Print21 Mastermind rockets into this week's final

Print21 labels and industrial editor Jake Nelson has blitzed his way into the weekly final for Mastermind Australia.

Draped in a towel in honour of his special subject, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy novels, Nelson won his way through Monday night’s heat in a nailbiting finish that sent him to the weekly final, to air on Friday night.

“It was really close, the others put up a great fight,” he said. “You’re never sure of your final score until you actually hear Jennifer Byrne read it, so I wasn’t sure myself up until the end.”

Mastermind comprises two rounds of rapid-fire questions in the show’s iconic black chair: one on a special subject selected by the contestant, and one on general knowledge; the winner is the player with the highest total score after both rounds.

“General knowledge was the hard part – you can’t study for it, because you don’t know what you’re going to get. All you can do is cross your fingers and hope for questions you know,” said Nelson.

“On the other hand, your special subject round is where you get to have the most fun. I love Hitchhiker’s and have read the series probably way too many times, so that did help.”

Nelson’s weekly final, airing Friday at 6pm on SBS, will see him tested on one round of Australiana and another round of general knowledge. His Monday night heat can be viewed at SBS On Demand.