Jeopardy! recap for Thur., Sept. 12

 Here are today's contestants:

- Bethany Korp, a Spanish interpreter from Laurence Harbor, New Jersey;

- Mark Palmere, an energy analyst from Sacramento, California; and

- Will Weiss, a technical program manager from Islip, New York. Will is a two-day champ with winnings of $27,600.

Jeopardy! 

A SELF-HELPING OF BOOKS // BEAR WITH US // SPORTY IDIOMS // ANIMATED FILMS IN OTHER WORDS // THE CLASH // LONDON CALLING

DD1 - $600 - SPORTY IDIOMS - When you're going all out in any effort, you're employing this basketball defense (Will dropped $600.)

Scores at first break: Will $3,200, Mark $1,200, Bethany $1,400.

Scores entering DJ: Will $5,200, Mark $2,600, Bethany $2,400.

Double Jeopardy! 

BIBLICAL FATHERS & SONS // STARTS WITH "K" // A SHORT COURSE IN CHEMISTRY // TV CHARACTERS // MOUNTAINS // JOB-POURRI

DD2 - $1,600 - MOUNTAINS - This mountain range forms an arc from the Danube gap near Bratislava to the Iron Gate near Orsova, Romania (Mark lost $2,000 from his score of $4,400.)

DD3 - $1,200 - A SHORT COURSE IN CHEMISTRY  - In 1869 Dmitri Mendeleyev wrote that when arranged via his method, the elements showed this kind of "change of properties" (Will lost $1,200 from his total of $15,600 vs. $8,200 for Mark.)

Will held the advantage at every break, but finding DD3 with a big lead did not help him increase it and the game remained open into FJ with Will at $14,400 vs. Mark with $8,200 and Bethany at $7,600.

Final Jeopardy!

HISTORIC NAMES - In 1824, President Monroe invited him back to the adopted country of his youth, which has always cherished his “important services”

Only Will was incorrect on FJ. Mark added $7,999 to win with $16,199.

Final scores: Will $12,399, Mark $16,199, Bethany $14,401.

Clue selection strategy: Four clues were chosen from the top row in DJ while DD3 remained on the board.

Overpriced clue of the day: $2,000 for identifying a photo of George Lopez.

Correct Qs: DD1 - What is full court press? DD2 - What are the Carpathians? DD3 - What is periodic? FJ - Who was Marquis de Lafayette?