WoF Recap: November 1, 2012

EPISODE #5689: HALLOWEEN WEEK

Opening Flashback Clip (May 25, 2012): Devan Lawrence talks about her dog named Rocco (a French bulldog)

$1K Toss-Up: SONG LYRICS

I / _ _ T / _ / S P _ _ L
_ _ / _ _ _

Liz solves “I PUT A SPELL ON YOU” (originally done by “Screamin” Jay Hawkins in 1957). Let’s see who’s entered the haunted SPS on this Thursday night…

Liz Quigley: Hopewell HS teacher from Pittsburgh

Donna Paris: patient care coordinator for a hearing aid center who bakes cupcakes frequently w/ her sister (and they want to open a food truck someday) from Portland, OR

Marc Chouetti: USC project administrator from Los Angeles

tweetstakes Puzzle #4: FICTIONAL CHARACTER

T _ E / L _ Z _ _ D

Answer: THE LIZARD

$2K Toss-Up: RHYME TIME

F _ _ D E R
B E N _ _ _

Donna gets FENDER BENDER.

FEATURED HALLOWEEN PRIZE (sponsored by “The Amazing Spider-Man”): Sony Home Theater package worth $5,341

Jackpot Round: EVENT

Donna gets that MDW right away w/ two T’s, but then says H for hush. Marc secondly inserts two R’s for $1,600 and two E’s, but he also strikes out w/ S. Third, Liz repeats the H while on the Party City gift tag, opening up the door for Donna who puts up three N’s for $2,700, two O’s and an A before we look at…

T _ R N _ N _ / _ N T O
A / _ E R E _ O _ _

She’s not TURNING INTO A WEREWOLF, but winning another $2,200.

DUDS: H (Donna), S (Marc)
SOLE DQ: Liz’s H repeat
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $8,550

Mystery Round: SAME LETTER

First from Marc’s mouth are a $900 T, two E’s, a $550 R, but then a bad I purchase. Secondly, Liz says an $800 N and an L while on the MW next to the vacant MDW spot. She goes for it…whoops. Third, Donna adds in the SL of four S’s for $2,400, buys three O’s, but then takes D for dud. On Marc’s second try, he picks up the WC w/ two K’s, after which he says a $300 P, the final vowel of A, and two Y’s for another $800. Board…

S P O O K Y
S _ A R Y
S K E L E T O N S

…he gets past these SPOOKY, SCARY SKELETONS for $2,800.

DUDS: I (Marc), D (Donna)
SOLE BANKRUPT: Liz

Donna: $4,200 MDW/Marc: $2,800 WC/Liz: $1K

Bonus Puzzle Flashback (September 27, 2007 and March 22, 2011; we’re looking at the former): THINGS

Dr. Ruth Williams had this to work with after choosing DHCA…

_ _ _ A _ _ T E S

Neither her nor Brian Hemsworth were able to solve GIGABYTES. The doctor lost $45K and left w/ $40,250 while Brian missed out on a maZDa RX-8 and departed w/ $24,600 (he only got the I from MPDI).

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PRIZE PUZZLE Round: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Liz gets the obvious -ING ending out of the way first ($900 N, $300 G and three I’s in that order) and picks up the party supplies w/ two T’s. Next up area $2,400 H trio, a single E, a $600 S pair, a FP dud of W, but then a definite loss of turn w/ M for mistake. After Donna chooses two $600 R’s and three A’s…

S H A R I N G / T H E
A _ _ H A / S _ I R I T

…she’ll be SHARING THE ALOHA SPIRIT on her hotwire.com trip to the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa in HAWAII worth $5,020. W/ another $950 in her bank, she’s won $5,970 that round.

DUDS (both by Liz): W, M

Donna: $10,170 cash & HI MDW/Marc: $2,800 WC/Liz: $1K

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$3K Toss-Up: PERSON

C H E _ S
_ H _ M P _ _ N

Donna knows that Bobby Fischer was a former CHESS CHAMPION to get over the $13K mark.

Speed-Up: PHRASE

Consonants are worth $1,500 apiece. Liz buys three I’s late…

M I S T _ _ _ N
I D _ N T I T _

There’s no MISTAKEN IDENTITY, as Liz solves this one for the Final Spin amount.

DUDS: R (Liz), H (Donna), C (Marc)

FINAL SCORES
Donna: $13,170 cash & HI MDW/Marc: $2,800/Liz: $2,500

GT: a measly $18,470
BANKRUPT TRASH: $800

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MILLION DOLLAR BONUS ROUND #3

Donna’s super big check might come from the second A of AMERICA’S.

Category: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

A trio of letters get her started…

_ _ _ _ _ N _
_ R _ _ N _

CGHI doesn’t add a whole lot…

_ I _ _ I N G
_ R _ _ N _

She’s KIDDING AROUND in a bad way, so she just lost…

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…the Camaro. That sends her home w/ $13,170 cash and trip.

$1M LOCATION: I of WIN

$5K SPIN ID: BL2711006

Tom Bergeron makes an appearance at the episode’s end.

MY RATING: 5

WoF Recap: Halloween 2012

EPISODE #5688: HALLOWEEN WEEK 

Opening Flashback Clip (October 27, 2003): Vanna’s children, Niko and Giovanna, appear in costume at the end of the episode.

$1K Toss-Up: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

H _ W _ _ _ G / A T
T _ _ / _ _ O N

Jonathan’s HOWLING AT THE MOON at a good time. He’s not the only man competing this episode…

Jonathan Carroll: pharmaceutical sales rep married to Christina w/ two kids who wants to run a triathlon in every state (he’s done seven so far) from Moorehead, KY

Joyce Bell: USC athletics compliance director who likes to try out new restaurants (including those that serve Italian and/or cheese dishes) from Los Angeles (orig. from Cleveland)

Kyle Berner: pharmaceutical research project manager married to Samantha w/ a 2.5 yr.-old-son who’s also a part of the board of directors for a non-profit big cat sanctuary from Raleigh, NC

tweetstakes Puzzle #3: FICTIONAL CHARACTERS

_ N C L _ / B _ N / A N _
A _ N T / _ A Y

Answer: UNCLE BEN AND AUNT MAY

$2K Toss-Up: SHOW BIZ

S _ _ G E
_ _ _ G _ T

Kyle doesn’t have a case of STAGE FRIGHT right now, so he’s spinning first.

FEATURED HALLOWEEN TRIP: Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans w/ Haunted History Tour worth $5,040

Jackpot Round: EVENT

First, Kyle FPs two E’s and takes three T’s for an opening bank of $1,800. After buying an A, he calls up two S’s while on Jackpot, four N’s for $1,200 and a $450 G before repeating the A. Secondly, Jonathan picks up the WC w/ two C’s…

_ _ N N _ N G / A
C _ S T _ _ E
C _ N T E S T

…he’s not WINNING A COSTUME CONTEST, but rather the house minimum.

SOLE DQ: Kyle’s A repeat
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT CAULDRON: $7,850

Mystery Round: BEFORE AND AFTER

Here goes Jonathan w/ a $2,800 quartet of four T’s, three H’s for another $2,700, four E’s, a single A at the very end, a $900 S, and the leftover vowels of O and five I’s. Next up is an F while on the MW next to the MDW and declines a $5,400 gamble (that would’ve been good). Next up are an R for the Party City gift tag, the G for the 1/2 CAR next to $900 and a $1K N while on the other MW. Here’s what we have right now…

T H E / _ I _ _ E _
_ I T _ H / O F / T H E
_ E S T
_ I R G I N I A

He solves THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST VIRGINIA for $9,400 cash and prizes — PR.

Joyce: NOTHING/Kyle: $2K/Jonathan: $11,400 cash & prizes WC

Bonus Puzzle Flashback (Oct. 15, 1999): PHRASE

Scott’s combo was MCPA…

S _ A _ E / _ T
_ P

…and he was able to SHAKE IT UP for the win.

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Prize Puzzle Round: PHRASE

Joyce finally gets her shot. First are three T’s for $1,650, but then the BANKRUPT next to $650. Second, Kyle spots three H’s for $2,700, five E’s (the SFX people sounded the dinging a little too much w/ the E in the next-to-last spot of the next-to-last word revealed), a $2,700 R trio, two S’s for another $700, and two A’s, after which he finds a $700 W, a $500 F, and the other non-U vowels of three O’s and two I’s. But next is M for MAJOR DUD. Jonathan then inserts two N’s for $1K…

T H E R E ‘ S
N O T H I N _ / _ I _ E
A / F R E S H W A T E R
_ O O _

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A FRESHWATER POOL as he wins that amount plus a hotwire.com trip to the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort in ST. MAARTEN worth $5,417.

SOLE DUD: M (Kyle)
SOLE BANKRUPT: Joyce

Joyce: HARD LUCK/Kyle: $2K/Jonathan: $17,817 cash & prizes WC

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$3K Toss-Up: THE 80’s

_ _ _ T _ E J _ _ C E

Kyle shouts “BEETLEJUICE” for a new total of $5K.

Speed-Up: THING

The Final Spin’s the $1,300 minimum.

Kyle: T
Jonathan: 2 S’s
Joyce: N (DUD)
Kyle: 2 R’s
Jonathan: L (DUD)
Joyce: 2 D’s
Kyle: H (DUD)
Jonathan: B

S T _ D _ _ _
S _ _ R _ B _ _ R D

There’s no need for Jonathan to look at the STADIUM SCOREBOARD, because he knows he’s won the game w/ another $3,900.

DUDS: N (Joyce), L (Jonathan), H (Kyle)

FINAL SCORES
Joyce: $1K GOOSEEGG/Kyle: $5K/Jonathan: $21,717 cash & prizes WC

GT: $27,717
BANKRUPT TRASH (excluding WC): $1,650

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$100K Bonus Round

There’s nobody w/ Jon, but he’s got the C envelope.

Category: THINGS

This long one-word puzzle starts out as…

_ _ _ R E _ _ _ T _ _ N S

DMPO and G aren’t very helpful…

_ _ _ R E _ _ _ T _ O N S

He can’t solve ABBREVIATIONS for the Camaro, so he’s sent home w/ $21,717 cash and prizes.

$5K SPIN ID: WT2236017

MY RATING: 6