Switch (game show)

Speed Round

The game begins with a qualifying "speed round" of four questions. Host Hephner asks a question, and the first player to buzz in is allowed to answer. If the contestant is correct, they begin the game at the highest-ranked unoccupied podium (beginning with podium #1), while if the contestant is wrong, they begin at the lowest-ranked unoccupied podium (beginning with #5). Once four podiums are occupied, the last contestant takes the remaining podium.

Round 1

Hephner asks a series of five questions, each with three choices, and the contestants then secretly lock in their answers. Usually, Hephner will then ask one of the contestants what answer they locked in. After the correct answer is given, the question results are revealed. Any contestant who answered the question correctly has their podium light up in green, while a wrong answer lights up their podium in red.

The contestants are then reranked so that the contestants who got that question right are given the highest-ranked podiums in descending order of previous ranking, followed by the contestants who got it wrong in descending order; the contestants then switch their positions (hence the title of the show) if necessary to correspond to their new ranking. (For example, if the contestants at podiums 2 and 4 got the question right, and the contestants at 1, 3, and 5 got it wrong, the contestants that were at 2 and 4 would move up to podiums 1 and 2, respectively, and the contestants that were at 1, 3, and 5 would move down to 3, 4, and 5, respectively).

After five questions, the contestant that occupies podium #5 is eliminated from further play. The remaining four contestants carry their current rankings and podiums into the second round.

Round 2

This round is played similarly to Round 1, with the contestants being asked four questions. The contestant that occupies podium #4 at the end of this round is also eliminated.

Round 3

This round is played similarly, with the contestants being asked three questions. After the third question, the contestant that occupies podium #1 wins $1,000 and plays the "Big Switch" to increase their winnings to $10,000.

The Big Switch

The day's winner begins the round at podium #5. Hephner asks a series of open-ended questions. For each correct answer, the contestant moves up one podium, while for every incorrect answer, the contestant must move down one podium. However, the contestant cannot move back past podium #5. (This is in contrast to the original Belgian version, in which an incorrect answer required the contestant to return to podium #5).

The contestant has 60 seconds to work their way up the podiums in this manner and answer a question correctly while at podium #1. If the contestant is successful, their winnings are increased to $10,000. If not, they leave with their winnings from the main game.