exact opposite. The clue said “_near_ the Pacific,” and Santiago is about 60 miles inland. Buenos Aires and Montevideo are both _on_ the coast, but it was the specificity of _Pacific_ I missed. I was just thinking “ocean” and forgot that Buenos Aires and Montevideo are on the Atlantic. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3244 "2021-10-29T04:40:22Z")
Agh. I got caught up in the words of the clue and totally spaced on the number. I thought, “Is this clue just ‘What’s the capital of Australia?’” and didn’t even consider what 7,000 miles looks like. And I also somehow pictured Sydney on the _west_ coast of Australia. So I’m stupid, and I would have written Canberra and shown my stupidity to the world. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2021, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3245 "2021-10-29T04:51:16Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > It was actually the exact opposite. The clue said “ _near_ the Pacific,” and Santiago is about 60 miles inland. I figured “near the Pacific” was a hint, of a sort. If you know South American geography, just about every place in Chile is near the Pacific. I said “What is Santiago”; wasn’t certain, but thought it was a good guess. There was another clue in the category “Science” that I was wondering about. > [@](#): > > A substance called chitin largely makes up this shell of certain crustaceans I said “what is carapace”. Mayim said the correct response was “exoskeleton”, but I hope I would have been ruled correct. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2021, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696/3246 "2021-10-29T05:05:51Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I said “what is carapace”. Mayim said the correct response was “exoskeleton”, but I hope I would have been ruled correct. I said “carapace” too, but apparently that is [only the dorsal section](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carapace) of the exoskeleton. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=161) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jeopardy-thread-was-james-holzhauer-contains-spoilers/832696.md?page=163)