Jeopardy! recap for Tue., Sept. 30

 Here are today's contestants:

- Curtis Bogetti, a Ph.D. candidate from Kamloops, British Columbia; 

- Hannah Gómez, a book editor from Tucson, Arizona; and

- Zach Knecht, a law clerk originally from Spring Hill, Florida. Zach is a one-day champ with winnings of $13,401.

Jeopardy!

U.S. GEOGRAPHY // NURSERY RHYME DRAMATIS PERSONAE // BUZZED WORDS // DOG BREED ANAGRAMS // 'P" IS FOR POP SONG // SANDWICHES WITH GORDON RAMSAY

DD1 - $800 - U.S. GEOGRAPHY - In the U.S. this elevated boundary & watershed stretches from New Mexico to Montana (On the first clue, Zach added $1,000.)

Scores at first break: Zach $4,400, Hannah $1,400, Curtis $1,600.

Scores entering DJ: Zach $6,200, Hannah $1,600, Curtis $5,400.

Double Jeopardy!

WORLD HISTORY // SPACE STUFF // OLDEN LIT // THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES // POPE CULTURE JEOPARDY! // "BE" REAL

DD2 - $1,600 - OLDEN LIT - In "The Song of Roland", God makes the sun stand still so this emperor can continue a battle (Curtis doubled to $17,600 vs. $9,800 for Zach.)

DD3 - $2,000 - THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES - Pliny the Elder called this alliterative bright blue gem "a fragment of the starry firmament" (Curtis added $3,000 up to $25,800 vs. $13,000 for Zach.)

Curtis took a solid lead on a DD2 double-up, made a more modest wager on DD3 and the game remained in play into FJ with Curtis at $26,600, Zack with $15,000 and Hannah at $6,800.

Final Jeopardy!

DESTINATIONS - In 2020 the Pripyat Ferris Wheel earned a cameo mention in a N.Y. Times travel essay called “Why Would Anyone Want to Visit?” this place

Curtis and Zach were correct on FJ, with Curtis adding $3,401 to win with $30,001.

Final scores: Zach $30,000, Hannah $0, Curtis $30,001.

Clue selection strategy: After Curtis found DD2, both Zach and Hannah selected from the category where DD2 was located. Curtis then found DD3 in a different category to both protect and extend his lead.

Overpriced clue dept.: $1,600 for a clue that was essentially, "He painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel."

This day in shilling: Of all the people in the world the show could provide a platform to, they choose a celebrity chef who is already vastly overexposed selling something. No thanks, I'll pass on this round.

Correct Qs: DD1 - What is Continental Divide? DD2 - Who was Charlemagne? DD3 - What is lapis lazuli? FJ - What is Chernobyl?