Introducing today’s contestants:

• Rachel, a translator, has been trying to get on Jeopardy! for 30 years;
• John, a medical coder, whose marriage has benefitted from flexibility on both sides; and
• Matt, a Ph.D. student, is a big fan of the “Lord of the Rings” movies. Matt is a two-day champ with winnings of $81,400.

One-sided affair in which Matt swept the DDs and cruised to a runaway at $28,000 vs. $9,400 for John and $6,600 for Rachel.

DD1 – $1,000 – LITERARY GEOGRAPHY – Part of Act 3 of this Shakespeare tragedy unfolds at Actium (Matt won $4,000 on a true DD.)

DD2 – $1,600 – ANIMALS IN ART – A highlight at the Musée d’Orsay is “Ours Blanc”, a sculpture of this predator of the north (Matt won $4,000 from his total of $12,200 vs. $1,800 for Rachel.)

DD3 – $2,000 – HISTORICAL NONFICTION – Fact is sifted out of legend in Richard Fletcher’s “The Quest for” this 11th century Spaniard who fought against the Moors (Matt won $3,000 from his score of $23,000 vs. $5,800 for Rachel.)

FJ – LITERARY CHARACTERS – This owner of a large estate in Derbyshire is described as “proud” at least half a dozen times

Everyone was incorrect on FJ. Matt dropped $8,000 to win with $20,000 for a three-day total of $101,400.

Clue selection strategy: Matt chose the first six clues of the game and picked straight across the $800 row, then when he regained control, focused on the $600 row.

Triple Stumper of the day: No one knew either of the cabinet departments started during the Jimmy Carter presidency with the same first letter, Energy and Education.

Judging the writers: Remarkably, Cleopatra made her third appearance in a correct response to a Daily Double in less than a month.

Next up to guest host: LeVar Burton.

Correct Qs: DD1 – What is “Antony and Cleopatra”? DD2 – What is polar bear? DD3 – Who was El Cid? FJ – Who is Darcy?