The Final Jeopardy question (6/7/2013) in the category “American Writers” was:

Contemporary reviews called this writer “a Yankee Diogenes” & the “Concord Diogenes.”

New champ Greg Draves won $22,800 in yesterday’s game. Today he is up against these two challengers: Susan Torsell-Damico from Hamburg, NY; and Tim Anderson from Rockford, IL.

Tim found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “Split ‘N’s.” He was in the lead with $5,800, $4,800 more than Greg in second place. He bet $1,200 and said “neurologian,” apparently a Finnish word we never heard before. That was WRONG.

A doc who cuts into the brain. show

WHAT IS A NEUROSURGEON?

Tim finished in the lead with $5,400. Greg was second with $4,400 and Susan was last with $1,200.

Susan found the first Double Jeopardy Daily Double in “4-Letter Country Names.” She had $4,800, $4,600 less than Tim’s lead. In response to Trebek pointing out her chance to overtake the lead, she said “I’ve been warned about you, Alex.” She still bet a hefty $3,000 and guessed “Togo.” That was WRONG.

A Pacific Island Republic. show

WHAT IS FIJI?

Greg found the last Daily Double in “Carny Art.” He was in second place with $5,200, $7,000 less than Tim’s lead. He bet $4,000, and he was RIGHT.

Here Brueghel the Elder’s workshop depicts on one side, Carnival; and on the other, this period that ends it. show

WHAT IS LENT?

Tim finished in the lead with a runaway $18,200. Greg was next with $8,800 and Susan was in third place with $1,400.

Only ONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.

WHO IS HENRY DAVID THOREAU?

Like the Greek philosopher Diogenes, Thoreau advocated living simply, although he did not take it to quite the extreme that Diogenes did, living in a tent and begging for money. No, not by a long shot, and Thoreau’s sojourn at Walden has also been compared to a child camping out in his parents’ backyard. His cabin was just about a mile from his family home. His mommy and sisters made sure he was well-fed so any notions of nuts and berries can be dispelled immediately. (A Historical Guide to Henry David Thoreau)

Susan got it right and bet $700. She finished with $2,100.

Greg wrote down Ralph Waldo Emerson, a friend of Thoreau and sometime visitor to Walden. He lost his $5,999 bet and finished with $2,801.

Tim wrote down Melville, author of Moby Dick, a native New Yorker who lived in Pittsfield, MA for quite sometime. Tim only bet $200 so he kept $18,000 and became the new Jeopardy! champ. Way to go!

And, yes — this time around we did notice Alex Trebek putting the stress on the first syllable of Thoreau’s name, American-style, so we can now cross that one off our list of things that will never happen on Jeopardy!