WoF Retro Recap: October 20, 2009

EPISODE #5097: WELCOME ABOARD

(NOTE: During the intro, Vanna loses one of her earrings! That’s the second time in all the time she’s been on this show that she has lost at least one earring during any part of an episode.)

$1K Toss-Up: THINGS

M _ P S / _ N D
_ H _ R _ S

Jennifer only gets the first line.

M _ P S / _ N D
_ H A R _ S

Kim completes MAPS AND CHARTS. Tuesday’s panel…

Kim Bye: grandma of eight, substitute teacher, and antique store owner from Walker, LA

Mack Adebayo: chef who does some weightlifting from Oak Park, IL

Jennifer Maddox: publicist from Los Angeles (orig. from TX)

$2K Toss-Up: FUN AND GAMES

_ _ F T I N G
_ _ I G _ _ S

Kim’s LIFTING WEIGHTS for the tripler.

CRUISE ON THE WHEEL: MSC Caribbean Cruise worth $5,600
Tues./Thurs. Gift Tag: Lobster Gram

Jackpot Round: PHRASE

Here she goes with two N’s for $800, a dud of R on FP, four T’s for the Wild Card, a $500 C, and then the bug of three E’s before we see…

_ _ T T E N / _ _ _ N
T _ E / _ _ T C _ E _

…she says “BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES” for $1,050.

SOLE DUD: R (Kim)
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $6,400

Round 2: EVENT (PRIZE PUZZLE)

Mack immediately gets the cruise w/ a T, but loses his turn just as quick w/ L. Secondly, Jennifer finds three N’s for a $2,400 start, buys a trio of A’s and an I, then she spins LaT. Kim next calls up a pair of D’s for $1,200 and buys triple E’s, then she sees…

A / _ N E – _ _ –
A – _ I N D
A D _ E N T _ _ E

She wins another $950 and A ONE-OF-A-KIND ADVENTURE — a SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI from Experience Africa Premier Tours worth $8,980.

SOLE DUD: L (Mack)
SOLE LaT: Jennifer

Kim: $13,980 cash & safari WC/Others: $0 each

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Mystery Round: BEFORE AND AFTER

First, Jennifer puts up a $3,500 N, two E’s, a $700 T, but then A for awful. Second, Kim spots a trio of R’s for $1,200, buys the I up top, but then becomes the first BANKRUPT victim of the week to lose the Wild Card and $950. Mack then says three L’s for $2,700 and the board now reads…

L I N T
R _ L L E R
_ E R _ _

…don’t expect to see a competition called a LINT ROLLER DERBY, but he’s able to deny Kim of a maingame sweep.

SOLE DUD: A (Jennifer)
SOLE BANKRUPT: Kim

Mack: $2,700/Jenifer: NADA/Kim: $13,980 cash & safari

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$3K Toss-Up: PLACE

P _ O T O
_ _ _ _ E _ Y

Mack can only come up with the first word.

P _ O T O
_ _ _ _ E R Y

Kim can add this to her PHOTO GALLERY — her sweeping the Toss-Ups for a new total of $16,980.

Round 4: PERSON

It’s all Kim this round: a $900 T, two R’s to add $1,200, two E’s, four N’s for an additional $1,800, and the $500 C.

_ _ N _ – _ _ _ T _ N C E
R _ N N E R

She solves LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER for $4,150 and a new total of $21,130 — PR.

Mack: $2,700/Jenifer: NADA/Kim: $21,130 cash & safari

Round 5: LIVING THING

Mack’s first picks are a $700 N, a dud of S while on FP, an A buy, a couple R’s to add $600 more, an I buy, but then the sole dud vowel of E. Jennifer then says the two T’s at the bottom for $1,800…

R A I N _ _ _
T R _ _ T

…and catches this RAINBOW TROUT to finally get on the board w/ $1,800. But we’re still not done — we’re gonna have a rare R6 for the first time this season!

DUDS: E (Mack), S (Mack)

Mack: $2,700/Jenifer: $1,800/Kim: $21,130 cash & safari

Speed-Up: IN THE KITCHEN

Consonants are worth $1,900 apiece.

Jennifer: T (DUD)
Kim: 2 R’s
Mack: C

C _ R _
_ _ _ _ _ R

Mack’s way off the mark w/ CORN FLOWER.

Jennifer: N (DUD)
Kim: 2 L’s

C _ R _
_ _ L L _ R

She seals the deal w/ CORK PULLER for $7,600!

DUDS (both by Jennifer): T, N
SOLE DQ: Mack’s blown solve

FINAL SCORES
Mack: $2,700/Jenifer: $1,800/Kim: $28,730 cash & safari WC

TOTAL MAINGAME WINNINGS: $33,230
Kim’s BANKRUPT TRASH (minus WC): $950

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$100K Bonus Round

Kim lands on the ***.

Category: PLACE
The end letters of each word are revealed first…

_ _ _ N
_ _ _ _ _ E

MDPI gives her…

M _ I N
_ _ _ I _ E

She’ll head to the MAIN OFFICE of the budget department to collect another $30K, so her final total is $58,730 cash and safari.

MY EP. RATING: 8

WoF Retro Recap: October 19, 2009

All the prizes offered before R1 are cruises, because this is “Welcome Aboard” week.

EPISODE #5096: WELCOME ABOARD

$1K Toss-Up: PHRASE

_ _ E / A Y E
C _ P _ A I N

Laurie shouts “AYE AYE, CAPTAIN” for the first bit of money. Leading off the week are these players…

Laurie Perry-McCord: consumer events manager for a global eye care company married to Matt who’s also an avid solar cooker, involved w/ Toastmasters Club, and performed w/ a Mexican folklore dance group from Sacramento

Ed Lief: independent insurance agent for the past 11 years married to Katherine w/ a baby boy from West Linn, OR (he’s lived in 13 states)

Susie Lozevski: a lady w/ two part-time jobs (gym worker and barista) and children’s book writer married w/ three kids from Chandler, AZ

$2K Toss-Up: SONG TITLE

_ _ L _
_ _ _ _ / W A Y

Susie solves Aerosmith’s “WALK THIS WAY”.

CRUISE ON THE WHEEL: to Europe (including Holland and Belgium) from Ama Waterways worth $8,100 (CRUISE)
Mon./Wed./Fri. Gift Tag: Pier 1 Imports

Jackpot Round: THING (PRIZE PUZZLE)

This round is all Susie: a $500 T, two H’s for another $1,100, four E’s, a $300 S, a couple R’s for another $1,200, a trio of A’s, an M for the cruise, two F’s on the middle line of the puzzle for another grand, a couple O’s, a $500 N (not quite to Jackpot), and three P’s for the Pier 1 Imports gift tag.

T H E / A R O M A
O F / F R E S H
P _ N E A P P _ E

She’ll soon be smelling THE AROMA OF FRESH PINEAPPLE, because she’s won $3,850, the gift tag, the cruise, and a second trip to the Turtle Bay Resort in OAHU worth $5,945, a total of $18,895 cash and prizes that round — PR!

UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $7,950

Round 2: SAME NAME

It’s all Laurie this round: four T’s for $1,200, an A buy, a trio of S’s for an additional $2,700, a pair of E’s, twin R’s for another $1,200, and three O’s.

_ O T T O _ _ E S S
& / O R _ _ E S T R A
_ _ T

…she solves BOTTOMLESS & ORCHESTRA PIT for $4,350 — PR #2.

Laurie: $5,350/Ed: SPINNING NEXT/Susie: $20,895 cash & prizes

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Mystery Round: SHOW BIZ

Ed finally gets his shot. He starts w/ four N’s for $3,200, and the buys of two O’s and an I, followed by a $500 R, two E’s, a $300 L, two T’s for $600 more (just dodged the BANKRUPT near TD), and a trio of A’s to clean out the vowels. Afterwards, he picks five S’s on FP, a $300 D, and two M’s on the MW near the MDW before declining to risk $6,400 (good, because BANKRUPT was back there). Next up are an $800 G and a $300 H before he finally goes for the solve…

T O M / H A N _ S
S T A R S / I N
A N G E L S / &
D E M O N S

…he does w/ TOM HANKS STARS IN “ANGELS & DEMONS” for $9,500 — PR #3!

Laurie: $5,350/Ed: $9,500/Susie: $20,895 cash & prizes

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$3K Toss-Up: IN THE KITCHEN

I C E / _ R _ _ M
_ A _ _ _

Ed gets ICE CREAM MAKER for a new total of $12,500.

Round 4: OCCUPATION

Ed gets up there a $500 N, three S’s to add $1,800, two I’s, and a $300 T, but it’s Speed-Up Time with this board:

_ _ S S I _
_ _ _ _ _ N I S T

…w/ the remaining consonants worth $1,450 each. He next says the L…

_ _ S S I _
_ _ L _ _ N I S T

…but we have the first mistake all night long — he’s way off at the last second w/ CLASSICAL VIOLINIST.

Susie: B (DUD)
Laurie: C
Ed: M

_ _ S S I _
C _ L _ M N I S T

…but he blows it again w/ CLASSIC COLUMNIST, not counting the C’s carefully again. Susie next fills in the G…

G _ S S I _
C _ L _ M N I S T

…and solves GOSSIP COLUMNIST for $1,450 and the win!

SOLE DUD (during speed-up): B (Susie)
DQs: 2 (Ed’s blown solves)

FINAL SCORES
Laurie: $5,350/Ed: $12,500/Susie: $22,345 cash & prizes

TOTAL MAINGAME WINNINGS: $40,195
NO PENALTY SPINS!

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$100K Bonus Round

In Susie’s cheering section are brother-in-law Phillip, husband Alexej, brother Ryan, and sister-in-law Jennifer. She lands on what’s under the P.

Category: THINGS
RSTLNE, do your thing…

_ _ S _ _
_ _ _ E _ S

She picks a good time to call CDMA (CMDA in that order)…

M _ S _ C
_ _ D E _ S

…but she still BLOWS IT w/ MUSIC CODES, and CADENS. Since she hasn’t watched enough MUSIC VIDEOS lately, she loses $30K.

MY EP. RATING: 6 (orig. a 7; started to fall apart beginning in the Final Spin)