WoF Recap: May 15, 2017

Hello, peeps. This is JP Genius and I’m filling in for Andy this week while he’s in Alaska. And this week, we’re saluting the Windy City – and Pat’s hometown – Chicago.

EPISODE #6611: GREAT AMERICAN CITIES (CHICAGO)

$1K Tossup: SONG TITLE

_ N _ / _ _ L
_ _ _ T / _ _ _ Z

Joanne nails “AND ALL THAT JAZZ” (from the musical “Chicago”) to strike first blood among these Illinoisans…

Joanne Rohrer: Prairie Grove ES teacher (her daughter teachers there, too) married to Brian for 34 yrs. from Oakwood Hills

Willie Everett: employee at the nation’s second-largest airline married to Melissa w/ 5 kids and 6 grandkids from Lansing

Justyna Kruk: insurance defense/civil litigation attorney and a big Cubs fan from Chicago

$2K Tossup: PHRASE

H _ L _ / E M _ _ Y
_ R / H _ L _ / F U _ L ?

“HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?” Joanne answers “half full” to triple up.

FEATURED SS: Furniture of America
Mon./Wed./Fri. Gift Tag: Harry Caray’s (a steakhouse and Italian restaurant in Chicago)

Round 1: HEADLINE

(I no-lettered this.)

But she instantly BANKRUPTS on the MDW’s left side, and Willie can’t find a single T in this puzzle. Justyna follows that up with a $500 N, a $1,300 R pair, two A’s, four $600 C’s, and a quick solve attempt…

C _ _ C A _ _ / C _ _ _
_ _ R _ _ / _ _ R _ _ _
C _ A _ _ _ _ N _ !

…how appropriate for a big Cubs fan like her – she solves “CHICAGO CUBS WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!” (their first such win in 108 years) for $3,950.

SOLE DUD: T (Willie)
BANKRUPT: Joanne

Joanne: $3K/Willie: $0/Justyna: $3,950

Big Fish Casino Mystery Round: SAME LETTER

This round is all Willie. He picks up the WC with two L’s, buys two E’s and an I, then follows that up with three $500 R’s and the same number of N’s of $2,100. After purchasing two O’s, he uncovers the SL bonus of three P’s on the MW near $650 and declines to flip it over. He then lights up a $650 F and the last vowel of three A’s…

P R O F E _ _ I O N A L
P A R _ _
P L A N N E R

…and he might just become a PROFESSIONAL PARTY PLANNER with his first $8,250.

PR

Joanne: $3K/Willie: $8,250 WC/Justyna: $3,950

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PP/Express Round: WAYD?

Here goes Justyna with three $600 N’s, and I triplet, and a $650 G before the BANKRUPT near TD cleans her out of $2,200. We get right back to her after her opponents dud out with S and R, respectively. After picking up the ½-CAR near $900 with an M, he lights up the other vowel of four A’s and three $700 C’s, she decides to sacrifice her Fiesta opportunity…

_ I C _ I N G / _ A C _
I N / M _ / C A _ A N A

…and she won’t be KICKING BACK IN MY CABANA, but she’s earned another $2,350 and a trip to the St. James’s Club & Villas in ANTIGUA (a vacation worth $7,360).

DUDS: S (Joanne), R (Willie)
SOLE BANKRUPT: Justyna

Joanne: $3K/Willie: $8,250 WC/Justyna: $13,660 cash & trip

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$3K Tossup: THING

_ P R A _ ‘ S
_ O _ K / C L U B

Willie reads a best seller from OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB to creep up to Justyna’s lead.

Round 4: FOOD & DRINK

He gets a T for TD and uses his WC…only to dud out with the R. Justyna picks up things from here: an $1,100 N pair, a $650 S, three A’s and I’s, and a $600 C…

I T A _ I A N / _ _ _ _
S A N _ _ I C _

…and an order of an ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH worth $1,850.

UNFORTUNATE DUD: R (Willie)

Joanne: $3K/Willie: $11,250/Justyna: $15,510 cash & trip

Round 5: PLACE

The N doesn’t do her any good this time. After Joanne hits LaT, Willie lights up a $500 L…

_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ L _ _

…and we’re headed into a $1,500 FS.

Willie: M (DUD)
Justyna: T
Joanne: S (DUD)
Willie: E
Justyna: 2 R’s
Joanne: P

_ E _ _ T _
P _ R L _ R

Joanne can go to a BEAUTY PARLOR with said FS amount.

DUDS
Before the bell: N (Justyna)
After the bell: M (Willie), S (Joanne)
SOLE LaT: Joanne

FINAL SCORES
Joanne: $4,500/Willie: $11,250/Justyna: $15,510 cash & trip

GT: $31,260
BANKRUPT TRASH: $2,200

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$100K Bonus Round

The car up for grabs this week is the Lincoln MKC. After we see her mom Emily and brothers Chris and Greg, Justyna picks up the E in GAME.

Category: THING

Starting setup…

_ _ _ _ _ _ E
_ E _ L

DCHA is a great combo…

_ A C _ A _ E
D E A L

…and she’ll get a $34K PACKAGE DEAL to end her night with $49,510 cash & trip.

$5K SPIN ID: TH6735854

MY RATING: 7

The hosts give us a glimpse of the Windy City: an architectural boat tour, Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the iconic Ferris wheel, museums, the Shedd Aquarium, Lincoln Park Zoo, and Cloud Gate.

I almost forgot – today’s the 11th anniversary of Elyse’s $100K win in Denver. (Remember BACK IN A FLASH?)