Final Jeopardy for Moscow man

MOSCOW - Let's play a little "Jeopardy."

The category: Best kept secrets.

The clue: In excess of $153,800.

The answer in the form of a question: How much money did University of Idaho student Mark Runsvold ultimately make on America's favorite television game show?

Prior to his fifth taped appearance on "Jeopardy" Thursday evening, Runsvold was still keeping a tight lip.

"I believe it would be a breach of contract," the 25-year-old international studies student said of disclosing his final winnings before the 7 p.m. show finished airing.

"Since it taped in March, I've kind of developed techniques for deflecting the questions," Runsvold said. "And, at this point, I've gotten so good at it that it's not as bothersome. But I think keeping any big secret like that kind of wears on you."

Suffice it to say, Runsvold, a waiter-server at Nectar restaurant in Moscow, had already collected enough money to leave him a bit dumbfounded about what he might do with it all.

"It's going to give me options."

He'd won $21,201, $48,000, $55,000 and $29,599, respectively, on previous episodes.

"Most of it is going to be put away," Runsvold said. "And I've got some student loan debt. Maybe get a car, not a new one."

As the Thursday night show approached, Runsvold talked calmly about the burgeoning "viewing parties" each night at Nectar. "I worked through it. But the customers were watching."

He also took time for some introspection, pausing to contemplate the roots of his success.

"It's kind of a chicken-egg thing," he said. "Did I expose myself to this kind of stuff because I was interested? Or did I get interested because my parents kind of immersed me?" He said "Jeopardy" was on the family television almost every night when he was young and perhaps the show triggered an innate talent.

"I've always been curious to learn more about things that I come across. And I remember that stuff really well." A Boise-area native, Runsvold was allowed to share the winnings secret with his family and two friends who accompanied him to the taping sessions. But no one else.

Like all "Jeopardy" contestants, Runsvold took the quiz show's online test. He got called for an audition in May and was notified in February he'd been selected as a contestant. The shows were taped in March after Runsvold spent most of his waking hours boning up, calculating percentages of questions and categories, learning his strengths and weaknesses.

Curiously enough, a category about television almost took him down. "I don't watch much TV," he said, "but I try to stay aware of what's out there. I had no clue on three out of the five."

Reaction time is also key to winning, Runsvold said. "If you are able to buzz in ahead of everybody and get half of the questions, that would be an incredible Jeopardy game."

As for the recent spate of marriage proposals, Runsvold said he doesn't think any were made with serious intentions. "I don't think so. I hope not."

In the meantime, he said he has no inclination to quit his day job. "I started here (at Nectar) a year ago as a dishwasher and then gradually worked my way out of doing that. I started serving in October."

His success on Jeopardy, however, has him looking to the future. "Law school is plan A," he said. "I'm going to apply other places, but the more I looked into it, UI is an incredible school."

While he's always received high grades and competed in Quiz Bowl and the National Geography Bee, Runsvold said he doesn't see himself as an intellectual. "You just have to be a certain kind of geek," he said. "Your brain has to work in a certain way."

Runsvold lost in his fifth Jeopardy contest broadcast Thursday night, finishing in third place.

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Johnson may be contacted at djohnson@lmtribune.com or (208) 883-0564.