"Jeopardy!" 10/3

Trio of Players:
Erik Dresner (Elmhurst, NY)- Internet marketer
Michelle Princi (Silver Spring, MD)- Government analyst
CHAMP: Sara Lehmann (whose one-day cash winnings total $24,800)

Tonight's First Topics:
WOOD
LITERARY SEQUELS
THE 19th CENTURY
TOON TOWN
STARTS WITH "GH"
MONTH, PLEASE

$3,800's in Sara's bank at halftime, followed by Michelle at $2,200 & Erik w/ $2K. That first Daily Double's hidden somewhere within The 19th Century at round's end...the very last clue gives Sara the chance w/ $6K; Erik's up to second w/ $4,600 after a reverse ruling on his recent incorrect response to close out the theme of Wood & Michelle's got $4K showing. The titleholder makes it a True DD:

A 20th Century Italian dictator was named for this 1860s President of Mexico.

"Who is Benito Juarez?"...up she goes to Lock Game Territory w/ 12 biggies!

UNATTEMPTED LACH TRASH: $1,200 (Month, Please- first & last clues)

Double J! Offers Tonight:
THE COURT OF ELIZABETH I
MOVIE BY OSCAR-WINNING SONG
ARCHIPELAGOS
ROCKET TO ME
13-LETTER WORDS
GRAB A "B"ITE

The final 13-Letter Word has a DD attached & Erik grabs it w/ $11,800; he's $5K behind Sara for first place & Michelle's a distant third for now w/ $5,600. He goes for $3,200 extra on this:

The process of treating rubber w/ sulfur & heat to improve its elasticity & strength.

"What is vulcanization?"...$15K! W/ just its last two clues after that, the $1,200 answer under Archipelagos gives Michelle a DD & she needs to be right on this incoming clue badly, since she has $7,200 compared to Erik's $14,200 & Sara's $16K. Michelle gambles $4K:

Rising to only 206 feet, Mount Alvernia on Cat Island's the highest point in this nation off Florida's SE coast.

"What are The Bahamas?"...that's right to make her new score $11,200!

ATTEMPTED LT: $6,400
UNATTEMPTED LT: $3,200
TOTAL DJ! LT: $9,600

Banks Heading Into Final:
Sara: $17,600
Michelle: $11,200
Erik: $12,200

CORYAT SCORES:
Sara: $12,600
Michelle: $8,400
Erik: $11K

FJ! SUBJECT: Modern Opera.

This opera begins w/ Air Force One landing at Beijing.

Michelle misses w/ "What is 'Miss Saigon'?" & falls to $1,200. Erik wrote down "What is 'Nixon in China'?"...he just won $22,401! Sara finishes at $12K & leaves w/ $26,800.

EPISODE RATING: 7