WoF Recap: April 2, 2013

EPISODE #5797: SPRING BREAK

Repeat Clip (Nov. 21, 1996): Pat and Vanna trade places in the BR segment since he had a sore throat (the puzzle solve cue back then wasn’t dubbed over).

$1K Toss-Up: ON THE MAP

_ _ _ T
L _ U _ E _ D A L E

Jeff locates the Florida city of FORT LAUDERDALE. Tuesday’s players…

Jeff Ellingson: photographer/actor who traveled around the world and used to be a drummer from L.A. (orig. from Fargo, ND)

Heidi Wyrosdick: lab technician at the Univ. of Tennessee vet school and local restaurant waitress from Knoxville, TN; she and husband Brian (they have a 4-yr.-old daughter) got engaged at a dive show w/ a stingray and shark tank since she used to work an aquarium

Katrell Gray: homemaker married to Travis, has twin daughters and a son from Alexandria, KY

$2K Toss-Up: THE 90’s

_ H E / _ I L E N C _
O _ / T H E / _ A M B S

Jeff’s two for two w/ “THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS”.

SB VACATION: Marcel’s Creative Exchange Boutique Hotel in Amsterdam w/ BedandBreakfast.com airfare worth $7,500
Tues./Thurs. Gift Tag: eBags

Jackpot Round: BEFORE & AFTER

He strikes out right away w/ S while on top dollar. Second, Heidi also misses w/ R. Third, Katrell takes a $650 T, four A’s and two N’s for the 1/2 CAR near $900, but after her next purchase of twin E’s is D for dud. Jeff next digs up a $550 C, an H for the ebags.com gift tag, a single I, three $600 B’s, the last vowel of O, and a $900 G. We have…

I N _ _ A T A B _ E
B E A C H
B A _ _
G O _ N

I doubt that ladies would want to buy an INFLATABLE BEACH BALL GOWN, but he solves for $4,250 cash and gift tag.

DUDS: S (Jeff), R (Heidi), D (Katrell)
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $11,500

Mystery Round: PHRASE

Heidi gets off to a bad start w/ the BANKRUPT near $650. Second, Katrell says an R while on the MW next to LaT and takes the obvious flip…$10K! She follows up w/ three $300 T’s, four O’s, but then the MDW’s right-side BANKRUPT to flush away $10,650. Third, Jeff spots three $350 H’s and E’s, but then a dud vowel of A. Back to Heidi who requests two $300 S’s, the last vowel of four I’s, and five $350 G’s before we see…

G O I _ G / G O I _ G
S O _ _ / T O / T H E
H I G H E S T
_ I _ _ E R

GOING, GOING, SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER for her first $2,100 is Heidi.

SOLE DUD: A (Jeff)
BANKRUPTS: 2 (both women)

Katrell: ZIP/Jeff: $7,250 cash & gift tag/Heidi: $2,100

Bonus Puzzle Flashback (1993): PERSON

CMPI gave this lady named Stephanie…

C _ I L _

…and she solved CHILD.

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Prize Puzzle Round: PLACE

Here goes Katrell w/ a $300 R, three T’s for the other 1/2 CAR, two A’s, three $800 S’s, and two I’s, followed by $3,500 C, but sole dud vowel of E stings her. Jeff then goes for the mystery trip…

_ A _ T A S T I C
S _ R _ I _ _
S _ _ T

He’ll be going to a FANTASTIC SURFING SPOT courtesy of Hotwire — The Westin MAUI Resort & Spa Ka’anapali worth $7,030.

SOLE DUD: E (Katrell)

Katrell: ZILCH/Jeff: $14,280 cash & prizes/Heidi: $2,100

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$3K Toss-Up: CHARACTER

_ H _ / P I E D
_ _ P _ R

Heidi IDs THE PIED PIPER to move to $5,100.

Round 4: THING

First, Heidi gets shot down by the same BANKRUPT she got before. Second, Katrell LaTs out. Third, after asking the audience to applaud Pat on how great the host is (he should have saved this comment after the maingame is over, IMO), Jeff uncovers $450 T and R singles w/ two A’s in between, but it’s Speed-Up time…

A / _ _ R _ _ _ T
_ _ A _ _ _ _

…w/ a $1,900 Final Spin.

Jeff: S (DUD)
Heidi: N (DUD)
Katrell: 2 P’s
Jeff: C
Heidi: F
Katrell: M
Jeff: 4 E’s

A / P E R F E C T
E _ A M P _ E

This may not be A PERFECT EXAMPLE of how you play the game, but Jeff’s won another $2,550.

DUDS (both after FS): S (Jeff), N (Heidi)
SOLE LaT: Katrell
SOLE BANKRUPT: Heidi

FINAL SCORES
Katrell: $1K GOOSEEGG/Jeff: $16,830 cash and prizes/Heidi: $5,100

GT: $22,930
BANKRUPT TRASH: $10,650

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$100K Bonus Round

Friend Allie is in attendance; Jeff’s envelope will be the M of GAME.

Category: PHRASE

This is a big puzzle…

_ / _ _ _ S E / _ N
T _ E / _ _ T _ _ N

MCGO doesn’t add a whole lot more…

_ / _ _ _ S E / _ N
T _ E / _ C T _ O N

…but he doesn’t need A PAUSE IN THE ACTION, because he nails it pretty quickly…

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…AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST $100,000 WINNER OF THIS YEAR (also the fourth overall this season)!!! His final total is $116,830 cash and prizes! If you’re reading this, sir, congratulations!

$5K SPIN ID: PG6298004

NOTES:
-The confetti/streamers came down very late during Jeff’s big win. Did the person or people in charge of the cannons use this bonus puzzle solution as a late April Fool’s joke?
-Jim reverted back to the old $100K win line of “(player’s name), here’s thousands of reasons to celebrate…”.
-The promo video spoiled an outright grand prize win for the second time this season. Whoever’s in charge of that, shame on you! 😡

VIDEO BONUS (courtesy of Wayoshi): $100K WIN #4 (but w/ a blooper)

MY EP. RATING: PERFECT 10!