EPISODE #5498: SECRET SANTA SWEEPSTAKES
$1K Tossup: THING
T H E / G R A N D
_ R _ Z _
Jason blows it w/ THE GRAND CRAZY.
T H E / G R A N D
_ R I Z _
Gina might be the one to go for THE GRAND PRIZE of $100K or $1M, but we need to talk to these Secret Santas before we get there…
Gina Winding: regulatory systems admin. married w/ three kids (one of the kids is named after a car automaker, KIA) from Cordova, TN
Jason Etter: comedy features screenwriter who lives with his “roommates” (his parents to be exact) from River Edge, NJ
Annissa Michael: first-year student at the Indiana University School of Dentistry who’s also a songbird from Newburgh, IN
$2K Tossup: LIVING THINGS
_ _ _ D / O F
E _ _ P _ _ _ T S
Annissa solves HERD OF ELEPHANTS.
Jackpot Round: FOOD & DRINK
She first calls a $500 R, buys six E’s, but loses the other half of her starting amount to the MDW’s right-side BANKRUPT. Second, Gina picks up the swan chocolates gift tag w/ two H’s, two C’s for $1,200, and the sears shopping spree w/ three S’s. Afterwards, she buys the remaining vowels (three A’s, I and O), puts up triple T’s for $1,500, and retrieves the WC w/ a D. We now have…
T O A S T E D
_ A _ E _ S / _ I T H
C R E A _ / C H E E S E
…she eats some TOASTED BAGELS WITH CREAM CHEESE for $7,950 cash & prizes.
SOLE BANKRUPT: Annissa
UNCLAIMED JACKPOT: $6,600
Mystery Round: SAME LETTER
The early leader begins w/ three T’s for $1,500, the SL of four S’s to add $1,200, two E’s and A’s, but then the BANKRUPT near the vacant WC to lose that cardboard piece and $2,200. Jason secondly inserts a $550 L, two R’s for another $7K, the last vowels of an O, two U’s and an I, as well as three C’s for another $1,350. At this point…
S _ E C T A C U L A R
S T O C _ I _ _
S T U _ _ E R S
…he can buy plenty of SPECTACULAR STOCKING STUFFERS w/ his first $8,150.
SOLE BANKRUPT: Gina
Gina: $8,950 cash & gifts/Jason: $8,150/Annissa: $2K
PP Round: WAYD?
The first calls from that man are three N’s for $1,050, two I’s, a FP E, two A’s, a $900 W and a U to finish off the vowels, followed by a R an M singles at $900 a pop, T, H and two S’s all worth $300 each, a $900 G, and a FP B before he finally decides to solve…
B A S _ I N G
I N / T H E
W A R M / S U N
He wins another $4,700 and will be BASKING IN THE WARM SUN on an ORBITZ.com trip to The Buccaneer in ST. CROIX worth $7,600 — PR.
Gina: $8,950 cash & gifts/Jason: $20,450 cash & trip/Annissa: $2K
$3K Tossup: AROUND THE HOUSE
_ R _ C K
_ _ _ _ P L _ C E
Gina warms up near a BRICK FIREPLACE to also break five figures.
Speed-Up: TV QUOTE
Consonants pay off at $1,500 each. After Annissa inserts twin R’s early (one at the end of each line)…
_ _ / T H _ T / _ _ _ R
_ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ R ?
…she says “IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER?” (from “Millionaire”) for $3K.
FINAL SCORES
Gina: $11,950 cash & gifts/Jason: $20,450 cash & trip/Annissa: $5K
GRAND TOTAL: $37,400
BANKRUPT TRASH (excluding WC): $2,450
$100K Bonus Round
There were no duds called in the maingame, so that might be good news for Jason as he lands on the ***.
Category: THING
Here’s 1/4 of this answer…
L _ _ _
_ _ S _
CMKI doesn’t add anything else, so game over for him. There was no LOUD GASP from the audience, because inside his envelope was the $30K.
LAST SPIN ID: AM0724435 (Annacelli M.)
MY EP. RATING: 7
WHEEL of FORTUNE with Andy Nguyen 