It is an honor and a privilege as the NC delegate to GSNN to welcome you back to my neck of the woods, Raleigh, North Carolina, for week two of Jeopardy!'s 2005 College Championship. Nine collegians have made it this far, but at the end of Friday's show, there will only be one. That one will win a nice trophy, an even nicer check, $100,000, and an even nicer than that berth in the next Tournament of Champions for a quarter-mill. No more wild cards or second chances this go around... It's win... or go home.

The second place winner is guaranteed at least $50,000 and third-place is ensured $25,000. All of this week's semifinalists are guaranteed at least $10,000. Any and all monies, as always, depend on how far the player moves up the bracket.

So far, Jayanth Iyengar of Washington-St. Louis and Nico Martinez of Stanford are in for the final. One slot remains to be decided... tonight.

BETH CIMINI East Longmeadow, MA Junior, Boston Univ.	PETER ELLIS Cary, NC Senior, North Carolina St.	ADAM PINSON Pinson, AL Senior, Alabama-Birmingham

Jeopardy! categories: Quick Moby-Dick, People, Stock Up, Computer Gaming, State Intelligence, History Crossword Clues "M".

Daily Double: $1000 Quick Moby-Dick. Peter ($3000 to Adam's $4200 and Beth's $800) bets $1200 to tie Adam. The clue: the biblical prophet who's the subject of Chapter 83. Peter's response: "Who is Jonah?" Correct for $4200.

End of round:
Beth - $2400
Peter - $4200
Adam - $6400

Double Jeopardy! categories: Around the World, From Page to Screen, A Very Special Pulitzer Prize, State Objects & Symbols, Train-ing Day, 12-Letter Words

Daily Double #1: $1600 Around the World. Adam ($11,600 over Peter's $7400 and Beth's $1600) fronts $2000. The clue as delivered by Jimmy: the Aswan High Dam gave Egyptians control over this annual event, which dominated ancient agriculture. Adam's response: "What is the flooding of the Nile?" Correct for $13,600.

Daily Double #2: $2000 12-Letter Words. Adam ($17,200 over Peter's $10,600 and Beth's $1200) fronts $2800. The clue: term for the fear or hatred of Gallic culture. Adam's response: "What is an anglophobe?" Only ten. Correct response: "What is francophobia?" Adam drops to $14,400.

End of round:
Beth - $2400
Peter - $11,400
Adam - $13,200

Beth can still play spoiler if Peter bets everything and Adam bets about $10,000. It all depends on who'll do the math and who'll get it right.

Final Jeopardy! category: Word Origins. The clue: this word meaning "complete range" comes from the 3rd Greek better, which used to be the low end of the musical scale. Correct response: What is gamut?

Beth's question: What is gamma range? (WRONG) Wager: $2399. Final score: $1.
Peter's question: What gammut? (sic, RIGHT) Wager: $6000. Final score: $17,400.
Adam's question: What is gamut? (RIGHT) Wager: $5000. Final score: $18,200. FINALIST

IT WAS OVER WHEN...  the responses were revealed. Peter and Adam played way too conservatively for a semifinal game, and Beth choked completely. Still a win is a win, and Adam, having pissed off most of the audience (myself exempted, of course), takes a shot at the $100,000 alongside Jayanth and Nico.

If we're using UTOC comparisons, Nico = Brad, Adam = Ken, and Jayanth = Jerome. But then again, a lot can happen in two days. See you then!