Jeopardy! Season 39 (2022-2023)

[bankerchick]

4 hours ago, Katy M said:

I was a little distracted for a bit because there was an ambulance and police car otuside and I was wondering what was going on.

I said murderers.

I hope these two are not related.

[30 Helens]

5 hours ago, Katy M said:

I got the missed clues of leprosy, death and the Danube.  I feel like that needs to be a book title.

My book was titled “Leprosy, Death and Jerry Brown”. Yours sounds more poetic, though.

Instaget FJ, because of the name Mather. I didn’t recall Increase, but I knew Cotton Mather played a key role in advancing the Salem witch trials.

A Google search informs me that Increase Mather was the father of Cotton, and also a minister. Although Increase believed in dark supernatural forces, he was always skeptical of the tests that were used to “prove” people were witches. However, he did not publicly oppose the trials until he heard rumors that his own wife was about to be accused of witchcraft. Stand-up guys, those Mathers.

[Mindthinkr]

All I got was death, the Danube and Jerry Brown. 

[MrAtoz]

Increase Mather meant it had to be witches.  These days, if you hear about Increase or Cotton Mather at all, it's to do with the witchcraft trials.  And they had such odd first names that they're memorable.

[SHD]

1 hour ago, MrAtoz said:

Increase Mather meant it had to be witches.  These days, if you hear about Increase or Cotton Mather at all, it's to do with the witchcraft trials.  And they had such odd first names that they're memorable.

I've only heard the name Cotton Mather because it was the name of a band I listened to in the 1990's and have never heard the name Increase Mather, so no FJ for me.

I usually hate it when contestants make comments during the game, but I liked the former champ's joke about needing some alcohol. LOL

[Clanstarling]

15 hours ago, Katy M said:

I said murderers.  Witches never crossed my mind.

I said the same. I knew who Mathers was (both of them) but the seemingly rational quote was counter to what happened during the witch trials, so I didn't go there.  Should have known it would have been the obvious connection.

9 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

A Google search informs me that Increase Mather was the father of Cotton, and also a minister. Although Increase believed in dark supernatural forces, he was always skeptical of the tests that were used to “prove” people were witches. However, he did not publicly oppose the trials until he heard rumors that his own wife was about to be accused of witchcraft. Stand-up guys, those Mathers.

That explains the "reasoned" quote. Very interesting, thanks for looking that up.

It was a mediocre game for me and I didn't get FJ, but oh well. Better luck tonight, maybe.

[Cotypubby]

Instaget FJ. Mather= Salem Witch Trials. 

[Prevailing Wind]

On the show "Wings," Thomas Haden Church's character was named Lowell Mather. I always wondered if the character was supposed to be a descendant of the Mather family.

[Trey]

I'm sorry Vince was done so soon but new champ is okay.

I got the ts's of death and Jerry Brown.

Instaget FJ, my first FJ of the week.

I've heard the same sentiment expressed with reference to criminals in general but the name and the year made witches seem the obvious choice.

[proserpina65]

On 1/17/2023 at 5:48 PM, MarianaHeart said:

This was my biggest takeaway of his personality and how he can't be a trusted narrator for me. 

Her tweet verbatim is "Hmm. I can’t remember any contestant wearing a henley on Jeopardy. He definitely looks comfortable!"

And he somehow interprets it as "a popular J! fashion blog tried to shade me for not dressing formally enough for "Jeopardy!"

 

 

Funny thing about the henley: that's the only day I liked Yogesh, because I thought he looked attractive in that particular shirt.

On 1/17/2023 at 6:29 PM, 30 Helens said:

To be fair, that reads a little snarky to me. As if “looks comfortable“ is the nicest thing she can say about it. Probably not what she intended.

Henleys are pretty plain, so unless it's a particularly great color, "looks comfortable" is about the best a person can say about one.

[proserpina65]

19 hours ago, Katy M said:

I got the missed clues of leprosy, death and the Danube.  I feel like that needs to be a book title.

I'd read that book.

I got those as well.  I thank Viserys Targaryen for leprosy being near the top of my brain, figuratively speaking of course.  Also got Poland, Charlottesville and Jerry Brown.  I remember when he was dating Linda Ronstadt.  I am old. 😒

19 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Floved her chevron-like patterned top too.

I liked the pattern but not the colors.

18 hours ago, ProudMary said:

FJ was an instaget for me too and I do wonder if the correct response would have come to me as quickly were it not for that FYR episode a week ago, where both Jeff Daniels and Clare Danes each had an ancestor involved in the Salem Witch Trials.

 

It was an instaget for me due to the date and Increase Mather, although I am more familiar with his son, Cotton.  Seriously, who names their kid Cotton?

[chessiegal]

2 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

Seriously, who names their kid Cotton?

Who names their kid Increase? 😄 Must have been a 1600s kind of thing.

I missed the Salem witch trial reference.

[30 Helens]

8 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

Seriously, who names their kid Cotton?

3 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Who names their kid Increase? 😄 Must have been a 1600s kind of thing.

"Increase" is a literal translation of the Hebrew "Yosëf" (Joseph).

Cotton Mather’s mother was Maria Cotton, although he was officially named for his grandfather (John Cotton) because, you know, 1600’s.

I am pleased to be your Google assistant. 🙂

 

[Bastet]

18 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

I liked the pattern but not the colors.

Same here; in fact, during the interviews, I said aloud, "I wish that was in different colors."

[proserpina65]

6 minutes ago, 30 Helens said:

Cotton Mather’s mother was Maria Cotton, although he was officially named for his grandfather (John Cotton) because, you know, 1600’s.

Okay, so that makes sense, damn it. 😏

[Clanstarling]

1 hour ago, proserpina65 said:

 Also got Poland, Charlottesville and Jerry Brown.  I remember when he was dating Linda Ronstadt.  I am old. 😒

So do I, so we're both old, or shall we say we're more experienced at life?

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, proserpina65 said:

 Also got Poland, Charlottesville and Jerry Brown.  I remember when he was dating Linda Ronstadt.  I am old. 😒

18 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

So do I, so we're both old, or shall we say we're more experienced at life?

I'm even older but was off the grid in those days. 
However, Jerry Brown did chat me up at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco, mid June of 2001 when he was mayor of Oakland. 
Maybe he thought I was some other librarian?
But I got distracted and missed the TS.

 

[stonehaven]

Jerry Brown will always be "Governor Moonbeam" to me....Thanks Mike Royko.

[Prevailing Wind]

3 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Seriously, who names their kid Cotton?

The MyPillow guy?

[Katy M]

I had a better night tonight, but it would have been hard not to.

I got FJ after deciding Westminster Abbey was too obvious and they probably just buried Thomas More where they killed him.

I got the entire category of capitals right.

So, was I the only one who said a certain different body part was what one would cut off to get out of military service?

[Browncoat]

I waffled between Westminster and the Tower of London for FJ tonight, mentally flipping a coin and came up with the correct response.  Whew!

The only TS I got were J., and stays.

27 minutes ago, Katy M said:

So, was I the only one who said a certain different body part was what one would cut off to get out of military service?

You were not.

[Prevailing Wind]

I'm enjoying the "one and dones" this week.

I ran the state capitals and the Beatles categories. Yay, me!

[annzeepark914]

Is saying "please" (at the end of one's request for a clue) some way of wishing/ hoping for good luck? There's something just so unctuous (😁) about saying it every damn time. Well, I'm sorry Erin couldn't be more than a one day champ, but winning at Jeopardy is still a very big deal.

[chessiegal]

I said backstays for the stays ts which is correct. There are other stays on a sailboat. The ones they highlighted are the backstays. I'm giving myself a correct.

[dgpolo]

4 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I said backstays for the stays ts which is correct. There are other stays on a sailboat.

But I don't think a corset was ever called a backstay, only stays.

 

5 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Is saying "please" (at the end of one's request for a clue) some way of wishing/ hoping for good luck?

I think saying please after asking for something is just so ingrained in some people it just comes out, regardless. People have done so on Jeopardy for decades.

[Katy M]

8 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Is saying "please" (at the end of one's request for a clue) some way of wishing/ hoping for good luck? There's something just so unctuous (😁) about saying it every damn time. Well, I'm sorry Erin couldn't be more than a one day champ, but winning at Jeopardy is still a very big deal.

I would probably say it every time out of habit. I ask for something, I say please.

[kathyk24]

I loved the Beatles category. My only TS was SCIF. That was a great game I would have been happy with anyone being champion.

[ams1001]

January 19:

87% / 67% / 77%

J!: Wow! I missed only four clues! Ran Actor's Middle Initial, Ends in ION, and Learning; missed one each in Ancient Rome and About Time, and two in Ropes.

DJ: Not so good in the second round…ran Acronyms, but missed one Author, three All in the Family, and two in the rest.

FJ: I did the same as the champ; said Westminster and then changed to the Tower of London.

TS: Daniel J. Travanti, unemployment, and SCIF

Four champs in four days‽ I was rooting for the Interrobang lover but I liked Troy, too, so I'm okay with that.

[Glitches]

9 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

On the show "Wings," Thomas Haden Church's character was named Lowell Mather. I always wondered if the character was supposed to be a descendant of the Mather family.

FBI agent, Seeley Booth, the David Boreanaz character on Bones was a descendant of John Wilkes Booth. Just saying. 

[possibilities]

SCIFs have been in the news a lot for the past few years. Methinks today's contestants would not have done well in any current events categories.

 

[Glitches]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

Is saying "please" (at the end of one's request for a clue) some way of wishing/ hoping for good luck? There's something just so unctuous (😁) about saying it every damn time. Well, I'm sorry Erin couldn't be more than a one day champ, but winning at Jeopardy is still a very big deal.

Ann, there’s always tomorrow. As soon as I noticed that Troy began each selection with “Uh” and ended with “please” I was hoping he would not be back tomorrow. Many contestants begin with Uh, but for some reason, in combination with Please he hit my maximum irk button every time. 

[GreekGeek]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

 

So, was I the only one who said a certain different body part was what one would cut off to get out of military service?

I'm trying to imagine someone using *that* body part to judge a gladiator contest!

48 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

 

TS: Daniel J. Travanti

 

This is the first time I noticed Ken channeling Alex with "Before your time." I remember looking forward all week to Hill Street Blues on Thursday nights!

[Leeds]

Am I the only one who hates "jump roping" rather than "jumping rope"?

[Phebemarie]

Darn!  I was rooting for Erin, the English teacher.  Loved her story about the punctuation mark earrings.  (My favorite is the semicolon).  
 

Why does it seem so long since we’ve had a woman champion who’s won more than one or two games?  

[Bastet]

Well, boo, I was hoping for more Erin.  But Troy was impressively fast on the buzzer for a first-time contestant.

Thank goodness, the Acronyms category actually contained acronyms, not initialisms.  They got it right last time, too (but Celebrity Jeopardy! screwed it up the way this show used to so frequently do).

I had no idea Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance are married, but, looking it up, they have been for eons (okay, 25 years, but still); I just somehow never came across that fact before.

I missed two in Rome and one each in ropes and learning, but got everything else in the first round.

I was terrible in authors; the only one I knew was Douglas Adams.  Same with Beatles, in which I only knew "Yesterday".  If it wasn't for those two disasters - neither of which surprised me - I'd have done very well in DJ; I ran capitals, acronyms, and vegetables (all traditionally strong categories for me) and got all but one in family (I could have sat here all night without coming up with the name of the quintuplets).

FJ took me longer than it should have since I've been there, but I got it in plenty of time.  I immediately knew it was someplace other than Westminster Abbey, where so many are buried, but it took me a beat to figure out it would be at a place where people are killed; once I got there, it was obvious.

[SomeTameGazelle]

28 minutes ago, possibilities said:

SCIFs have been in the news a lot for the past few years. Methinks today's contestants would not have done well in any current events categories.

 

Maybe it was skiff they didn't know and didn't want to risk it.

I was quite disappointed for Erin since I had liked her very much yesterday.

[ams1001]

42 minutes ago, Glitches said:

Ann, there’s always tomorrow. As soon as I noticed that Troy began each selection with “Uh” and ended with “please” I was hoping he would not be back tomorrow. Many contestants begin with Uh, but for some reason, in combination with Please he hit my maximum irk button every time. 

I saw some comments about that on Facebook a little while ago. I didn't even notice either of those things!

 

32 minutes ago, GreekGeek said:

This is the first time I noticed Ken channeling Alex with "Before your time." I remember looking forward all week to Hill Street Blues on Thursday nights!

Not sure how I even knew that one; I didn't watch Hill Street Blues! (It ran from January 1981 - May 1987; I was in sixth grade when it ended, so a bit young for it.) I want to say it was a lucky guess but the initial came to me immediately and it seemed familiar, somehow, even though I can't say I'm familiar with the actor.

 

9 minutes ago, Bastet said:

(I could have sat here all night without coming up with the name of the quintuplets).

I knew it started with a D but couldn't get there in time.

[zoey1996]

On 1/18/2023 at 7:21 PM, Browncoat said:

Instaget FJ for me tonight, and I got the TS of Confederacy, Charlottesville, and Jerry Brown.

Erin definitely left out the "s" of Charlottesville, and I was astonished that no one else picked up on it.

I posted twice using my phone, but it didn't take!

I also heard, or failed to hear, the "s" in Charlottesville. I've been to the Rotunda on the campus and the "academical village" Jefferson designed.

I couldn't think of Brown, just Governor Moonbeam. FJ was an instaget for me.

For today (Thursday), I went with Westminster Abbey instead of the Tower. Parsnips made me laugh. I fixed them for Mr. Zoey once; he liked them fine when he thought they were potatoes, but wouldn't eat anymore when I told him they were really parsnips!

 

[Cotypubby]

I was so annoyed when Hillary got the very last clue and guaranteed Troy would win. Erin was so close! I normally don’t root against people but every single time Troy spoke he would begin each sentence with “Uh.” “Uh, what is *answer.* Uhh, can I have *category*.” Every time. I hope someone says something to him about it between taping of todays and tomorrows episodes.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Cotypubby

[30 Helens]

Ran actor initials and Beatles, got TSs of stays and Daniel J Travanti. (I was too young to see Hill Street Blues when it was on, too, but I remember him being a pretty big celebrity at the time, so his name stuck with me.)

I said Westminster Abbey for FJ although I was sure it was wrong, but it’s all I could think of. Tower of London made much more sense, even if it hadn’t been right.

5 hours ago, Katy M said:

So, was I the only one who said a certain different body part was what one would cut off to get out of military service?

I said arm, which makes my soldier extremely determined. Yours is just insane.

46 minutes ago, Cotypubby said:

“Uh, what is *answer.* Uhh, can I have *category*.” 

I never noticed this or the “please”s. But I’m sure they are all I will hear tomorrow.

[South]

On 1/18/2023 at 3:38 PM, 30 Helens said:

Childhood learning games are the best! I used to play with a deck of Author Cards, and they have helped me with many a Jeopardy clue.

I was distracted during FJ and, while I would like to believe I’d have gotten it in a more attentive state, who knows. I had no childhood maps.

I may have had the same deck of cards.  Mine was based on Old Maid. 

[South]

14 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

On the show "Wings," Thomas Haden Church's character was named Lowell Mather. I always wondered if the character was supposed to be a descendant of the Mather family.

So did I.

6 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I said backstays for the stays ts which is correct. There are other stays on a sailboat. The ones they highlighted are the backstays. I'm giving myself a correct.

I said “stays, no, staves, stays, stays?  Staves yep staves…?”  Still didn’t catch the correct answer.

[South]

4 hours ago, Phebemarie said:

Darn!  I was rooting for Erin, the English teacher.  Loved her story about the punctuation mark earrings.  (My favorite is the semicolon).  
 

Why does it seem so long since we’ve had a woman champion who’s won more than one or two games?  

Partner South commented on her very large earrings, and I told him how I found them appropriate for Jeopardy! due to the question mark and exclamation point.  Then she described them most exactly the same.  Partner accused me of watching earlier in the day. 

[South]

Fj was clear to me, but in the hours since, I can’t get Byron’s “so we’ll go no more a roving” out of my head.  Never mind that the clue referred to the chancellor/saint.

[Katy M]

9 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

I'm trying to imagine someone using *that* body part to judge a gladiator contest!

Well this is Ancient Rome we're talking about. If anybody would do it that way, it would be them.

[DrSpaceman73]

9 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

I'm trying to imagine someone using *that* body part to judge a gladiator contest!

This is the first time I noticed Ken channeling Alex with "Before your time." I remember looking forward all week to Hill Street Blues on Thursday nights!

I was confused by the hill street blues clue. Did they say he 'sang' it?  It's an instrumental.  

[SomeTameGazelle]

48 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

I was confused by the hill street blues clue. Did they say he 'sang' it?  It's an instrumental.  

They didn't mean he literally sang the theme song. It was just a riff on the phrase "singing the blues" for no reason other than the show title included the word Blues.

[zapper]

i dunno. after 30 years of using the Interrobang, i've always considered it to be the WTF punctuation mark, not one of joy and wonderment like Erin said.  I might be more cynical and grumpy than her.

[DrSpaceman73]

2 hours ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

They didn't mean he literally sang the theme song. It was just a riff on the phrase "singing the blues" for no reason other than the show title included the word Blues.

I guess.....still don't like it. They should at least put singing in quotation marks. 

[Clanstarling]

18 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

However, Jerry Brown did chat me up at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco, mid June of 2001 when he was mayor of Oakland. 
Maybe he thought I was some other librarian?

Nah, I think he was chatting you up because you are you.

12 hours ago, Phebemarie said:

Darn!  I was rooting for Erin, the English teacher.  Loved her story about the punctuation mark earrings.  (My favorite is the semicolon).

Ah, the punctuation mark that's going out of style. I like it too, but then I'm going out of style.

8 hours ago, South said:

Partner South commented on her very large earrings, and I told him how I found them appropriate for Jeopardy! due to the question mark and exclamation point.  Then she described them most exactly the same.  Partner accused me of watching earlier in the day. 

I thought them appropriate too, but I didn't say it.

I did pretty well on the Romans, except for Cicero. I always flake on Cicero, maybe this time will be the time it sinks in.

I did okay with the rest of the game, but sadly not FJ.

Now, if I'd only asked myself what More and 3 16th century queens had in common...