WoF Recap: May 19, 2017

EPISODE #6615: GREAT AMERICAN CITIES (CHICAGO)

$1K Tossup: FOOD & DRINK

_ _ _ C K _ R
J A C K

Todd eats up a local specialty, CRACKER JACK. One of these Illinoisans will try to make a 5-0 week happen…

Todd Davidson: real estate broker who remodels and designs homes and owns 2 parakeets and 2 parrots from Barrington (orig. from Chicago)

Michelle Defer: police officer in the Northwest Suburbs of the city for almost 20 yrs. who takes a pole dance fitness class from Gilberts

Gale Woods: property manager assistant who’s studying Inner City Studies at Northeastern Illinois Univ. and. I’m of three children from Chicago

$2K Tossup: SHOW BIZ

_ E Q _ _ L _
& / P _ E _ _ _ L S

Michelle’s watched quite a few SEQUELS & PREQUELS.

FEATURED TRIP: OMNI New Orleans

Round 1: AROUND THE HOUSE

She picks a $600 T, three E’s, and three $900 N’s before hitting the MDW’s left side to lose $3,050. Gale follows that up with a $650 S, a single O, and the BANKRUPT near TD. Todd calls a $600 L, and the remaining non-U vowels (two A’s and an I) before he LaTs out. Michelle picks up the Harry Caray’s GT with an M, FPs four R’s…

S _ R I N _ / _ L O _ E R
A R R A N _ E M E N T

…and designs a SPRING FLOWER ARRANGEMENT.

SOLE LaT: Todd
BANKRUPT: Todd’s opponents

Gale: $0/Todd: $1K/Michelle: $5,500 cash & GT

Mystery Round: BEFORE & AFTER

Gale’s off and running with two S’s for $1,400, an E, and an R for roadblock. Todd flips the MW near $650 after picking an N…nothing there. After Michelle gets her own taste of LaT, Gale puts two W’s worth $1,800 and the same number of O’s on the board before taking an L for loss. Todd picks up the ½-CAR near $900 with a T and lights up the last two consonants of H and X for $600 each…

S N O W
W H _ T E
S O X

…it would be kinda silly if there was a major league team called the SNOW WHITE SOX, but he’s earned $1,700.

DUDS (both by Gale): R, L
SOLE LaT: Michelle
SOLE BANKRUPT: Todd (via the MW)

Gale: $0/Todd: $2,700 ½-CAR/Michelle: $5,500 cash & GT

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PP/Express Round: PLACE

Todd begins this crucial round with a $1,300 T pair but the R stops a player for the second round in a row, and Michelle doesn’t do any better with the S. Gale tries to score with two $600 N’s, the same number of E’s, L’s (worth $1,300), I’s, and A’s, and three O’s to clean out the vowels, but then the BANKRUPT near TD takes away her $1,500. Todd (sorry, but I keep thinking his name is Gary for some reason) lights up two C’s for $600 each and decides to sacrifice his plate…

E _ C E _ T I O N A L
L O C A T I O N

…to travel to an EXCEPTIONAL LOCATION like ARUBA (the Holiday Inn Resort, a stay worth $6,400) and earn an additional $2,400.

DUDS: R (Todd), S (Michelle)
SOLE BANKRUPT: Gale

Gale: BUPKIS/Todd: $11,600 cash & trip/Michelle: $5,500 cash & GT

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$3K Tossup: THINGS

S I L V E R
_ _ _ L A _ S

Todd doesn’t get $3K in SILVER DOLLARS, but he’s on a roll now.

Round 4: RHYME TIME

He starts off with two $650 S’s and a $550 T before buying five E’s, lighting up a $2,600 R quartet, and two A’s before trying to solve this whole thing…

_ E A _ E R S / A _ _
R E T R _ E _ E R S

…he doesn’t sound too confident, but the non-related animals of BEAVERS AND RETRIEVERS give him another $3,950.

PR

Gale: GOOSEEGG ALERT/Todd: $18,550 cash & trip/Michelle: $5,500 cash & GT

Speed-Up Round: PHRASE

We’ve got a $1,500 FS to wrap up the week.

Michelle: N (DUD)
Gale: R (DUD)
Todd: 3 T’s
Michelle: H
Gale: S
Todd: 2 L’s
Michelle: F
Gale: W

T _ _ G H / _ _ T
T _ / F _ L L _ W

It’s gonna be a TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW in the BR for Todd, who’s pocketed another six grand.

DUDS: N (Michelle), R (Gale), S (Todd)

FINAL SCORES
Gale: $1K GOOSEEGG/Todd: $24,550 cash & trip/Michelle: $5,500 cash & GT

GT: $31,050
BANKRUPT TRASH: $5,950 (not including the MW risk)

Ironically, that FS puzzle was the winning BR solution for “Leave Winter Behind”, the first of three PBRWs back in season 28. And the PP trip (claimed by BR winner Alicia) was the city we’re saluting.

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PBRW MOMENT OF TRUTH

We’re all pulling for Todd to help us go 5-0. After seeing his brother Scott, Scott’s wife Cindy, and Todd’s two friends Kelly and Jen, he lands on the R in AMERICA’S.

Category: PHRASE

The hot vowel is key here…

_ _ T / _ _
_ _ _ _ S

Unfortunately, he WIPES OUT with PDMI and FAILS to complete the sweep. He was literally OUT OF FOCUS here (he thought the first line was ACT OF), so goodbye Lincoln. The O’s would’ve done it for him.

$5K SPIN ID: DK6667420

MY RATING: 6

The hosts’ last destination in Chicago: the family-owned hot-dog eatery Superdawg.