The Final Jeopardy question (12/6/2011) in the category “U.S. Structures” was:

On Dec. 6, 1884, this was capped with a 100-oz., 9-inch-high pyramid-shaped block of aluminum, a metal that was rare at the time.

2-day champion, Bhibha Das, was back today to try to add to her total of $41,380. Two new challengers, Julia Kozicki from Indiana, and Rich Beimer from Tennessee, didn’t exactly come on the show to help that happen. Could one of them beat Bhibha?

Julia got the Jeopardy! Daily Double in “Finance with David Faber” (a video DD). She was in second place with $3,400 and bet $1,000. She was RIGHT and now was in first place with a $200 lead over Rich.

These funds get their name from the practice of balancing long & short positions to reduce risk; today, with minimum investments often as much as $1 million, they’re more aggressive. show

WHAT ARE HEDGE FUNDS?

Rich finished first with $5,400. Julia was next with $4,400 and Bhibha was last with $600.

Rich got the first Double Jeopardy Daily Double in “‘Hab’ a Clue.” With $11,400, Rich said “This is difficult.” “No,” Alex said, “you have $7,000 more than your nearest opponent (Julia) — it should be very easy.” Rich risked the $7,000. He was RIGHT and now had a $14,000 lead.

The name of this early species in the genus homo means ‘handy’ in Latin show

WHAT IS HABILIUS?

Rich got the last Daily Double of the game in “Numeric Places.” Rich said “this is terrifying” as he chose to risk $13,000 of the $20,000 he now had. He could only come up with “Wonders of the Modern World” and that was WRONG! Now he had a $2,600 lead. Wow! Easy come, easy go.

Aconcagua is one of what are alliteratively known as the “7” these show

WHAT ARE SUMMITS ?

Rich recovered to the tune of $14,200, but by the end of Double Jeopardy, Julia displayed her superb knowledge of government officials, scooping up all the money worth getting in “HUD Secretaries” and she had $16,000. After the first commercial break, Bhibha never got much of a chance in this game. She finished last with $3,000.

TWO of the contestants got the Final Jeopardy answer correct. Hint: they were females.

WHAT IS THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT?

The clue pretty much tells you everything we’d usually put here, but in case you don’t know, The Washington Monument is currently closed due to damage from the 8/23/11 earthquake. (NPS.gov)

Rich wrote down “the Empire State Building” which was built in 1931. King Kong climbed up there in 1933. He lost $8,200 and finished with $6,000. Interestingly, if Bhibha had bet her whole $3 grand, they would have tied. What do they do about second and third place when that happens?

Julia bet $12,401. She was all smiles when she won the game with a total of $28,401.