| Host | |
| Dick Clark | |
| Announcer | |
| Mark Thompson | |
| Broadcast | |
  | |
| Packager | |
| Dick Clark Productions | |
"50 child geniuses, ages 12 and under face the ultimate mental challenge as we find out who is the smartest kid in America on CHALLENGE OF THE CHILD GENIUSES! And now, here's your host, the star who’s gonna make the last for our show, tonight’s guest, Dick Clark!"
Challenge of the Child Geniuses (II): Who is The Smartest Kid in America? was a quiz show special where 50 child prodigies (40 in the November special) selected from a nationwide search competed for over $500,000 ($300,000 in the November special) in cash and prizes.
Gameplay[]
The first round was a test of knowledge. Host Clark asked the kids a series of multiple-choice questions. The kids had 10 seconds to lock in their answers on a keypad in front of them. After 10 seconds, Clark revealed the correct answer and the home audience saw percentages of the kids who correctly answered the question and those who did not.
After this round, the kids' scores on this round and the pre-show test were combined, and the 10 kids (16 kids in the November special) with the highest combined scores advanced to the next round. All others left with a personal handheld computer (and in the May special, a $500 savings bond).
May Special[]
Face-Off[]
The 10 survivors from round one competed two at a time in a head-to-head knowledge test. Host Clark asked a question. Any time the kids knew the correct answer, they could ring in. If they correctly answered the question, they scored a point. If they were not correct or failed to answer within two seconds after ringing in, their opponent scored the point. First to score five points advanced to the next round. The fifth point could not be earned by default; if a player had four points and their opponent missed a question, the other player would get to hear the entire question before answering. The losing player left with a digital camera along with the computer and savings bond.
One-on-One[]
Each of the 5 remaining players would individually answer a series of questions while their opponents were isolated off-stage. They had one minute to answer each question. They coule ask for multiple-choice options for a maximum of three questions. Each correct answer earned a point, but a third incorrect answer ended their round immediately. Correctly answering every question in a set awarded the player a $5,000 cash bonus. The three top scorers would advance to the next round, while the others left with a 7-day family cruise vacation for four to Florida and the Bahamas in addition to the first three prizes.
Semi-Final[]
The three survivors competed as a group. The kids were asked individual questions from categories randomly selected. Correct answers still earned a point. The first two challengers to reach five points advanced to the finals. The other received a trust fund valued at $50,000 in addition to the prizes.
Finals[]
The two winners squared off against each other for the championship. The kids were asked a series of questions from six categories (Science, Math, Literature, History, Spelling, Geography), each one randomly selected. The difference was that correct answers scored nothing. The only way to score points was to correctly answer a question that their opponent missed, with one point awarded for doing so. The first to score five points won the top trust fund prize of $300,000 in addition to the prizes and the title of "The Smartest Kid in America". The other finalist received a $100,000 trust fund along with the prizes.
November Special[]
Rounds 2-4 were split into two heats, with each heat played during each of the two hours of the specials.
Face-Off[]
This was played similarly to the May special, with the eight of survivors from Round 1 competing two at a time. The required score to win was decreased to three points. The losing player left with a digital camera and computer.
Round 3[]
Four of the survivors from the Face-Off competed as a group. The kids were asked individual questions from categories randomly selected. Correct answers still earned a point. The first two challengers to reach three points advanced to the semi-finals. The others left with a big screen television, the digital camera and the computer.
Semi-Final Round[]
Two of the semi-finalists competed for the right to play in the finals. The kids were asked different questions from six categories, each one randomly selected. A correct answer still earned a point. An incorrect answer or no answer meant the opponent could steal the point by correctly answering that same question. The first to reach five points advanced to the finals. The other player left with a $25,000 trust fund and a trip to Hawaii for four in addition to the other prizes.
Finals[]
In the finals, the two winners from each hour squared off against each other for the championship under the same rules from the May special. The first to score five points off of their opponent's missed questions won the top trust fund prize of $150,000 in addition to all the non-monetary prizes, and the title of "The Smartest Kid in America". The other finalist received a $75,000 trust fund along with the non-monetary prizes.
Rating[]
International versions[]
Countries that have previously aired their versions of Challenge of the Child Geniuses include:
| Country | Name | Host | Network | Date premiered |
| India | India's Child Genius | Siddhartha Basu | Star World | 2002–2004 |
| Italy | Genius - Il campionato dei piccoli geni Genius - The Championship of Little Geniuses |
Alessandro Cecchi Paone (Pilot) Mike Bongiorno (Series) |
Italia 1 (Pilot) Rete 4 (Series) |
2001 (Pilot) 2003–2006 (Series) |
NOTE: India's Child Genius provided a platform for the brightest pre-teen academic achievers in the country, who were tested not just on general knowledge, but also on verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and subjects from their school curriculum that aged 10–13. The special session of the show was filmed at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
"The Smartest Kids in America"[]
- May 2000: Michael Jezierny[1]
- ↑ Trivial Pursuits (January 2005).
- November 2000: Andrew Turcich
Trivia[]
This show had a title alternatively called "Battle of the Child Geniuses: Who Is the Smartest Kid in America?". This title was only used during FOX TV promos for both specials.
YouTube Link[]
Special #1 Full Special #1
Special #2
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9