WoF Retro Recap: March 7, 1996

EPISODE #2469: PARIS WEEK

Diane Sinclair: the head of a major southern California family who had been married for 16 years w/ two sons from West Covina, CA

Mike Dion: divorced father (uh oh) of two who has his mother in the audience with him and worked for a major supermarket chain in the northeast (he’s responsible for making the pizzas) from Malden, MA

Elizabeth Onnen: 1-day champ w/ $4,650 from Lemon Grove, CA who’s engaged at the time but she and the fiancee were waiting until she graduated from college before getting married

Round 1: PHRASE

Diane started things off w/ a $600 T pair, two H’s to double up, a single E, but then N for negative. Mike also missed w/ B for bad as did Elizabeth w/ M for mistake, so we’re quickly back to Diane…but she said another baddie of R. Mike finally broke that bad cycle w/ a $400 S, but his next pick of C stood for crud. Elizabeth followed w/ a $450 L, but then D for dud. On Diane’s third turn, she considered her choices before she decided to spin…but she whiffed w/ P for phooey. Mike then picked up the SURPRISE w/ F (he said that before the wheel stopped)…

H _ _ S T
T H E / F L _ _

…and was able to HOIST THE FLAG for $400 plus the SURPRISE, which was a Fred Joaillier 18k gold diamond panther pin worth $5,900.

DUDS: N (Diane), B (Mike), M (Elizabeth), R (Diane), C (Mike), D (Elizabeth), P (Diane)

FEATURED PRIZE: Fisher entertainment center (incl. a 27-inch stereo TV, double cassette deck and surround sound) worth $2,500 (ENTERTAINMENT)

Round 2: PHRASE

Mike’s up first w/ a $400 L pair, two B’s and C at $500 each, a $750 W, five E’s, but then a bad vowel of O. Elizabeth secondly chose a $200 K, but then N failed a lady again. Diane thirdly found a $1,500 S trio and a $400 R pair before she took a stab at this biggie…

W E ’ L L / B E
R _ _ _ _ / B _ C K
_ _ _ E R / _ _ _ S
_ E S S _ _ E

She quickly solved “WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS MESSAGE” for only $1,900 because she didn’t go on for at least the triple T’s.

DUDS: O (Mike), N (Elizabeth)

Diane: $1,900/Mike: $6,300/Elizabeth: ZIP

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Round 3: HUSBAND & WIFE

First from Elizabeth were a $900 R, five E’s, an $800 T pair, but then M for mistake. Second for Diane were a $2,400 S trio, three A’s, a $700 N, and a $600 G. We had…

S T E _ E N
S _ _ E _ _ E R G
& / _ A T E
_ A _ S _ A _

Again, she played it safe and solved STEVEN SPIELBERG & KATE CAPSHAW for $3,450. Pat asked her how she knew that and Diane admitted that she didn’t know.

SOLE DUD: M (Elizabeth)

Diane: $5,350/Mike: $6,300/Elizabeth: ZILCH

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FEATURED PRIZE #2: CRUISE worth $6K+

Round 4: BEFORE & AFTER

Diane led the way w/ a $350 R, but then the LaT. Over to Mike who said a $1K F pair, two T’s for another $1,600, two A’s and O’s, but the B failed him again. Elizabeth next spun her way to a $250 H, a $200 S, a C for the entertainment package, a single E, a $1,600 M pair, but then the LaT. Diane then chose a $500 N pair and a single I before we looked at…

F _ _ _ – _ E N _ T H
M I N _ / C O A T
O F / A R M S

She solved FULL-LENGTH MINK COAT OF ARMS for $1,100 and the lead by just $150 when she could’ve gone on for the triple L’s.

SOLE DUD: B (Mike)
LaTs: 2 (women)

Diane: $6,450/Mike: $6,300/Elizabeth: BUPKIS

Speed-Up: TITLE

The consonants were worth $5K apiece! Mike said a B…

B _ _ _
_ _ _ _

…and NAILED “BORN FREE” to win the game — QUICK PR.

FINAL SCORES
Diane: $6,450/Mike: $11,300/Elizabeth: SHUTOUT (left w/ $4,650)

GT: $17,750
NO BANKRUPTS

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Bonus Round

There were four prizes still available including a Volvo, trip to France, a necklace, and the cash. Mike chose the first E (but he called it the second).

Category: THING

Here’s the first two letters of this six-letter answer…

T R _ _ _ _

After mistakenly picking L, he chose GYPA…

T R _ P _ Y

He would earn a TROPHY for his puzzle-solving skills after solving for $25K and a 1-day total of $36,300 (his mom came to celebrate w/ him).

MY RATING: 7