The Final Jeopardy question (11/28/2012) in the category “Countries” was:

It was created in the early 1700s from 2 counties purchased by an Austrian prince; he named the nation for his family.

2-day champ Lucas Peterson has a total of $33,900 so far. To increase that, he will need to defeat two new players who want to win, too: Todd Federman, from Livingston, NJ; and Jason Shore, from Plano, TX.

Jason found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “With Maori.” He was in second place with $4,000, $1,000 behind Lucas who was in the lead. He bet $1,000 and he was RIGHT.

Seen before rugby games, a haka is one of these & is performed “so that the whole body should speak.”
show

WHAT IS A CEREMONIAL DANCE?

Jason and Lucas tied for first place with $5,000 each and Todd was second with $800.

Jason found the first Double Jeopardy Daily Double in “The Era of Eras.” He had $18,200, $8,000 more than Lucas in second place. He bet $2,000 and he was RIGHT.

In the 1890s this era of economic, political & social reform in the U.S. began moving forward as its name says.
show

WHAT IS THE PROGRESSIVE ERA?

Jason found the last Daily Double in “Italian Art.” He had $19,400, which was still an $8,000 lead over Lucas. He bet $3,500 and he was RIGHT.

From the spring of 1508 until October 1512, he painted on a scaffold with his “beard turned up to heaven”.
show

WHO IS MICHELANGELO?

Jason finished in the lead with a runaway $22,900. Lucas was next with $11,400 and Todd was in third place with $3,600.

NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHAT IS LIECHTENSTEIN?

Johann Adam Andreas von Liechtenstein, or Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein, acquired the domain of Schellenberg in 1699. In 1712 he acquired the county of Vaduz. These two domains would later form the present principality of Liechtenstein. (wikipedia)

Todd wrote down “Czechoslovakia” (founded in 1918) and bet $1,400. He finished with $2,200.

Lucas wrote down “Switzerland” (founded in 1291, independent since 1648). That cost him everything. He went straight to third place.

Jason didn’t even take a guess, but he wisely only bet $22.00 so he would have won the game regardless. Today’s take: $22,878.