JAQR - September 30, 2022
Thank you for reading the second ever “regular” issue of the Jeopardy Answer & Question Recap, or JAQR [“jacker”] for short. Just to remind you, the purpose of this newsletter is to help people who are trying to get better at trivia, quizbowl, Learned League, Online Quiz League, etc. Once a week, I intend to recap the Friday episode of Jeopardy! by reviewing ~10 clues (Daily Doubles, Triple Stumpers, and Final Jeopardy, along with potentially a few other interesting ones). The first half of the email will include just the clues so you can quiz yourself if you want. The second half will give you some (hopefully) interesting info about the clues. Enjoy!
DAILY DOUBLE #1
SUPERNATURAL STORIES
A swan dive into this saga of books tells us in 2007, the third one in the series sold 150,000 copies in one day
DAILY DOUBLE #2
BODIES OF WATER
The Bay of Tangier makes up part of the western end of this strait
DAILY DOUBLE #3
BEG
After fleeing to London, this general pleaded for the French to fight on in a 1940 broadcast
FINAL JEOPARDY
BEFORE THEY WERE AUTHORS
While working for British naval intelligence during World War II, he was code-named 17F
TRIPLE STUMPER #1
SANDWICHES
Made with various fillings then rolled up and cut, the sandwiches seen here have this spirally name
TRIPLE STUMPER #2
POPES UNDER THE SCOPE
In 1492, Pinturicchio worked blue and other colors decorating apartments for Alexander VI, named for this family of Alexander’s
TRIPLE STUMPER #3
AS CREDITED ON THEIR IMDb PAGE
Outcome #3 in "The Bourne Legacy" & Poe Dameron in "The Last Jedi"
TRIPLE STUMPER #4
AS CREDITED ON THEIR IMDb PAGE
Partygoer / Preppie Kid at Fight (uncredited) in "Less than Zero" & Rusty Ryan in "Ocean's Eleven"
TRIPLE STUMPER #5
AS CREDITED ON THEIR IMDb PAGE
Camille Travis in "Grey's Anatomy" & Valkyrie in "Thor: Ragnarok"
TRIPLE STUMPER #6
SAME FIRST & LAST CONSONANT
This root vegetable is a type of the more familiar veggie that's sort of in its name
DAILY DOUBLE #1
SUPERNATURAL STORIES
A swan dive into this saga of books tells us in 2007, the third one in the series sold 150,000 copies in one day
***TWILIGHT***
Stephenie Meyer wrote the Twilight saga, whose novels are titled Twilight (2005), New Moon (2006), Eclipse (2007), and Breaking Dawn (2008). The series is primarily set in Forks, Washington and centers on a love triangle between human teenager Bella Swan (played by Kristen Stewart in the films), 104-year-old vampire Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson), and Jacob Black (played by Taylor Lautner), who can shapeshift into a werewolf. Meyer has since written two companion novels: Life and Death (which reimagines Twilight with Edward and Bella gender-swapped) and Midnight Sun (which retells the events of Twilight from Edward's perspective).
DAILY DOUBLE #2
BODIES OF WATER
The Bay of Tangier makes up part of the western end of this strait
***STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR***
The strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, is between the southern coast of Spain and the northern coast of Morocco. The entrance to the strait is flanked by the Pillars of Hercules. The northern pillar is the Rock of Gibraltar, which is on the British territory of Gibraltar. The southern pillar is disputed, but one possibility is in Ceuta [say-OO-tah], which is a Spanish exclave on North Africa. The Rock of Gibraltar was named for Tariq ibn Ziyad, a general who led the Muslim conquest of Spain in the early 8th century.
DAILY DOUBLE #3
BEG
After fleeing to London, this general pleaded for the French to fight on in a 1940 broadcast
***CHARLES DE GAULLE***
Charles de Gaulle was president of France (the first one of the current Fifth Republic) from 1959-1969. Before that, he founded the Free French movement in England in 1940 after refusing to accept Marshal Pétain’s armistice with Germany. His first speech in London that was broadcast to Vichy France (the puppet state of Nazi Germany) is called L'Appel du 18 juin, or The Appeal of 18 June. Notable events from his time as president include the Évian Accords (1962), which ended the Algerian War (of Independence), and the May 1968 student protests, which evolved into a strike involving around 10 million workers. The main airport serving Paris (CDG) is now named for him.
FINAL JEOPARDY
BEFORE THEY WERE AUTHORS
While working for British naval intelligence during World War II, he was code-named 17F
***IAN FLEMING***
Ian Fleming (1908-1964) was a British author who created the character James Bond, who is an agent (007) of the British Secret Service. Fleming often spent the winter in Jamaica at his estate called Goldeneye, where he wrote the first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953). Fleming's novels were adapted for film and produced in the early days by Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman (the founders of Eon Productions). Bond has been most famously portrayed by Sean Connery, George Lazenby (just once, in On Her Majesty's Secret Service), Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. The Bond movie You Only Live Twice (1967) has a screenplay written by Roald Dahl and a theme song performed by Nancy Sinatra. Ian Fleming also wrote the kid's book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1964), which is about a magical car. The book was adapted into a 1968 movie starring Dick Van Dyke.
TRIPLE STUMPER #1
SANDWICHES
Made with various fillings, then rolled up and cut, the sandwiches seen here have this spirally name
***PINWHEELS***
Besides the sandwich, things named “pinwheel” include:
a spiral galaxy (Messier 101)
a toy (it has leaf-like curls that spin when blown)
a rapidly revolving firework (also called a Catherine wheel in honor of the martyred Christian saint)
St. Catherine, who was from Alexandria, Egypt, converted many people to Christianity in the early 4th century. She irked Roman emperor Maxentius, who persecuted Christians. She was sentenced to death for consecrating her virginity to Jesus. She was supposed to be killed using a spiked breaking wheel (also now named for her), but it broke when she touched it. Instead, she was beheaded and milk gushed out of her neck.
TRIPLE STUMPER #2
POPES UNDER THE SCOPE
In 1492, Pinturicchio worked blue and other colors decorating apartments for Alexander VI, named for this family of Alexander’s
***BORGIA*** [BOR-zhuh]
Alexander VI (aka Rodrigo Borgia) served as pope from 1492-1503, and is known for his extravagance and immorality. He issued the 1493 papal bull, Inter caetera, which helped divide land in the New World between Portugal and Spain. That bull was the starting point of negotiations that resulted in the similar Treaty of Tordesillas (1494).
The children of Alexander VI included Lucrezia Borgia (who may have poisoned some people) and Cesare [chay-ZAR-ay] Borgia (the inspiration for Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince). Cesare Borgia is known for a throwing a small get-together called the Banquet of Chestnuts. The distinguished guests supposedly danced naked with 50 prostitutes who were also in attendance. Prizes were awarded to the guests who had sex with the prostitutes the greatest number of times. The banquet, which is also called the Ballet of the Chestnuts, featured the prostitutes attempting to pick up chestnuts off the floor while crawling between lit candles. Have you ever attended a similar type of party? If so, let me know in the comments!
The Italian painter Pinturicchio (meaning “little painter”) is probably best known for decorating the six rooms in the Vatican’s Papal Palace known as the Borgia Apartments for Alexander VI. Pinturicchio was taught by Pietro Perugino, whose other students include some guy from Vinci named Leonardo.
TRIPLE STUMPER #3
AS CREDITED ON THEIR IMDb PAGE
Outcome #3 in "The Bourne Legacy" & Poe Dameron in "The Last Jedi"
***OSCAR ISAAC***
The actor Oscar Isaac was born in Guatemala in 1979, moved to the U.S. as an infant, and later attended Julliard. His film roles include:
the title struggling folk singer in the Coen brothers movie Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
the owner of a heating-oil company whose trucks keep getting robbed in A Most Violent Year (2014)
a scientist who builds a robot possessing artificial intelligence in Ex Machina (2015)
the title villain in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
the X-wing pilot Poe Dameron in the most recent Star Wars trilogy (2015-2019)
On the small screen, he played Yonkers, New York mayor Nick Wasicsko [wah-SISS-koh] in the 2015 HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero, which is about his city going bankrupt due to being fined for limiting desegregation via public housing. He played the title character of the 2022 Disney+ MCU show Moon Knight, who suffers from DID (dissociative identity disorder).
TRIPLE STUMPER #4
AS CREDITED ON THEIR IMDb PAGE
Partygoer / Preppie Kid at Fight (uncredited) in "Less than Zero" & Rusty Ryan in "Ocean's Eleven"
***BRAD PITT***
Brad Pitt is an American actor who has been married to fellow thespians Jennifer Aniston (2000-2005) and Angelina Jolie (2014-2019). He was named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine twice (1995 and 2000). He has been nominated for Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor four times:
12 Monekys (1995), in which he plays a mental patient who meets Bruce Willis’s character, who is sent back in time to try to stop a deadly virus
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), based on a F. Scott Fitzgerald story in which his character ages backward
Moneyball (2011), based on a Michael Lewis book in which he plays Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), in which he plays a stunt double for Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, who lives next door to Sharon Tate (and her husband Roman Polanski)
TRIPLE STUMPER #5
AS CREDITED ON THEIR IMDb PAGE
Camille Travis in "Grey's Anatomy" & Valkyrie in "Thor: Ragnarok"
***TESSA THOMPSON***
Films starring Tessa Thompson include:
Dear White People (2014), in which her character, Sam, plays a college radio host whose social observations roil the (white) conservative students
Creed (2015), in which her character, Bianca, is the love interest of the title boxer, played by Michael B. Jordan
Men in Black: International (2019), in which her character, Agent M, helps Agent H, played by Chris Hemsworth, tackle a mole in the title agency
Passing (2021), based on a Nella Larsen book, in which her character, Irene "Reenie" Redfield, reunites with a childhood friend who is a light-skinned African-American who “passes” as white
TRIPLE STUMPER #6
SAME FIRST & LAST CONSONANT
This root vegetable is a type of the more familiar veggie that's sort of in its name
***CELERIAC***
Celeriac, also known as celery root, is a variety of celery grown for its large turnip-like root. Have you ever made or eaten it before? If so, let me know in the comments!