KenJen Knew, Do You?

Scientists interested in learning more about the effects of time warps on the human brain should study Ken Jennings, the Salt Lake City software engineer and winningest game-show contestant in TV history. Until Tuesday, he’d been living in TV time, not letting on that his 75-game, $2.5-million “Jeopardy!” streak had petered out in September.

“I’ve been as much in suspense as everyone else about this whole thing,” Jennings said last month.

Meanwhile, the blog kottke.org was stirring up trouble with “Jeopardy!” in real time by reporting that Jennings lost in his 75th episode (true), that he missed both Daily Doubles in Double Jeopardy (true), that the Final Jeopardy topic was “Companies and Corporations” (false: it was “Business and Industry”), that he lost by $1 (false) to Sharon (false) from Ventura (true) who won $14,401 (true), that Jennings got a standing ovation after his loss (true), and that the last episode would air at the end of October (obviously false).

Jennings had a better track record: In five months of broadcasts, he answered nearly 92% of his questions correctly -- about 2,700 in all. “Jeopardy!” producers sent us 10 they considered the most difficult. KenJen got them right. Can you?

1. Classical Composers: Around 1915, Debussy composed 12 etudes in memory of this Polish-French composer.

2. Mideast: In 2003 after a struggle, the British gained control of this southern Iraqi city, the country’s main port.

3. Astronomy: Jupiter’s feature called this is really a windstorm raging at around 250 mph and large enough to cover two Earths.

4. Sports: Its solo female winner is awarded the Venus Rosewater Dish.

5. 1950s TV: During the 1955-56 season, its episodes included “Alice and the Blond” and “Bensonhurst Bomber.”

6. U.S. Cities: The title of this novel by Edith Wharton doesn’t refer to an actual home; it’s from Ecclesiastes 7:4.

7. Aquatic Life: This largest of the seals is larger than a walrus.

8. Women in Sports: In 1996 on an injured ankle, she did a final vault that helped the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team win the gold medal.

9. Ships: The Mary Rose, a warship built for this British king, sank in 1545 and was raised in 1982.

10. Law Review: In the plea known by this two-word phrase, the defendant doesn’t admit or deny the charges.

Answers: 1. Who was Frederic Chopin? 2. What is Basra? 3. What is the Great Red Spot? 4. What is Wimbledon? 5. What is “The Honeymooners”? 6. What is “The House of Mirth”? 7.What is the (southern) elephant seal? 8. Who is Kerri Strug? 9. Who is Henry VIII? 10. What is nolo contendere?

-- Michael Soller