Jeopardy Quiz Time!

Once again I signed up to take the Jeopardy online quiz, and like last year I decided to videotape myself during the quiz, and then transcribe the questions and look up the answers to see how I did. And what could be more fun than if you test yourself? So grab a pencil and piece of paper, and let's go!

Once again, the instructions from Jeopardy were: There are 15 seconds for each question. If you skip a question you can NOT go back. DO NOT phrase your response in the form of a question. Last names only are acceptable. This is not a spelling test, but try to be accurate. Partial and mistyped responses will be considered.

Note the category (in bold) before each question. Also, remember Jeopardy allows 15 seconds to read the question and type your answer. Figuring it takes about 1 second for every word you type, then you need to have your answer no later than 12 seconds from when you BEGAN to read the question. Answers and my responses at the bottom of the blog.

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1. Science Fiction. His first short story collection, “I, Robot”, was published in 1950.

2. Tony-Winning Musicals. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” is a song from this Tony-Winning Musical.

3. Earth Science. From the Latin for “to gnaw”, it’s the process by which material is worn away from the Earth’s surface.

4. World Capitals. This capital of Turkey lies south of the Black Sea.

5. On the Money. His face adorns the front of America’s $50 bill.

6. The War of 1812. In 1814 the battle of this U.S. city was fought even though the Treaty of Ghent had ended the war.

7. Mythology. When Oedipus answered this creature’s riddle, it committed suicide.

8. Food. This often burger-sized mushroom is the mature form of the Crimino.

9. Artists. In 1634 this artist married Saskia & used her as a model.

10. Business & Industry. In 2011 Motorola released a Droid version of this phone with a thin, sharp name.

11. First Names in the Dictionary. This nickname for Henry can also mean a coil, or a looped bundle of thread.

12. American Rivers. This “stately” river forms the border between Indiana & Kentucky.

13. Actresses on TV. Emmy-nominated Sofia Vergara plays Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on this comedy.

14. Nonfiction. Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen have written a series of books called this dish “For the Soul”.

15. Historic Structures. This Roman’s “Wall” was known to protect Britain from barbarian invasions.

16. Science Guys. This Scottish engineer coined the term “horsepower”, and a unit of power is named for him.

17. Flowers. Its scientific name is Helianthus Annuus.

18. U.S. Senators. No joke, in 2009 this funnyman became a Senator from Minnesota.

19. Rhyme Time. The jargon of an Australian wild dog.

20. 20th Century Novels. The title of this novel of the Spanish Civil War comes from John Donne’s “Meditation XVII”.

21. European History. Title of the rulers of the Venetian Republic, the last of whom was deposed in 1797.

22. Organizations. For its work on behalf of the prisoners of conscience this organization won the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize.

23. Shakespearean Characters. This title guy dies of a broken heart as he kneels over his daughter’s body.

24. Architecture. They’re the slender towers or turrets of a mosque from which Muslims are called to prayer.

25. Deserts. This desert covers parts of South African, Namibia & Botswana.

26. Singers. In 2009 she “Dreamed a Dream” on “Britain’s Got Talent” & became a worldwide sensation.

27. Bestselling Authors. Many of this books, including 2010’s “Safe Haven” & 2009’s “The Last Song”, are set in North Carolina, where he lives.

28. The Solar System. Nereid & Naiad are moons of this planet.

29. U.S.A. This state capital is home to the U.S. Naval Academy.

30. Exploration. In 1500 Pedro Cabral sailed to what’s now this country & claimed it for Portugal.

31. Composers. With only 2 movements, his symphony no. 8 in B minor was “unfinished”.

32. French Phrases. This French phrase meaning “ahead of one’s time” often describes modern artists.

33. Famous Pairs. In 2011 They were voted “Las Vegas Magicians of the Year” for the sixth time.

34. Biblical People. Absalom was killed during a revolt against this man, his father.

35. Books & Authors. Truman Capote described this 1966 book as a “nonfiction novel”.

36. Islands. Its name suggests that this island in the Indian Ocean might be perfect for a family get-together.

37. Classic Rock Bands. In 2007 surviving members Robert Plant, John Paul Jones & Jimmy Page of this band reunited in London.

38. Timepieces. This watch brand with a Greek letter name says it made the world’s first diver’s watch.

39. Biology. Of the hormones made in the pancreas, Glucagon has the opposite effect of this one.

40. Sculpture. This 20th C. English sculptor is known for his several “reclining figure” works.

41. 5-Letter Words. It precedes “Shrimp” in the name of a shrimp species that lives in the Great Salt Lake.

42. Bodies of Water. Arms of this sea include the Tyrrhenian Sea & the Ligurian Sea.

43. Annual Events. Pearl Harbor Day is observed on this date.

44. Ancient History. In 337 A.D. this first Christian Roman Emperor abolished crucifixion as a form of execution.

45. Literary Title Places. The 2 cities of Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” are London & this one.

46. Whales. The scientific name of this tusked whale is Monodon Monoceros.

47. Home Equipment. This format that’s replacing traditional DVDs is named partly for the color of the laser used to read it.

48. Classic Movies. Wheelchair-bound Jimmy Stewart watches his neighbors across a courtyard in this 1954 Hitchcock classic.

49. Poetry. A Keats ode calls this bird “light-winged dryad of the trees”.

50. Before & After. Bonus work in school that nets you a piece of plastic from Visa.


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Here are the answers, which were all looked up on Wikipedia or Google. I’m pretty sure I got the correct answers to them all. As I did last year, the correct answer is noted as “A”, and my response noted as “D”.

1. Science Fiction. His first short story collection, “I, Robot”, was published in 1950. D: Asimov. A: Isaac Asimov.

2. Tony-Winning Musicals. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” is a song from this Tony-Winning Musical. A: Jersey Boys. D: Jersey Boys. (Finally something good came out of being dragged to that show.)

3. Earth Science. From the Latin for “to gnaw”, it’s the process by which material is worn away from the Earth’s surface. A: Erosion. D: Erosion.

4. World Capitals. This capital of Turkey lies south of the Black Sea. A: Ankara. D: Ankara.

5. On the Money. His face adorns the front of America’s $50 bill. A: Ulysses S. Grant. D: US Grant.

6. The War of 1812. In 1814 the battle of this U.S. city was fought even though the Treaty of Ghent had ended the war. A: New Orleans. D: New Orleans. (An educated guess that turned out to be correct.)

7. Mythology. When Oedipus answered this creature’s riddle, it committed suicide. A: Sphinx. D: Sphinx.

8. Food. This often burger-sized mushroom is the mature form of the Crimino. A: Portobello D: Shitake. (I was going great guns up to this point, and while I knew it wasn’t shitake, I drew a blank on Portobello, which immediately came to me about 4 questions later. But this was the point where I felt the wheels coming off.)

9. Artists. In 1634 this artist married Saskia & used her as a model. A: Rembrandt D: Da Vinci. (I figured Da Vinci wasn’t correct, but I couldn’t think of any other artist from the 1600’s.)

10. Business & Industry. In 2011 Motorola released a Droid version of this phone with a thin, sharp name. A: RAZR. D: Razor. (I hope I get credit for this answer…didn’t realize that Motorola went all CUTTING EDGE by taking the “o” out of “razor”.)

11. First Names in the Dictionary. This nickname for Henry can also mean a coil, or a looped bundle of thread. A: Hank. D: Hank. (Total guess, but how many nicknames of Henry are there?)

12. American Rivers. This “stately” river forms the border between Indiana & Kentucky. A: Ohio. D: Ohio.

13. Actresses on TV. Emmy-nominated Sofia Vergara plays Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on this comedy. A: Modern Family. D: Modern Family.

14. Nonfiction. Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen have written a series of books called this dish “For the Soul”. A: Chicken Soup. D: No Answer. (Another blank, though it doesn’t help that I’ve never read these books.)

15. Historic Structures. This Roman’s “Wall” was known to protect Britain from barbarian invasions. A: Hadrian. D: Hadrian.

16. Science Guys. This Scottish engineer coined the term “horsepower”, and a unit of power is named for him. A: James Watt. D: Erg. (Erg is a unit of energy, not power. Also, the term “erg” is derived from the Green ergon, meaning work. I should have paid more attention in Physics class.)

17. Flowers. Its scientific name is Helianthus Annuus. A: Sunflower. D: Sunflower.

18. U.S. Senators. No joke, in 2009 this funnyman became a Senator from Minnesota. A: Al Franken. D: No answer. (Talk about another brain fart, I almost typed in “Stuart Smalley”, as I knew who it was, the name just totally escaped me.)

19. Rhyme Time. The jargon of an Australian wild dog. A: Dingo Lingo. D: Dingo Lingo.

20. 20th Century Novels. The title of this novel of the Spanish Civil War comes from John Donne’s “Meditation XVII”. A: For Whom the Bell Tolls. D: No Answer. (I kept trying to think of the name of that Hemingway novel for the entire 15 seconds…and it wouldn’t have mattered as I thought the answer was The Sun Also Rises.)

21. European History. Title of the rulers of the Venetian Republic, the last of whom was deposed in 1797. A: Doge D: Charlamagne. (Had no clue on this one.)

22. Organizations. For its work on behalf of the prisoners of conscience this organization won the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize. A: Amnesty International. D: Amnesty International

23. Shakespearean Characters. This title guy dies of a broken heart as he kneels over his daughter’s body. A: King Lear. D: King Lear.

24. Architecture. They’re the slender towers or turrets of a mosque from which Muslims are called to prayer. A: Minaret. D: No Answer. (This began another string of cluelessness that I was worried would never stop.)

25. Deserts. This desert covers parts of South African, Namibia & Botswana. A: Kalahari. D: No Answer. (I should have had this one, but couldn’t come up with it. I was beginning to panic a little bit but hoped the next question would get me back on track.)

26. Singers. In 2009 she “Dreamed a Dream” on “Britain’s Got Talent” & became a worldwide sensation. A: Susan Boyle. D: No Answer. (And this was where my panic level got turned up to 11…I mean, how did I draw a blank on Susan Boyle? Three straight questions I felt like I should have known, and the wheels have definitely come off the wagon at this point.)

27. Bestselling Authors. Many of this books, including 2010’s “Safe Haven” & 2009’s “The Last Song”, are set in North Carolina, where he lives. A: Nicholas Sparks. D: Conroy. (All I could think of was Pat Conroy, even though I didn’t think he was still writing. My confidence was continuing to spiral down.)

28. The Solar System. Nereid & Naiad are moons of this planet. A: Neptune. D: Jupiter. (I figured I had a 1-in-4 chance of getting this right, as it had to be either Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune. Of course I got it wrong, and I needed an easy question soon to get me back on track.)

29. U.S.A. This state capital is home to the U.S. Naval Academy. A: Annapolis. D: Annapolis. (Thank you Gods of Easy Questions! Just what I needed to get me back on track.)

30. Exploration. In 1500 Pedro Cabral sailed to what’s now this country & claimed it for Portugal. A: Brazil. D: Brazil. (I was only 99% sure of this one, but was pretty sure I was getting back on a roll.)

31. Composers. With only 2 movements, his symphony no. 8 in B minor was “unfinished”. A: Schubert. D: Mozart. (I know very little of composers, so wasn’t too disappointed in not getting this one.)

32. French Phrases. This French phrase meaning “ahead of one’s time” often describes modern artists. A: Avant-garde. D: Avante Garde. (First, I’m pretty sure this is the correct answer, even though “avant-garde” means literally “advance guard”. And I hope my poor French spelling didn’t hurt me.)

33. Famous Pairs. In 2011 They were voted “Las Vegas Magicians of the Year” for the sixth time. A: Penn & Teller. D: Sigfreid & Roy. (Okay, I’m an idiot. I didn’t read the date that closely, and should have realized that Siegfried & Roy haven’t been on stage for almost 10 years.)

34. Biblical People. Absalom was killed during a revolt against this man, his father. A: David. D: David. (Score! Total guess on my part, as I’m not well read at all when it comes to the Bible. But my philosophy on Bible questions has always been the same: When in doubt, answer David. And if that doesn’t sound right, answer Nebuchadnezzar.)

35. Books & Authors. Truman Capote described this 1966 book as a “nonfiction novel”. A: In Cold Blood. D: In Cold Blood.

36. Islands. Its name suggests that this island in the Indian Ocean might be perfect for a family get-together. A: Reunion Island. D: No Answer. (Probably should have at least made a guess at this one, but I got stuck trying to figure out if the Seychelles sounded like a family place or not.)

37. Classic Rock Bands. In 2007 surviving members Robert Plant, John Paul Jones & Jimmy Page of this band reunited in London. A: Led Zeppelin. D: Led Zeppelin.

38. Timepieces. This watch brand with a Greek letter name says it made the world’s first diver’s watch. A: Omega. D: Omega.

39. Biology. Of the hormones made in the pancreas, Glucagon has the opposite effect of this one. A: Insulin. D: Bile. (Yes, I’m a moron.)

40. Sculpture. This 20th C. English sculptor is known for his several “reclining figure” works. A: Henry Moore. D: Hockney. (I’m not one for modern art. One of the worst afternoons I ever spent in London was at the Tate Modern. Not sure you could pay me to go back there.)

41. 5-Letter Words. It precedes “Shrimp” in the name of a shrimp species that lives in the Great Salt Lake. A: Brine. D: Salty. (I was on the right track!)

42. Bodies of Water. Arms of this sea include the Tyrrhenian Sea & the Ligurian Sea. A: Mediterranean Sea. D: Caspian.

43. Annual Events. Pearl Harbor Day is observed on this date. A: December 7th. D: December 7.

44. Ancient History. In 337 A.D. this first Christian Roman Emperor abolished crucifixion as a form of execution. A: Constantine. D: Augustus Caesar. (I was only off by 300 years or so.)

45. Literary Title Places. The 2 cities of Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” are London & this one. A: Paris. D: Paris.

46. Whales. The scientific name of this tusked whale is Monodon Monoceros. A: Narwhal. D: Beluga. (I didn’t think beluga was right, but it was the only thing I could think of.)

47. Home Equipment. This format that’s replacing traditional DVDs is named partly for the color of the laser used to read it. A: Blu-ray. D: Blu-ray.

48. Classic Movies. Wheelchair-bound Jimmy Stewart watches his neighbors across a courtyard in this 1954 Hitchcock classic. A: Rear Window. D: Rear Window.

49. Poetry. A Keats ode calls this bird “light-winged dryad of the trees”. A: Nightingale. D: Nightingale. (Thanks Doc Blanchard!)

50. Before & After. Bonus work in school that nets you a piece of plastic from Visa. A: Extra Credit Card D: Extra Credit Card.

So I did a lot worse than last year, when I estimated I got 36 correct out of 50. This year I did 29 out of 50, and even with the 3 that I felt like I should have gotten that I drew a blank on, I doubt I would have gotten the call from Jeopardy this year. Hopefully I can take this each year…it’s interesting to see how much less smart I’m getting the older I become.