Elkins Park, PA
Unemployed
Mere said this contestant has been training non-stop and hopes to be "the best we've ever had" Mere asked Ryan about his preparation.
Ryan said he has seen 27 of the past 30 (Oscar) Best Pictures. There is a book "8,888 trivia questions in 365 days" and Ryan read about 7000 of them in four days. "I think I forgot third grade but everything else is totally" jammed in there (pointing to his head).
Topic Tree (pre-randomized):
10 Christmas Math
9 Deep Secret
8 Indirect Inventions
7 Taking Measurements
6 Cheap Chic
5 The Sounds of Music
4 Serious Yogurt
3 Tube Talk
2 Online Search
1 French History
Topic Tree: (Randomized)
3 Tube Talk
9 Deep Secret
7 Taking Measurements
4 Serious Yogurt
6 Cheap Chic
10 Christmas Math
5 The Sounds of Music
8 Indirect Inventions
2 Online Search
1 French History
Question 1 - Level 1 French History
A 12th-century French king who lacked the ability to mount a horse on his own, Louis VI was known by what nickname?
A. Louis the Wise B. Louis the Hairy
C. Louis the Fat D. Louis the Messy
Spoiler
Ryan figured it out based on the inability to mount a horse
Answer and value
C. Louis the Fat
Value: $3000
Bank: $3000
Value: $3000
Bank: $3000
A Vermont company that sells what equipment has a nationwide database on its website for users to "Find a Hill"?
A. Ice skates B. Trampolines
C. Sleds D. Kites
Spoiler
Ryan also figured this on the clue in the question
Answer and value
C. Sleds
Value: $2000
Bank: $5000
Value: $2000
Bank: $5000
Because he advocated using spirituality to heal alcoholism, what famous thinker is credited with indirectly developing Alcoholics Anonymous?
A. Carl Jung B. L. Ron Hubbard
C. Mahatma Gandhi D. Alfred Adler
JTQ 1
Ryan was not sure and undecided between C and D
Answer and value
A. Carl Jung
Value: $5000 jumped
Bank: $5000
Value: $5000 jumped
Bank: $5000
Question 4 - Level 5 The Sounds of Music
A painting on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame, "The Sources of Country Music" shows musicians only playing what?
A. Brass instruments B. Percussion instruments
C. String instruments D. Woodwind instruments
Spoiler
Ryan figured country musicians play guitar and that none of the other options made sense. He wasn't completely confident, but went for string instruments.
Answer and value
C. String instruments
Value: $25K!
Bank: $30K
Value: $25K!
Bank: $30K
Commercial break
Mere introduced Ryan's father Dan.
Mere asked if any of the trivia that Ryan studied has come up yet. No.
Question 5 - Level 10 Christmas Math
In the holiday carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas," how many different birds does the singer receive on the final day?
A. 15 B. 19
C. 23 D. 28
pre-ATA
Ryan came up with and added, out loud, the three french hens, two turtle doves, and partridge in a pear tree. Six.
He came up with "Four Lords a Leaping" and struggled to remember the rest of the song. He thought eight geese-a-laying which would make 14.
He decided to ATA.
He came up with "Four Lords a Leaping" and struggled to remember the rest of the song. He thought eight geese-a-laying which would make 14.
He decided to ATA.
ATA
A-9% B-14% C-59% D-18%
post-ATA
Ryan struggled more then decided to trust the audience
Answer and value
C. 23
(Seven Swans-a-swimming, Six Geese-a-laying, Four Calling Birds, Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree)
Value: $7000
Bank: $37000
(Seven Swans-a-swimming, Six Geese-a-laying, Four Calling Birds, Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves, and a Partridge in a Pear Tree)
Value: $7000
Bank: $37000
Question 6 - Level 6 Cheap Chic
Because of the species of its mascot, when Target's website crashes it often displays what word on its error screen?
A. Woof B. Quack
C. Meow D. Moo
Answer and value
A. Woof
Value: $15K
Bank: $52K
Value: $15K
Bank: $52K
Question 7 - Level 4 Serious Yogurt
Angry over their government's finance policies, in 2011 protesters in what country started hurling yogurt at police?
A. Portugal B. Ireland
C. Italy D. Greece
Spoiler
Ryan mentioned Greece as the one in the worst financial shape of them all and based his guess on that.
After Ryan answered, Mere said if you go into any supermarket you'll see so much Greek yogurt all over the place
After Ryan answered, Mere said if you go into any supermarket you'll see so much Greek yogurt all over the place
Answer and value
D. Greece
Value: $500
Bank: $52500
Value: $500
Bank: $52500
Question 8 - Level 7 Taking Measurements
A marigraph is a device that measures what?
A. Lava temperatures B. Cloud speeds
C. Tide levels D. Tree circumferences
JTQ 2
Ryan tried to reason it out, "mari" could be maritime making it sea levels and his gut feeling was C.
Ryan went over the other choices and said he can talk himself to any answer but can't talk himself into this one even though he is leaning C and it is "probably going to glow green"
Mere expressed hope that Ryan did not jump over the $10K
Ryan went over the other choices and said he can talk himself to any answer but can't talk himself into this one even though he is leaning C and it is "probably going to glow green"
Mere expressed hope that Ryan did not jump over the $10K
Answer and value
C. Tide levels
Value: $100
Bank: $52500
Value: $100
Bank: $52500
For many years, which of these TV journalists was suspected of being the Watergate informant known as Deep Throat?
A. Barbara Walters B. Dan Rather
C. Diane Sawyer D. Ted Koppel
Spoiler
Ryan said that it is commonly known that Deep Throat in the movie was a guy
Ryan was thinking Dan Rather but was worried about Ted Koppel
Ryan said he wanted to go for it and he came to play. "B, Dan Rather..."
Mere asked final?
Ryan said no, thought more and decided he just could not go ahead with it. Ryan walked with $26,250.
Mere confirmed final and immediately said she was glad he walked since the person who worked in the Nixon administration was... (answer below)
Ryan was thinking Dan Rather but was worried about Ted Koppel
Ryan said he wanted to go for it and he came to play. "B, Dan Rather..."
Mere asked final?
Ryan said no, thought more and decided he just could not go ahead with it. Ryan walked with $26,250.
Mere confirmed final and immediately said she was glad he walked since the person who worked in the Nixon administration was... (answer below)
Answer and value
C. Diane Sawyer
Value: not shown
Bank: $26,250 (walk)
Value: not shown
Bank: $26,250 (walk)