A: A Honesdale substitute teacher and graduate of Tamaqua Area High School's 1987 class, he appeared on the Jan. 4 episode of "Jeopardy."

Q: Who is Richard Betz?Betz was one of a select few to partake in a game of Jeopardy, with his episode airing on Wednesday night. Around 75,000 people apply to be on the show each year, with only about 400 selected. Betz, a longtime fan, was shocked to be part of the experience."I was one of those people who shouted the answers at the television," he said, noting that he'd been watching since childhood.When it was announced that the show was scouting for contestants, Betz jumped at the chance. First came the online test, a 50-question exam where a participant only gets around 15 seconds to answer."Some of my students asked me, 'Can't you just look it up on Google?' " Betz said with a laugh.But as a man of education with teaching in his blood - his late father, Robert, was a member of the Tamaqua School Board for 35 years - he was ready for the challenge.Making the cutIf you make the cut, you get to attend an in-person 50-question exam. Betz has been to three - in Philadelphia, Mount Airy Casino, and the Mohegan Sun in Wilkes-Barre.There's also a mock game that not only tests your trivia knowledge, but your television presence."They give you a little chit-chat, like Alex does, to give them an idea about your personality," Betz said.Selected people are put in a contestant pool that lasts for around 18 months. During that time frame, you could be contacted to appear on the show. Betz had assumed that he had passed out of his eligibility window when the phone rang - he was going to be on "Jeopardy."So what did he do to prepare? Hit the books? Take practice exams? Betz is part of a pub trivia group, so did he run through some games with them?"I didn't study any material for the game," Betz said. "It was like, 'This is what I've got, and this is what I'm taking.' "The only issue that came up revolved around funding - contestants must pay for their own transportation expenses and lodging. A good friend told him that the experience would be worth it - even at the expense of a maxed-out credit card, if necessary.After some time filling out paperwork and going through the ins-and-outs of the show, regulations, and so on, it was time for the big day. Anxiety was surely setting in."It was actually pretty comfortable," Betz said. "Trivia is my thing. Now, I would probably be horrible at something like 'Wheel of Fortune,' but that's just not my thing."As for the set, Betz reports that it is just about exactly as it appears on the television broadcast. That is, except for what goes on behind the podiums."It turns out that in the studio, behind the podiums are these little elevators on the floor, to adjust it so that everyone is the same height," he said.When it came time to question the answers, Betz wasn't quite able to make it to final Jeopardy - he placed third and received a $1,000 prize - but he still had fun with it."Hey, that's the way it goes," Betz said. "I got some tricky categories and wasn't as quick with the buzzer. But I was glad I did it, glad I went there and had my little moment with Alex."The questionsWhen it comes to tricky questions, Betz said he was caught off-guard with one from the "Badly Worded Phrases" category - while the seemingly correct response was, "What is 'woke up on the wrong side of the bed,' he went with a more localized response."I don't know why I changed the verb. It's the moment, it happens fast, but saying someone 'slept on the wrong side of the bed" is a common phrase to me and means the same thing to a Skook native," he said.Afterward, Betz got to check out some California attractions with his good friend Simon Knox, who accompanied him on the trip."It was a really good trip, unlike anything I've ever done before," he said.No matter the outcome of the show, Betz had a nice time catching the episode with some friends on Wednesday evening."I did watch the episode, believe it or not, with my hand-bell choir, the Joyful Ringers of Hawley United Methodist Church," Betz said. "We always have our annual holiday party post New Year's because it's so hectic for everyone before that. My choir are very good friends and have been incredibly supportive and encouraging to me. They intentionally planned the party for last night so it could be a viewing party as well."Betz said that his family and friends were very supportive of him before, during, and after the experience, including daughters Rachael, and Andrea, in Hometown; his mother, Ruth, in Tamaqua; and his sister, Elaine Jones, in the Mahoning Valley.And yes, he did manage to swing by for trivia night at Boathouse Restaurant in Tafton after the party. Trivia is Betz's thing, after all.As far as "Jeopardy" goes, Betz was just happy he got the opportunity to participate. When it comes to any advice about getting on the show, or what to do once you're there, he keeps it simple."If you can try out, do it, and don't worry about the rest of it," Betz said.