"Who Says?" - January 3, 2020

[MikeMillerwsj]

Happy new year, puzzlers! We started the year with a huge turnout: 2528 entries. (As always we depend on our superfan Barbara to give us the stats on where this ranks historically.) About 83% of those were correct. Another 11% entered TED plus another 19 for TEDX. So the lion's share of you were in the ballpark. (The first draw was for TED TALKS so we did not have to adjudicate whether TED/TEDX counted as correct, a debate that can forever remain academic.) Some stray guesses for BUZZFEED, BETWEEN TWO FERNS, TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, and a few others.

Congrats to this week's winner: James Collins of Oceanside, Calif.

[MajordomoTom]

why do we call it the "lion's share" when the best share is given to the lioness?

The lion eats after she does.

[Bob cruise director]

why do we call it the "lion's share" when the best share is given to the lioness?

The lion eats after she does.

When we were in Africa they said and we saw the lionesses killed five wildebeests
One for the lion
One for the cubs
One for the lionesses
The others for the scavengers

The guides told us that the scavengers ate about 80 percent of everything that was killed

[DrTom]

Happy new year, puzzlers! We started the year with a huge turnout: 2528 entries. (As always we depend on our superfan Barbara to give us the stats on where this ranks historically.) About 83% of those were correct. Another 11% entered TED plus another 19 for TEDX. So the lion's share of you were in the ballpark. (The first draw was for TED TALKS so we did not have to adjudicate whether TED/TEDX counted as correct, a debate that can forever remain academic.) Some stray guesses for BUZZFEED, BETWEEN TWO FERNS, TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, and a few others.

Congrats to this week's winner: James Collins of Oceanside, Calif.

Well RATS! now I have to put away my acceptance speech for at least another week
Still I am used to it, I've been doing the same thing for the Powerball for years.

[BarbaraK]

Happy new year, puzzlers! We started the year with a huge turnout: 2528 entries. (As always we depend on our superfan Barbara to give us the stats on where this ranks historically.) About 83% of those were correct. Another 11% entered TED plus another 19 for TEDX. So the lion's share of you were in the ballpark. (The first draw was for TED TALKS so we did not have to adjudicate whether TED/TEDX counted as correct, a debate that can forever remain academic.) Some stray guesses for BUZZFEED, BETWEEN TWO FERNS, TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, and a few others.

Congrats to this week's winner: James Collins of Oceanside, Calif.

Second highest submissions, behind “Just Say the Word” last February, with 2844.

Way to go, muggles!

[Colin]

About 83% of those were correct. Another 11% entered TED plus another 19 for TEDX. .... (The first draw was for TED TALKS so we did not have to adjudicate whether TED/TEDX counted as correct, a debate that can forever remain academic.) Some stray guesses for BUZZFEED, BETWEEN TWO FERNS, TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, and a few others.

Congrats to James and the other couple of thousand runners up. I still can’t believe “TED-Ed” didn’t even get a mention, but maybe that is because I hail from the planet Zob, Ork or wherever!

[MajordomoTom]

we are all Ted now.

[Bob cruise director]

I am not sure how many will get this but we watched the Jeopardy Greatest of all time Part 1. Part 2 is on Wednesday evening. These guys should become muggles.

[MajordomoTom]

We're watching it right now, we're at the break between the two games.

They are incredible, not sure they've missed any questions in the first two boards and all three (of course) got the final jeopardy answer.

EDIT: I think they missed one question as a group.

[MajordomoTom]

that is quite a contest they have going there

[SewYoung]

I am not sure how many will get this but we watched the Jeopardy Greatest of all time Part 1. Part 2 is on Wednesday evening. These guys should become muggles

Dang!! I forgot that was going to be on last night and I missed it. Will be on the road during part two tonight. Maybe they will rerun it sometime.

[DrTom]

Yes, every time I watch Jeopardy and think "I could do that" I see one of these champions who are ringing in almost immediately on every answer and nailing 99% of them or better and rethink saying "NOPE, not a chance."

[Inca]

Yes, every time I watch Jeopardy and think "I could do that" I see one of these champions who are ringing in almost immediately on every answer and nailing 99% of them or better and rethink saying "NOPE, not a chance."

I thinkt that too sometimes when I see one of the shows, especially if there is a "word"-type of category. But I know I could never actually be on that show--too many categories that are totally not part of my knowledge base at all

[Bob cruise director]

Yes, every time I watch Jeopardy and think "I could do that" I see one of these champions who are ringing in almost immediately on every answer and nailing 99% of them or better and rethink saying "NOPE, not a chance."

After watching the three of them answer every (and I mean 100%) question correctly and quickly through the first round, I am both astounded that any individual could retain and recall such trivia over such a wide span of subjects which went back to 1500 or so. Is there any chance that this could be the second coming of the $64,000 question?

What especially amazed me was their ability to synthesize and link multianswer questions e.g. three rhyming words or three multiword answers where the last word of the first is the first word of the second, etc.

[MajordomoTom]

it's quite a ride, just finished watching day #2

no spoilers about who's winning/losing for those who are still to watch it

[Bob cruise director]

it's quite a ride, just finished watching day #2

no spoilers about who's winning/losing for those who are still to watch it

We watched day 2 on DVR. I think between days 1 and 2 my wife and I answered last than 10 correct.

[MajordomoTom]

the "what decade" ones and the Czars ones ... blew our minds that they knew those answers

[DrTom]

the "what decade" ones and the Czars ones ... blew our minds that they knew those answers

Yes, it is almost freaky that their knowledge is so broad and so deep. I did OK in Jeopardy, so-so in Double-Jeopardy and sucked in Final Jeopardy but even if I had been playing I never would have gotten to ring in that fast. I think that is what amazes me the most, they know the answers and know them immediately. I guess that is the difference between eidetic memory and idiotic memory.

Oh well, fun to watch even if I could never compete. Granted that is how I watch most sports, I am sports challenged. I like them, and like to watch but except for some high school highlights I'm better off on the bench.

[MajordomoTom]

I'd heard that the results/winner had leaked somehow, from stories about offshore bookies who were making odds, taking bets, and were generally happy with how it was going. The betting showed that player "X" was the favorite.

Then, last week, suddenly a very unusual number of bets all emerged, all on player "Y", at max bet limits.

The bookies then decided to stop taking new bets - they know from a pattern when it's been spoiled/leaked.

And no names were mentioned - they thankfully preserved the surprise/winner.

And given how it's going, I can understand what might have happened. It's 1-2-0 in matches right now, and my wife and I would have put money on the one with 0 matches. Very interesting tournament. If this is Trebek's signoff, it's a fantastic way to go.