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Dan Pawson's sixth appearance on "Jeopardy!" was a close game, but the legislative aide at the State House pulled through with shrewd, albeit risky, moves to win again, bringing his cash prize total to $126,101.
Pawson, an Allston resident and legislative director for Senator Bruce Tarr, Republican of Gloucester, said the money will go toward paying off his student loans and starting a family. The 26-year-old and his wife are expecting their first child any day.
"We're starting a house down-payment fund," Pawson said last night after the show aired. "And keeping some money around for unexpected baby costs."
He was not allowed to say if his winning streak would continue on tonight's show, which airs at 7:30 p.m. on WSBK-TV (Channel 38). His stint on "Jeopardy!" was filmed in September and October, though it is just now airing.
In previous games, Pawson had taken the lead early on and held it thanks to a quick trigger finger on the buzzer. Last night, he played an experienced opponent: Jason Thweatt, who coaches an academic competition team at Virginia Tech.
"It's not easy to go up against those college quiz bowl coaches. It's somebody whose job it is to write and read trivia," Pawson said.
"We were pretty much equal on the buzzer," he added.
Pawson took back the lead from Thweatt in the waning minutes by solving the last Double Jeopardy clue.
Ahead by only $800, Pawson's chance to return to the game show would rest on Final Jeopardy. The category was aviation history.
"I don't know squat about aviation history," Pawson said.
He resorted to a risky strategy: counting on his opponents to be unable to solve the clue. He said Thweatt had trouble coming up with puns throughout the game, and they are often the solutions to Final Jeopardy clues.
Pawson wagered $799. If Thweatt was correct, Pawson would lose. If neither of them knew the answer, Pawson would win.
Sure enough, none of the three contestants could pose the question for the final clue: "He was the 118th man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean." (The solution: Who was Charles Lindbergh?)
Pawson won and ensured a spot on tonight's episode.
"The advantage of being in first going into Final Jeopardy is that you control your fate, and I gave that up," Pawson said. "It worked out, so I guess it was a good risk."
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
