Wipeout (1988 game show)

First round

Three contestants competed on each episode. Initially, each game featured three new contestants. After several weeks, a returning champion and two new contestants competed.

The contestants were given a category and shown 16 possible answers on a four-by-four grid of monitors. Eleven answers were correct, while the five incorrect ones were referred to as "wipeouts". The contestant in the leftmost position began the game and selected one of the sixteen answers. If correct, the contestant could either choose to give another answer or pass to the next contestant in line. Each correct answer was worth an increasing amount of money, with the first correct answer earning $25 and each subsequent one being worth $25 more, up to $275 for the eleventh and final answer. However, if the contestant chose an answer that was a wipeout, he/she lost control and any money accumulated during his/her turn.

The round ended once all eleven correct answers were found or if all five wipeouts had been selected. The two contestants with the highest money totals kept their earnings and continued on, while the third place contestant left with consolation prizes. If there was a tie for low score, the tied contestants were given a new category and shown 12 answers (eight correct, four wipeouts). They alternated choosing one answer at a time, with a coin toss to decide who would start, and the first contestant to find a wipeout was eliminated. If all eight correct answers were found, the contestant who gave the last one advanced.

One of the eleven correct answers was referred to as the "Hot Spot", with a bonus prize attached to it. Once the Hot Spot was uncovered, Tomarken would take a token from inside his podium and place it on the desk of the contestant that found it. In order to win the Hot Spot prize, a contestant had to both be in possession of the token at the end of the round and have a high enough score to advance to the Challenge Round. If the contestant holding the Hot Spot uncovered a wipeout, the token was taken away and another answer was designated as the Hot Spot.

Challenge round

The two remaining contestants advanced to the Challenge Round, playing for a bonus prize and to become the day's champion.

For each category in the Challenge around, the contestants were shown a board with 12 answers, eight correct and four wipeouts, and they bid back and forth as to how many correct answers they thought they could name. Bidding ended when one contestant either reached the maximum of eight or challenged the other. If the high bidder successfully completed the bid, he/she won the board. One mistake allowed the opponent a chance to steal the board by giving one of the remaining correct answers still on the board. If the opponent could not do so, the high bidder was given another chance to fulfill his/her bid.

The Challenge Round was played as a best two-of-three. The high scorer from the first round started the bidding on the first (and, if necessary, third) board, while his/her opponent led off for the second.

Bonus round

In the bonus round, the champion faced a grid of twelve monitors, six of which displayed answers that fit into a specific category. The champion was given sixty seconds to find them, making selections by touching each monitor to light them. Once six monitors were lit, the champion ran to a buzzer to lock them in. If all six of the choices were correct, the champion won a car. If not, he/she was told how many answers were correct and went back to the board to make changes, which required the champion to turn off any previously lit monitors before selecting new ones.

The process continued until the champion either found all six correct answers to win the car or ran out of time. Beginning with the introduction of carryover champions later in 1988, a contestant would be able to continue as champion until either being defeated or winning the bonus round.