Warning: This page contains spoilers for the February 20, 2024, game of Jeopardy! — please do not scroll down if you wish to avoid being spoiled. Please note that the game airs as early as noon Eastern in some U.S. television markets.
Here’s today’s Final Jeopardy (in the category Presidential Elections) for Tuesday, February 20, 2024 (Season 40, Game 117):
He’s the most recent presidential candidate to have officially declared his opponent in that campaign the victor
(correct response beneath the contestants)
Today’s Jeopardy! contestants:
Jesse Matheny, a customer success specialist originally from Huntington, Indiana |
Alex Gordon, a surgical resident originally from Somers, New York |
Kat Jepson, an artist from Roanoke, Virginia |
Andy’s Pregame Thoughts:
Our last Champions Wildcard semifinal of this season features Kat Jepson, Alex Gordon, and Jesse Matheny. If past play is any indication here, I am expecting to see a great battle in this one between Kat and Alex. However, as Jesse showed in the quarterfinals, he can absolutely sneak through and take a victory!
Another reminder that I have started a Sunday mailbag column where I answer fan & viewer questions regarding the show. If you have a question, feel free to send it to mailbag@thejeopardyfan.com!
(Content continues below)
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Correct response: Who is Al Gore?
More information about Final Jeopardy:
(The following write-up is original content and is copyright 2024 The Jeopardy! Fan. It may not be copied without linked attribution back to this page.)
So, this clue isn’t a matter of knowing about various Presidential concession speeches. “Officially declared…the victor” has a specific meaning in American politics—and that is the previous Vice President, ex officio as President of the Senate, at the counting of the votes of the Electoral College on January 6. Thus, this clue is basically asking for the most recent sitting Vice President to lose the Presidential election—and that is Al Gore in 2000, losing to George W. Bush.
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Game Recap & Tonight’s Game Stats:
Looking to find out who won Jeopardy! today? Here’s the Tuesday, February 20, 2024 Jeopardy! by the numbers, along with a recap:
Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: The 13 Colonies; Piles; The U.S. Postal Service; What’S That Smell?; Jewelry; Hansel Culture)
Alex started the game by running THE 13 COLONIES, but that didn’t faze Kat; she came roaring back to take the lead by the interviews.
Statistics at the first break (15 clues):
Kat 5 correct 0 incorrect
Alex 7 correct 1 incorrect
Jesse 3 correct 1 incorrect
Today’s interviews:
Jesse was about a day away from throwing away his flash cards when Champions Wildcard was announced.
Alex uses the pen light from his residency as a clicker to simulate the buzzer.
Kat got a professional haircut before the competititon.
It was Jesse who got to the Daily Double, but an incorrect response brought him back to $0. He recovered reasonably well by the end of the round, though. Meanwhile, Alex’s 3 incorrect responses over the entire round, compared to Kat’s 0, led to Kat having a good-sized lead after 30 clues.
Statistics after the Jeopardy round:
Kat 8 correct 0 incorrect
Alex 9 correct 3 incorrect
Jesse 9 correct 2 incorrect
Scores after the Jeopardy! Round:
Kat $5,600
Alex $2,600
Jesse $2,000
Double Jeopardy! Round:
(Categories: Taking Flight; Bodies Of Water; Artists & Their Subjects; 4, 4; Literary Helpers; Action Movies)
Jesse wasn’t knocked off his game by the first Daily Double miss; he successfully converted a pair of True Daily Doubles in the first 9 clues of the round! Jesse was in a runaway position for most of the round, but a strong run by Alex at the end of the round made sure that there was still something to play for in Final!
Statistics after Double Jeopardy:
Jesse 20 correct 2 incorrect
Alex 20 correct 6 incorrect
Kat 10 correct 0 incorrect
Total number of unplayed clues this season: 0 (0 today).
Scores going into Final:
Jesse $18,800
Alex $10,200
Kat $8,400
Jesse was the only player correct in Final Jeopardy, and that makes him a finalist!
Tonight’s results:
Kat $8,400 – $8,400 = $0 (Who is McCain?)
Alex $10,200 – $8,601 = $1,599 (Who is Mitt Romney?)
Jesse $18,800 + $1,601 = $20,401 (Who is Gore?) (Finalist)
Other Miscellaneous Game Statistics:
Daily Double locations:
1) THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE $800 (clue #17)
Jesse 1600 -1600 (Kat 4200 Alex 3000)
2) 4, 4 $1200 (clue #3)
Jesse 2000 +2000 (Kat 5600 Alex 2600)
3) BODIES OF WATER $1600 (clue #9, $22000 left on board)
Jesse 6800 +6800 (Kat 5600 Alex 4200)
Overall Daily Double Efficiency for this game: 100
Clue Selection by Row, Before Daily Doubles Found:
J! Round:
Kat 4 4 3 5 5 2
Alex 3 2 5 1 1 2 3
Jesse 3 4 5 4*
DJ! Round:
Kat
Alex 4 3 2
Jesse 5 4 3* 5 5 4*
Average Row of Clue Selection, Before Daily Doubles Found:
Jesse 4.20
Alex 2.60
Kat 3.83
Unplayed clues:
J! Round: None!
DJ! Round: None!
Total Left On Board: $0
Number of clues left unrevealed this season: 0 (0.00 per episode average), 0 Daily Doubles
Game Stats:
Jesse $14,400 Coryat, 20 correct, 2 incorrect, 31.58% in first on buzzer (18/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 5 rebound opportunities)
Alex $10,200 Coryat, 20 correct, 6 incorrect, 43.86% in first on buzzer (25/57), 0/1 on rebound attempts (on 1 rebound opportunity)
Kat $8,400 Coryat, 10 correct, 0 incorrect, 15.79% in first on buzzer (9/57), 1/1 on rebound attempts (on 6 rebound opportunities)
Combined Coryat Score: $33,000
Lach Trash: $13,200 (on 9 Triple Stumpers)
Coryat lost to incorrect responses (less double-correct responses): $7,800
Lead Changes: 2
Times Tied: 0
Player Statistics:
Kat Jepson, career statistics:
66 correct, 7 incorrect
5/5 on rebound attempts (on 17 rebound opportunities)
26.75% in first on buzzer (61/228)
3/3 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $15,000)
2/4 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $13,850
Alex Gordon, career statistics:
119 correct, 23 incorrect
4/9 on rebound attempts (on 22 rebound opportunities)
42.81% in first on buzzer (122/285)
5/6 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $9,200)
3/5 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $15,200
Jesse Matheny, career statistics:
78 correct, 16 incorrect
2/2 on rebound attempts (on 12 rebound opportunities)
34.80% in first on buzzer (79/227)
4/9 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $3,000)
1/4 in Final Jeopardy
Average Coryat: $13,100
Andy’s Thoughts:
- Chances of victory in the finals: Mira Hayward 38.853% (+140), Deb Bilodeau 35.191% (+170), Jesse Matheny 25.956% (+260).
- Today’s box score will be linked to when posted by the show.
Final Jeopardy! wagering suggestions:
(Scores: Jesse $18,800 Alex $10,200 Kat $8,400)
Kat: There’s not much you can do unless Jesse overbets. Go all in, though, because the margins are tight, and you never know. (Actual bet: $8,400)
Alex: Bet at least $7,000, but you might as well go all in. (Actual bet: $8,601)
Jesse: Standard cover bet over Alex is $1,601. (Actual bet: $1,601)
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