S5·E55 Show #970, 1988 Tournament of Champions final game 2.

Episode recap

The episode aired as part of the 1988 Tournament of Champions, the second game of the final showdown that determined the champion of the season‑long competition. The broadcast featured three returning contestants: Mark Lowenthal, Sandra Gore, and Bruce Naegeli. As with every installment of the series, the program followed the standard three‑round format that has defined the show since its 1984 debut. In the opening Jeopardy! round each player selected clues from six categories, each presented as an answer that required a phrased question in response. Correct responses added the dollar value of the clue to the contestant’s score, while incorrect answers deducted the same amount. The round also included a single Daily Double, a hidden clue that allowed the holder to wager any portion of their accumulated total before responding.

The Double Jeopardy! round repeated the structure with doubled clue values and two Daily Doubles hidden among the board. Contestants continued to buzz in after the host read each clue, attempting to out‑score their opponents while managing risk on the Daily Doubles. Throughout both rounds the three competitors demonstrated the breadth of knowledge typical of Tournament of Champions participants, covering topics ranging from literature and history to science and popular culture.

At the conclusion of Double Jeopardy! the scores were tallied, and the three players proceeded to the Final Jeopardy! segment. A single clue was presented, and each contestant wrote a wager based on their standing before the host read the answer. After the clue was revealed, the players had thirty seconds to write their responses in the form of a question. The final scores, incorporating any correct wagers, determined the overall winner of the two‑game final.

The episode concluded with the host announcing the final totals and awarding the champion the tournament prize. The broadcast exemplified the competitive intensity and intellectual rigor that the Tournament of Champions brings to the long‑running quiz format, highlighting the skill of Mark Lowenthal, Sandra Gore, and Bruce Naegeli as they vied for the title.