I just watched the March 20th episode of Jeopardy! on the DVR. (I’m a little backed up.) I think I may have found an error in one of the clues.

The category was Battle Cries and the $2000 clue was as follows:

“Per Shakespeare, the British battle cry in this Oct. 25, 1415 battle was ‘God for Harry! England & Saint George!’”

The response given was “What is the Battle of Agincourt?” This was accepted as correct. However, I believe this question has no correct answer.

The Battle of Agincourt is depicted in Shakespeare’s Henry V, and the date in the clue is the correct date of the battle. But the quote comes from an earlier scene in the play, before Henry’s troops take Harfleur. The more famous St. Crispin’s Day speech is given before the Battle of Agincourt later in the play.

I imagine there is a lot of pressure being a writer for this show. If you’re interested in the topic, Ken Jennings just posted to his blog an interview he did with former writer Carlo Panno, which you can read here and here.

Last night, Ken Jennings of Jeopardy! fame had a book signing event at the Barnes & Noble in Chelsea. There were probably around eighty people there. Ken spoke for a bit and took some questions from the audience. Then he hosted an informal trivia game, giving away a free copy of his new book, Ken Jennings’s Trivia Almanac, to the two winners.

After the event, he was signing books. He signed my free copy of the Trivia Almanac “To Bill — The Chelsea Barnes & Noble Trivia Champ!”

I mentioned that I was a regular reader of his blog and poster to his message board. He didn’t recognize the name, understandably, but when I said “Shakespeare Teacher” he lit up. He told me that he had been to the blog and was in admiration of the 3-D Pic Tac Toe puzzles. He told me “I wouldn’t have thought that was possible.” I had a good comeback. “I wouldn’t have thought it was possible to win 74 consecutive games of Jeopardy!”

I asked if he would sign my copy of his first book, Braniac, and he signed it “To Bill — My Pic Tac Toe Guru!” which absolutely made my day.

In person, Ken turns out to be exactly the nice down-to-earth guy you’d expect him to be from his public persona. It was a great pleasure to meet him.

I grew up reading Games magazine, so I was delighted when Ken Jennings posted a good old “Pic Tac Toe” on his blog. But when he recently posted a plea for others to do likewise, I thought it would be a good time to bring Conundrum out of its summer hibernation.

In a “Pic Tac Toe” puzzle, there are nine pictures in a three-by-three grid, like Tic-Tac-Toe. In each row, column, and diagonal, there is a common theme that unites the three pictures. The challenge is to find the eight themes.

You can click on each image to see a larger version:

I don’t have a message board like Ken has, so just post whatever you come up with in the comments section.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Correct themes provided by Annalisa (4) and DeLisa (2). Alternate theme suggested by DeLisa (1). See comments for all answers.

Ken Jennings says:

True confession: when celebrity deaths come in threes, as with Ingmar Bergman, Bill Walsh, and Tom Snyder yesterday, I like to imagine the deceased shooting each other in a three-way standoff, like at the end of Reservoir Dogs.

That’s funny. For me, when celebrity deaths come in threes, I like to make up jokes about the three of them arriving at the Pearly Gates at the same time.

Anybody want to take a crack at this one?

Since we’ve been talking about Ken Jennings and Jeopardy, I’ve been thinking about the Cheers episode “What is…Cliff Clavin?” in which Cliff Clavin, a postal carrier who lives with his mother, goes on Jeopardy. As a bar know-it-all, Cliff’s reputation and self-image are on the line. Guest star Alex Trebek reads off the categories:

CIVIL SERVANTS
STAMPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MOTHERS AND SONS
BEER
BAR TRIVIA
CELIBACY

And then Cliff knows this is his game. This is his dream board.

What’s your dream board on Jeopardy? You could answer this question in two different ways. You could either choose the six categories you’re strongest in, and that you would most like to see if you were an actual contenstant on Jeopardy. (I’m pretty good with questions about Shakespeare.) Or, as in the example above, you could create a mini-autobiography by choosing six categories that sum up your personality and interests. Or maybe that’s the same list.

What categories would be on your “dream board”?

First, read the rules of the game.

This week’s challenge is Jeopardy champion and Brainiac Ken Jennings.

I was able to link Ken Jennings to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees or fewer, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, May 17.

Good luck!

And congratulations to DeLisa for winning last week’s challenge by linking Jimmy Wales to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees:

Jimmy Wales > Ayn Rand > Fyodor Dostoevsky > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Jimmy Wales is a follower of the Objectivist philosophy developed by Ayn Rand, who was heavily influenced by Fyodor Dostoevsky, who was heavily influenced by William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

I am home to the new kids and Jenny’s proud song;
I help children build castles, but nothing too strong;
I’m the end of a question Ken Jennings got wrong;
And a way to tell actors just where they belong.

Who am I?

UPDATE: Riddle solved by DeLisa. See comments for answer.