The Final Jeopardy question (11/3/2011), in the category “Countries’ Highest Peaks” was:

“These 2 nations, one an island, have highest peaks with the same name; they also share a common European culture”

Three more Jeopardy champs competed today: Kara Spak from Illinois, who bought a new refrigerator with part of her winnings and put a picture of Alex Trebek on it; film preservationist Brian Meacham, originally from Alaska, who watched himself on Jeopardy! in a 300-seat theatre with a 42′ screen in high-def; and Roger Craig from Delaware, who was noticed at a Stephen Colbert taping by Jeopardy! fan, Stephen Colbert!

Wouldn’t you know the Daily Double was in the “Last Battle” category. We made a bet on that! Brian got it and wagered $1,000 (all he had at that point). He knew which war’s last battle was The Battle of Chapultepec, helping him catch up a little to Roger’s $3,800 lead.

Roger kept that lead throughout the Jeopardy round, ending with a very healthy $7,600. Kara was second with $4,000 and Brian came in third with $3,200.

In Double Jeopardy, Roger lost $2,000 right off the bat because he thought that “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” was the Kinks’ 4th hit. (You mixed that up with the Kinks’ 1st hit “You Really Got Me,” dude).

He bounced back quickly and also got the first Daily Double in a category all about Virginia Woolf. By now he had $10,000 and decided to bet $4,000 of it. We would never do it, but he was confident with his knowledge of the topic and he knew the answer to “This 1928 title character begins as a man & ends almost 400 years later, as a young woman (but not in Florida).”

Roger continued to mow the categories down and by the time he got to the second Daily Double (in “It Came from the New World”), he had $23,600, almost 3 times Brian’s total. Despite Alex’s ‘True Daily Double’ goading, he bet $5,000 and knew the other name of “butter beans.”

Roger finished with an amazing $39,800. Brian was second with $8,800 and Kara came in third with $6,000. Alex reminded Brian and Kara that their Final Jeopardy bets were still important in terms of Wild Card spots.

Remember Tom’s $3 bet yesterday? Roger could make a decent wager and still win. Will he be conservative or go for the gusto? Will he know the answer …..

“The Mount is called Olympus,” Alex revealed after the music. Kara was the only one who got the right answer:

“What is Greece and Cyprus”

Not that they wanted to know, but the highest peak of Mount Olympus (or Oros Olympos) in Greece is Mytikas at 9,570 ft; and the highest point of Olympus (or Chionistra) in Cyprus is 6,404 ft.

Kara bet $12, ending with $6,012, which probably won’t be much help with a Wild Card spot.

Brian bet everything he had but didn’t have a clue on even one country.

Roger wrote down Australia and Poland. He bet $20,200. Instead of winding up with the $60,000 he was aiming for, he ended up with $19,600.

So now we’ve got two winners we know are coming back: Roger Craig and Tom Nissley.

With $16,401, Jay Rhee is our only serious candidate for a Wild Card spot right now, but it’s early yet.

A funny moment in the first round with the $600 clue in the “Group Countdown” category