He is the Man, the Myth, the Legend. 

And the answer is - as nearly three decades of Pilot alumni know - De La Salle Collegiate’s own Mr. Thaier Mukhtar. 

Mukhtar began the school’s annual Jeopardy Tournament in the last century, during the winter of 1998. While the score keeping has evolved from a simple chalkboard to a computer program displaying the points, the concept Mukhtar pioneered has remained. 

The after-school games, which begin January 7, 2025, feature four teams at a time, in either the upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) or lowerclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) divisions. 

The four-man teams compete only once during the first round, and the winning team from each grouping moves to the second round, which typically begins in February. 

The competition continues until the top two teams in each division are represented in the finals; each of the four finalist teams is guaranteed a prize.

The prizes include sports tickets for Michigan, Michigan State University, Pistons, Red Wings, or Tiger games, generously donated by various alumni, as well as DLS-based items such as homecoming or prom tickets, parking spots for the 2025-2026 school year, and a variety of gift cards. 

Mukhtar says the students quickly learn to put together a well-rounded group with a variety of interests and “expertise.” 

The questions include typical high school subjects such as history, science, and math, along with cultural categories like movies, famous people, TV, and sports.

Mukhtar creates questions geared toward the division, with easier questions for the freshmen and sophomores. While he teaches Social Studies, he has a “feel” for what the students know in most subject areas. 

“I want these young men to enjoy themselves and not feel ‘lost’ during the competition,” he said. 

Senior Noah Dudus has competed since his freshman year, when his team won, and he is looking forward to his “swan song.” 

“Jeopardy has been a lot of fun,” Noah says. “It gets your adrenalin going when you’re wagering during Final Jeopardy, and it’s fun to connect with the guys on your team.” 

Noah says his “specialties” include sports and geography. 

Mukhtar has entrants indicate any involvement in winter sports; he works to schedule those teams so students won’t miss their competition slot. 

And there is always a one-day teacher competition sometime in February. 

In 2024, there were 74 (296 students) four-man teams, with the seniors leading the way with 22 teams in 2024. 

The registration deadline is December 17, 2024. Entry forms are available on Mukhtar’s classroom door: Room 328.