Jeopardy! recap for Thur., Oct. 31

 Here are today's contestants:

- Greg Jolin, a system specialist & accountant from Raymond, New Hampshire;

- Alicia Buffa, a translator from Montreal, Quebec; and

- Joseph Carlstein, a graduate student from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Joseph is a one-day champ with winnings of $16,001.

Jeopardy! 

THEY THROW SERIOUS SHADE // A QUESTION OF TIME // I'VE GOT THE MOVIE TITLE MUNCHIES! // SALUTATIONS! // MANNERS MAKETH... // THE KING'S MEN

DD1 - $800 - A QUESTION OF TIME - In 2014 physicists sped up lithium ions to measure time dilation & gave new confirmation of this "special" theory (Greg doubled to $3,200.)

Scores at first break: Joseph $3,200, Alicia $800, Greg $2,600.

Scores entering DJ: Joseph $4,200, Alicia $1,400, Greg $8,000.

Double Jeopardy! 

OCTOBER 31 // BODIES OF WATER // HATE-FUL QUOTES // U.S. GOVERNMENT // RAP GENRES // THE OED SAYS H-I

DD2 - $1,200 - BODIES OF WATER - Cities on the shore of this lake include Babushkin, a stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway (Alicia moved into second by doubling to $4,400.)

DD3 - $1,600 - U.S. GOVERNMENT - In the 1930s this state eliminated a house of its legislature & the salaries of 90 out of 133 lawmakers (Joseph regained second by doubling to $6,800.)

Greg had an impressive first round to establish command, then both Joseph and Alicia were able to double up on DDs in DJ to keep the game competitive. Going into FJ it was Greg with $16,400 vs. Joseph and Alicia, both with $12,000.

Final Jeopardy!

ANIMALS - The Aztecs called this animal ayotochtli, meaning a “turtle rabbit” for its rabbitlike ears & its turtle-like shell

Greg and Alicia were correct on FJ, with Greg adding $7,601 to win with $24,001.

Final scores: Joseph $0, Alicia $23,999, Greg $24,001.

Triple Stumper of the day: The book title "Tom Sawyer Abroad" didn't provide enough of a hint that the Huck Finn quote "There ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to" do this "with them" is referring to "travel".

Wagering strategy: Alicia held back $1 on her FJ wager, which is not the optimal play in this situation of being tied for second and relatively close to the leader. The chances of winning with $1 are vanishingly small, so either bet it all, or wager $0 to force your opponents to be correct on FJ to beat you.

Correct Qs: DD1 - What is relativity? DD2 - What is Lake Baikal? DD3 - What is Nebraska? FJ - What is armadillo?