S2·E368 1986-02-05

Episode recap

The February 5, 1986 broadcast of Jeopardy! marked the 368th episode of the series’ second season. The program followed the familiar format of the American quiz competition created by Merv Griffin, in which three contestants are presented with general‑knowledge clues phrased as answers and must respond in the form of a question. The episode’s three competitors were Paul Rouffa, Steve Wenrick, and Judy Hedden, who faced one another across the three rounds that define the show’s structure.

As with every installment, the episode opened with the iconic introduction of host Alex Trebek, who guided the contestants through the Jeopardy! round, the Double Jeopardy! round, and the concluding Final Jeopardy! segment. Johnny Gilbert provided his customary voice‑over announcements, introducing the categories and reading the clues. The production also featured the regular behind‑the‑scenes staff listed for the series, including Jimmy McGuire, Kelly Miyahara, and Sarah Whitcomb, who appear in the program’s credits.

During the Jeopardy! round, Rouffa, Wenrick, and Hedden selected clues from six categories, each clue carrying a monetary value that increased with difficulty. Correct responses added the value of the clue to the contestant’s score, while incorrect answers deducted the same amount. The Double Jeopardy! round introduced higher‑value clues and the option to place Daily Doubles, allowing a contestant to wager any or all of their accumulated total on a single response. Throughout both rounds, the three competitors demonstrated knowledge across a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from literature and history to science and popular culture, as is typical of the series.

The episode concluded with the Final Jeopardy! question, in which each contestant wrote a response and wagered a portion of their score before the answer was revealed. The final scores determined the winner, who would return as champion for the next episode. While the specific outcomes and monetary totals for Rouffa, Wenrick, and Hedden are not detailed in the available synopsis, the episode adhered to the established rules and pacing of the long‑running game show, delivering another instance of the quick‑fire trivia competition that has defined Jeopardy! since its debut.