Jeopardy! Season 37 (2020-2021)

[853fisher]

What was the secret sauce on Final anyway? I halfheartedly settled on “lunch break.” I was trying to think what would have changed after the war in workplaces generally, and was trying to relate a “food and drink phase” that would be in union  contracts to women having entered the workplace in unprecedented numbers during the war. But I guess most of them did not immediately continue after its conclusion, so that wasn’t really helpful. These things are seldom you-know-it-or-you-don’t in Final but I just can’t figure out where the extra clue was.

[shapeshifter]

11 hours ago, 853fisher said:

What was the secret sauce on Final anyway?

I thought “Coffee break” was just a polite euphemism for potty 🚽 break, but skimming the Wikipedia page about it (which includes the Jeopardy clue’s Time reference) almost seems to imply that the employers figured caffeinating their employees would increase productivity, although that is not explicitly stated. 

 

11 hours ago, secnarf said:

I initially said 'lunch break' but then changed it to 'coffee break' - when I first heard the phrase, it was as a student working part time while in university, and I remember it striking me as very odd when my manager was telling me I would get a 15 minute 'coffee break', since a) not everyone drinks coffee and b) it took wayyyyy longer than 15 mins to get to either of the two coffee places in the building, line up, order and get coffee, and then drink it as a hot beverage.

At the time I thought it was just that manager's terminology, but then when it came up at subsequent jobs, I realized it was a commonly used phrase.

When I managed college students, we never used the term "coffee break," just "10-15 minute break on the clock" for every 4 hours worked, and it couldn't be at the beginning or the start of the shift. Nevertheless, I knew it had to be "coffee break" or "lunch break."

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by shapeshifter

[secnarf]

I initially said 'lunch break' but then changed it to 'coffee break' - when I first heard the phrase, it was as a student working part time while in university, and I remember it striking me as very odd when my manager was telling me I would get a 15 minute 'coffee break', since a) not everyone drinks coffee and b) it took wayyyyy longer than 15 mins to get to either of the two coffee places in the building, line up, order and get coffee, and then drink it as a hot beverage.

At the time I thought it was just that manager's terminology, but then when it came up at subsequent jobs, I realized it was a commonly used phrase.

 

 

[Bastet]

I ran Olmsted (a relief, since when the category was announced my reaction was "Who's Frederick Law Olmsted?" - architects are not in my wheelhouse), musical genres, and crossword clues in the first round.  I missed four; two in late (the blight TS and the James Corden show) and one each in fashionably (the buffalo plaid TS) and party (the Tyler TS), so I was off to a good start.

But in DJ, summer movies did me in early on; I only got one (pixels, because I didn't need to know the film, just what screen images are made of).  I only ran lakes (well, I said grape growing for the wine TS, but since my answer is better than theirs, I'm counting it).  I missed six across the other categories (only two of them in faith, so good for me).

FJ was an instaget, so at least I finished strong.

[saber5055]

35 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Verlinda would have won if she’d had the self confidence/daring to risk more earlier. 
I’m glad she got to experience betting it all at the end. I don’t think there’s any chance of her now morphing into a risk taker who would blow her $1K winning on the lottery, heh. 

By my calculations, if Verlinda had gone "all in" on both Daily Doubles, then bet it all in FJ which she did, she would/could have been a two-day champion. She got shaken a bit when she answered "Palomino" without winning the buzz in. Thank goodness it was a no-brainer clue/answer so she gave nothing away.

I think the deal with coffee break being written into union contracts is that lunch breaks are off the clock while breaks (or coffee breaks) are paid 10 or 15 minutes where workers stop for a specified period of time. Before then, people had to work non-stop all day long with no breaks. We also can thank unions for implementing the eight-hour work day that is now common. If not for unions, we'd all be working 18-hour days with no breaks at all. Yikes!

[Cotypubby]

I had no clue on FJ. Because “since the war” was in quotes I was trying to think of a two-word phrase from WWII that had to do with food. 
 

Verlinda answering without buzzing in was awkward! I’ve seen people speak before Alex called on them, but this was the first time I remember someone answering when someone else rang in first.

[Gimmick Genius]

Coffee Break was an insta-get. I think the post-war part had to do with all the returning G.I.s being hooked on a cup o' Joe. Coffee as a common beverage didn't take off in Australia until after WWII with US soldiers there. The only other thought I had was "Lunch Hour" (not "break").

 

New champ is a dead ringer for actor Tom Hardy.

[Prevailing Wind]

I missed Tuesday's show - Condo board is back to meeting in the office at 7 instead of in the park at 4. Bummer.

I would have missed FJ anyway.

That thing Mayim was wearing on Monday reminded me of a sweater tied around her waist.

[Trey]

14 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Since when is wine a type of agriculture?   It's a product of agriculture so first of all shouldn't it be grapes?

My thought exactly! It's like showing a field of tomatoes and saying the answer is ketchup.

I said grapes/viticulture and I am claiming that as a get.

My other ts's were Florence and Confucionism.

Instaget FJ, although I then waffled with "lunch break" but figured unions already had that well before WWII.

I am sorry to see Verlinda go but Tim is quite likeable too.

[Mindthinkr]

I got 5 of the TSs and was a bit surprised that none of the contestants got some of them like Florence. It seemed like an easy one for me. I’m in the group that said lunch break for FJ. When I worked there were no coffee breaks and only 20 minutes for lunch. I really could have used more decompression time at work. 

[Leeds]

On 6/7/2021 at 5:01 PM, M. Darcy said:

 

Coupling! It’s a great show. For Sherlock/Doctor Who fans it’s written by Steven Moffat and was inspired by his and Sue Vertue’s relationship. 

The original British version is brilliant.  The American spin-off is an abomination.

[Browncoat]

I finally got to watch last night's episode, and I very confidently said "lunch break" for FJ. We get two 10-minutes breaks per day (one before lunch and one after), but they are not called "coffee breaks".  I don't know that I've ever worked anywhere that called them "coffee breaks" -- just breaks.  Oh well.  

I did get the TS of Dixiecrat, buffalo plaid, Florence, blight, Secret Life of Pets, Baha'i, lion fish, and Black Sea.  Black Sea was just a guess.

Genre!  I miss Alex.

[ams1001]

Too lazy to go back and check my score, but I got all the DDs and FJ was an instaget.

 

[Katy M]

I got FJ.  I remembered the song first, so I sang through a couple of lines because sometimes that helps.  And I said Marvin Gaye, I think because it rhymes with bay.  But, then I yelled Otis Redding.

I got the TS of Tony Randall, Alan Harper (oh how I hate that show), Kansas and Arknasas, brow, A Passage to India and Remembrance of Things Past.

I got the entire category of silent letter right.  Much better night tonight than last night.

[Browncoat]

Instaget FJ for me tonight.  I was surprised any of them got it, since none of them knew Tony Randall!  Mayim sort of got a "before your time" in with that.

I did get Tony Randall, and the two states I picked were Kansas and Arkansas.  I probably could have come up with Texas if I'd had to name all three, but since I didn't, I stopped with two.  I also got patella.

 

[shapeshifter]

This was the first time since I started watching Jeopardy regularly (after Mom and Alex died) that I was sure without a doubt (which is rare for me about anything) that if I were on the show I would have bet it all on the FJ category of "1960s Singers." And Otis Redding was an instaget for me. 

The new champion, Mara (who is from Chicago, in whose suburbs I spent most of my life) also bet it all and, judging from her smile, was equally sure of her correct answer.

I would love to have her over for a beverage and a chat.

[chessiegal]

Anyone else hear Tim say "The Marvelous Miss Maisel" instead of Mrs? Just me?

[853fisher]

"Come on, kids!" was funny.  Maybe it's her manner, maybe it's a good skincare routine, but I wouldn't have guessed that Mayim is 45 (when she said she had a 15-year-old the other day, I looked it up).  I did know Tony Randall.  Maybe adding "...on the Odd Couple" to the clue would have gotten them there.  Maybe not!

I am sure I would have known FJ anyway, but this well-timed article about the houseboat north of San Francisco where Redding is said to have started writing "Dock of the Bay" helped make sure it was clear in my mind.  Redding would have been 70 on September 9th of this year.

The story about being an eighth generation Californian was interesting, but I've never found that kind of distinction "impressive," as Mayim said it was.  Why would I be impressed with your parents' choice not to move before your birth?  It's a "fun fact" but not an achievement of any kind.  Still, try telling that to those who think being a "native" means their opinion should count double in any conversation about our city.  Sourpuss moment from this California transplant over.  At least the cats are second-generation. ;)

[secnarf]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

I got FJ.  I remembered the song first, so I sang through a couple of lines because sometimes that helps.  And I said Marvin Gaye, I think because it rhymes with bay.  But, then I yelled Otis Redding.

Me too. Immediately cottoned on to The Dock of the Bay, and then spent the rest of the time trying to remember who sang it (first). My first thought was also Marvin Gaye - anyone know if he ever covered it?

[ams1001]

7 minutes ago, secnarf said:

Me too. Immediately cottoned on to The Dock of the Bay, and then spent the rest of the time trying to remember who sang it (first). My first thought was also Marvin Gaye - anyone know if he ever covered it?

Not according to this list of 270 cover versions...

[853fisher]

44 minutes ago, secnarf said:

My first thought was also Marvin Gaye - anyone know if he ever covered it?

I can't find any evidence of it in his discography.  I looked at singles and albums after Redding's death.  YouTube has a track, apparently pulled from a Japanese compilation, labeled as "...Dock of the Baby" [sic].  The poster says it's Gaye.  It's not Redding, and it sounds familiar, but I'm not convinced it's Gaye.  It's nice, whoever it is.  I'm just feeling like, if Gaye did record it, it would have a footprint online other than under the account of a random Turkish YouTuber who ripped a few CDs.

I'd like to have heard Sam Cooke do it too, but I can't find anything to suggest he did either.  He would have been a fair guess for "60s singer who had big hits posthumously."  Little Richard, one of the wrong guesses, did it on an obscure album.  I prefer other versions, but it's not bad.  He lived until just last year.  I wonder whether the contestant knew this over somehow or was just making a wild guess.

Edited June 10, 2021 by 853fisher

[Bastet]

I was off to another good start; I ran pitch, U.K., and words, and only missed one each in the other three first round categories.

As is typical, I didn't do as well in DJ.  I only ran additives and people from that state.  But I still did okay -- I missed three TV characters, two in "A" list (with more time, I'd have spit out Aeschylus and it would have just been one), and one each in body words and poetic book titles (which thrilled me, as I'm very hit and miss on poetry clues).

FJ was another instaget for me, so that's three in a row this week.  Of course, now that I have said that, I will sit here without even a guess for the next two.

[Cotypubby]

3 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Anyone else hear Tim say "The Marvelous Miss Maisel" instead of Mrs? Just me?

Yes! I was expecting him to be docked the money when they came back from the break but I guess the judges didn’t catch it. They do seem sloppier than normal. “Miss” Maisel is a big mistake because her being a “Mrs” is a huge element of the plot. 
 

I immediately knew they wanted the singer of “Sittin on the Dock of the Bay” and was trying to remember if it was Marvin Gaye or Sam Cooke. 🙄🤦🏻

[GreekGeek]

9 hours ago, 853fisher said:

"Come on, kids!" was funny.  Maybe it's her manner, maybe it's a good skincare routine, but I wouldn't have guessed that Mayim is 45 (when she said she had a 15-year-old the other day, I looked it up).  I did know Tony Randall.  Maybe adding "...on the Odd Couple" to the clue would have gotten them there.  Maybe not!

 

Even at 45, Mayim is too young to have watched The Odd Couple on TV when it was first run. I was sorry that nobody recognized Tony Randall.

 

9 hours ago, Katy M said:

 

I got the TS of Tony Randall, Alan Harper (oh how I hate that show), Kansas and Arknasas, brow, A Passage to India and Remembrance of Things Past.

 

I got Alan but couldn't think of Harper. I also got A Passage to India, Remembrance of Things Past, and made a lucky guess on Hawaii. One question: Since the French title of Proust's work translates to In Search of Lost Time and not Remembrance of Things Past (though that's what we generally call it), is a question about the title fair?

And I also heard "Miss Maisel" instead of Mrs. Or maybe he was saying "Ms.", which would also be wrong.

[Pallida]

I had a bit of a spoiler for FJ with my brother sending me a clip of my 3-year-old niece singing "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" with think music in the background. I think I would have picked up on the lyric references in the clue, but I definitely had an extra hint :) 

[Trey]

11 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

that if I were on the show I would have bet it all on the FJ category of "1960s Singers." And Otis Redding was an instaget for me. 

Me too.  As I said to my son, if I miss on this category I don't deserve to watch Jeopardy!

I got the ts's of Tony Randall, Kansas/Texas, pate/patella, and A Passage to India.

[Clanstarling]

14 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I finally got to watch last night's episode, and I very confidently said "lunch break" for FJ. We get two 10-minutes breaks per day (one before lunch and one after), but they are not called "coffee breaks".  I don't know that I've ever worked anywhere that called them "coffee breaks" -- just breaks.  Oh well.

I think it evolved into just "breaks" over time. Drinking coffee at your work station wasn't always accepted.  I once worked at a school library, and I'd have coffee when the kids weren't in the library while I worked. The principal took me to task as setting a bad example. To which I replied "okay, then I'll take my mandated two breaks, which I haven't been taking." She never mentioned it again.

12 hours ago, Katy M said:

I got the TS of Tony Randall, Alan Harper (oh how I hate that show), Kansas and Arknasas, brow, A Passage to India and Remembrance of Things Past.

Though I knew all the shows and characters - I have this thing where I seldom remember the characters' names, though I do remember the actors' names. So I tanked on that.

FJ was an instaget. I was pretty confident with 60's music, though sometimes they can surprise you.

[DrSpaceman73]

13 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Anyone else hear Tim say "The Marvelous Miss Maisel" instead of Mrs? Just me?

No, I was worried when the answer came up that would be a problem but I head Mrs.  

 

Took me minute on FJ.  knew what song they wanted but had to think of who it was.  Also didn't know he died before it came out. 

[shapeshifter]

30 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

No, I was worried when the answer came up that would be a problem but I head Mrs.  

Hah! Whereas I just replayed it before erasing and my ears only heard 1 syllable, which would have been either “Miss” or “Ms.” although the captions did show “Mrs.”

[Katy M]

On 6/9/2021 at 10:00 AM, Trey said:

My thought exactly! It's like showing a field of tomatoes and saying the answer is ketchup.

If there were a tomato field where all the tomatoes were grown exclusively for ketchup, then yeah.

[bad things are bad]

The Proust question was one of those where it's ALWAYS gonna be RITP. Always.

Did the man write anything else? I'm sure he did but not well known enough to be a Jeopardy answer

[Katy M]

2 minutes ago, bad things are bad said:

The Proust question was one of those where it's ALWAYS gonna be RITP. Always.

Did the man write anything else? I'm sure he did but not well known enough to be a Jeopardy answer

Didn't he write Swann's Way?  Or am I mixing him up with someone else?

[853fisher]

5 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

Even at 45, Mayim is too young to have watched The Odd Couple on TV when it was first run.

True, not even if she was a remarkably precocious child: she missed her chance by 9 months. I imagine it might have been in syndication when she was young.  I didn't think she was probably much more than a decade older than any contestant, but I thought that was part of the little joke.  When I was young, it was on TV Land weekend mornings, but it looks like it was last there in 2004.

26 minutes ago, Katy M said:

Didn't he write Swann's Way?  Or am I mixing him up with someone else?

I've never read it, but I think "Swann's Way" is the first of seven volumes that make up "Remembrance of Things past."

[saber5055]

I knew Otis was FJ immediately. The shocker for me was learning he died when the plane that he was on crashed into Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. I've been to Madison and that lake a zillion times and never knew that. On the other hand, I've been to Clear Lake, Iowa many times and there is so much Buddy Holly memorial stuff there. And his plane crashed eight years before Redding's. Not sure what to make of that.

My first job was with the federal government. We had established break times and those did not waiver. If someone wanted us to do something during that time, he/she was told "We're on break, come back in 10 minutes."

[Katy M]

45 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

True, not even if she was a remarkably precocious child: she missed her chance by 9 months. I imagine it might have been in syndication when she was young.  I didn't think she was probably much more than a decade older than any contestant, but I thought that was part of the little joke.  When I was young, it was on TV Land weekend mornings, but it looks like it was last there in 2004.

I'm 3 years older than her and I remember watching it on TBS in reruns as a kid.  Although not very often.  Wasn't a huge fan.  Not really a kid's show.

[DrSpaceman73]

2 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

The Proust question was one of those where it's ALWAYS gonna be RITP. Always.

Did the man write anything else? I'm sure he did but not well known enough to be a Jeopardy answer

My entire knowledge of proust comes from

1.  Jeopardy questions. 

2.   Little Miss Sunshine.  

So I have no idea. 

 

 

[proserpina65]

7 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

Since the French title of Proust's work translates to In Search of Lost Time and not Remembrance of Things Past (though that's what we generally call it), is a question about the title fair?

I think it is, since very few people know it by any other name.

[seacliffsal]

I think Mayim's laughter bothers me as it seems like a big joke rather than Jeopardy (yes, I know this is an unpopular opinion).

When I saw the FJ category I said I would bet it all, and I knew it was Otis Redding right away.  Whew!

[rcc]

7 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

I think Mayim's laughter bothers me as it seems like a big joke rather than Jeopardy (yes, I know this is an unpopular opinion).

When I saw the FJ category I said I would bet it all, and I knew it was Otis Redding right away.  Whew!

Not liking Mayim as host. Laughter and arrogance not needed.

[MrAtoz]

"Swann's Way" is the first volume of Proust's seven-volume novel A la recherche du temps perdu, which has been translated into English as both "Remembrance of Things Past" and "In Search of Lost Time."  The latter title is a more literal rendering of the French, and seems to be the preferred title in academic circles these days.

Proust also wrote an unfinished novel called Jean Santeuil, published posthumously.  Even unfinished, it ran to three volumes--Proust was not a concise writer.  He also wrote a couple of volumes of short stories and some essays.

[DonnaMae]

2 hours ago, rcc said:

Not liking Mayim as host. Laughter and arrogance not needed.

Me neither.  She seems rather smug and has reminded us at least twice that's she's a scientist as well as an actress.

[shapeshifter]

28 minutes ago, DonnaMae said:

has reminded us at least twice that's she's a scientist as well as an actress.

That's her schtick to point that out. 
I guess she thinks it works for her, but maybe not so much as a guest host on Jeopardy.

[ams1001]

Ranking the guest hosts (so far..)

[Leeds]

6 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

The Proust question was one of those where it's ALWAYS gonna be RITP. Always.

Did the man write anything else? I'm sure he did but not well known enough to be a Jeopardy answer

RITP?

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

My entire knowledge of proust comes from

1.  Jeopardy questions. 

2.   Little Miss Sunshine.  

Same here.

"French writer.  Total loser.  Never had a real job.  Unrequited love affairs.  Gay.  Spent 20 years writing a book almost no one reads.  But he's also probably the greatest writer since Shakespeare."

[853fisher]

I really liked Mayim to start, and wasn't expecting to, but I agree her schtick has gotten a little old.  I wouldn't mind a bit of high spirits, and still don't mind the occasional interjections.  She hasn't mentioned her credentials too often for me, but I understand why others feel that way.

But the giggling!  Every other question, it seems like, sends her into mild hysterics.  Many of them are pretty mundane too.  It's one thing if the clue is very clever or there's a personal connection, but it's just been too much.  Do one a day, Mayim, make it a good one, and then don't.

1 hour ago, Leeds said:

RITP?

"Remembrance in/of Things Past," Proust's masterwork.  I now am curious to read it, after all this discussion, but I have sworn to myself not to buy any more books until I can get through a few more, and the local library is not cutting it for me right now.  It doesn't seem like beach read anyway.  Maybe when the days gets shorter.

Edited June 10, 2021 by 853fisher

[ams1001]

Ankit was funny; "I was too lazy to crawl as a baby but I'm 90% sure I turned out okay."

Wasn't keeping score but I ran Biblical Broadway. Probably would have run more if I was paying more attention but I sort of half-missed some clues.

Got the TS of Harry Potter, Garanimals, Oral Roberts, Judges, debunk, Becky Sharp, and Robert Heinlein. Two DDs (Venn Diagram and Godspell). Had no clue for FJ.

33 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

But the giggling!  Every other question, it seems like, sends her into mild hysterics. 

This is the main reason I'll be glad to see her go.

[illdoc]

Yellow Fever = Walter Reed. How could no one have gotten that?!!

[Katy M]

15 minutes ago, illdoc said:

Yellow Fever = Walter Reed. How could no one have gotten that?!!

I couldn't think of his name. I'm like the guy with the hospital named after him.

I didn't get FJ.  I didn't even have a guess.  

I got the missed clues ofpolo, Moorish, and Becky Sharp.

Not a great game for me.

I got the Hardy Boys, but was surprised that anything that violent happened in one of the books.

[Browncoat]

I knew as soon as I saw the category for FJ that I would not get it, and lo and behold, I had no clue.  I honestly couldn't name the current nine if my life depended on it, much less who succeeded whom.

But I got a ton of TS tonight, including polo, Adelie (my favorite penguin!), Garanimals, Harry Potter, Walter Reed, Oral Roberts, Moorish, and Heinlein.