The Final Jeopardy question (9/28/2012) in the category “Toys & Games” was:

When Milton Bradley released this home game in 1966, competitors accused it of selling “sex in a box.”

Today’s new champ is Erica Mines who won a very respectable $18,000 yesterday. Today she is up against these two new players: Brendan DuBois, from Exeter, NH and  Stephanie Kelleher, from No. Hollywood, CA.

Brendan found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “North Dakota.” He was in second place with $4,000, $1,800 behind Erica’s lead. He bet $1,500 and he was RIGHT.

This largest city of North Dakota was named for a pioneer in the shipment of goods by express.
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WHAT IS FARGO?

Erica finished in the lead with $5,800. Brendan was second with $4,500 and Stephanie was last with $3,800.

Brendan found the first Double Jeopardy Daily Double in “British Kings Named Edward.” He had $11,300, only $100 less than Stephanie’s lead. He bet $1,200 and he was RIGHT.

King Edward IV, a participant in the Wars of the Roses, was the son of Richard, Duke of this side in the wars.
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WHAT IS YORK?

Erica found the last Daily Double in “Nonfiction.” She had $10,600, $3,900 less than Brendan who was now in the lead. She bet $600 but she did not know so she was WRONG.

It’s John Krakauer’s epic personal account of disaster on Mount Everest in 1996.
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WHAT IS “INTO THIN AIR”?

With that, the round ended and Brendan finished in the lead with $14,500. Stephanie was next with $11,400 and Erica was in third place with $10,000.

ALL of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right (the only time this week).

WHAT IS TWISTER?

Milton Bradley debuted “Twister” at the 1966 New York Toy Fair. Consumers didn’t quite get the idea and Sears declined to stock it, deeming it too risqué because the “game pieces” were human bodies. Milton Bradley VP Mel Taft pulled all further advertising, intending to cancel the game. But a spot on the May 3, 1966 “Tonight Show” still went forward. Host Johnny Carson demonstrated the game with his lovely guest, Eva Gabor. Thanks to Johnny and Eva, demand for the game immediately sky-rocketed and “It became the hula-hoop of the mid 1960s.” (Let’s Play Twister)

Erica bet it all and finished with $20,000.

Stephanie bet $5,199 and finished with $16,599.

Brendan bet $8,500, enough to cover the possibility that Stephanie might bet it all. She didn’t but he still became the new champ with a total of $23,000.

As mentioned in the chat segment, our new champ is a mystery book writer. Check out his work on Amazon