Here are today’s contestants:

• Marko Saric, a math professor from Chapel Hill, North Carolina;
• Rob Blumenstein, a paralegal originally from Montreal, Quebec; and
• Alison Betts, a writer & creative executive originally from San Jose, California. Alison is a five-day champ with winnings of $121,500.

Jeopardy!

AT THE START OF THE SPORT // SECOND CITIES // ALL UP IN YOUR BUSINESS // WHAT A LITERARY CHARACTER // CROSSWORD CLUES “R” // PATIENCE

DD1 – $1,000 – SECOND CITIES – The historic site Pedra do Sal in this second city has been called “the birthplace of samba” (Alison dropped $1,800 on a true DD.)

Scores at first break: Alison $2,600, Rob $3,400, Marko $1,000.

Scores entering DJ: Alison $5,000, Rob $3,600, Marko $4,400.

Double Jeopardy!

BOOKS IN HISTORY // MEDALS & DECORATIONS // 9-LETTER WORDS // ACTING UP AT JUILLIARD // BIBLICAL GARB // PATIENTS

DD2 – $1,600 – 9-LETTER WORDS – This verb can mean to create through skill, or to construct a lie or forgery (Rob doubled to $7,200.)

DD3 – $1,200 – BOOKS IN HISTORY – Economist F.A. Hayek’s “The Road to Serfdom” came out in 1944 when this woman was at Oxford & was a huge influence on her later policies (Marko added $2,900 to his score of $6,000.)

In a wide-open contest, everyone had a chance at a DD, and Marko was correct on DD3, helping him lead narrowly into FJ at $12,900 vs. $11,000 for Alison and $9,600 for Rob.

Final Jeopardy!

ALPHABETICAL AMERICA – Until Alabama became the 22nd state, this one was first alphabetically

Everyone gave the same incorrect response on FJ. Rob chose to make a big bet from a close third place, so it was Marko taking the win despite dropping $9,101, finishing on top at $3,799.

Final scores: Alison $2,500, Rob $1, Marko $3,799.

Correct Qs: DD1 – What is Rio de Janeiro? DD2 – What is fabricate? DD3 – Who was Thatcher? FJ – What is Connecticut? (Everyone wrote Arkansas.)