WoF Retro Recap: December 4, 1995

This was the first day after Vanna got a haircut (and Johnny Gilbert was subbing in for Charlie). Imad Khuri aka Game Show Flashback recently posted this on archive.org.

EPISODE #2406

Sandy Franks: massage therapist at a renowned spa who enjoyed playing softball and doing crossword puzzles from Safety Harbor, FL

Ben Spielman: married mortgage banker who loved photography from L.A. (orig. from Brooklyn)

Wayne Adams: 1-day champ w/ $48,656 cash & prizes from Ramsey, MN (he also won the lock of Vanna’s hair)

Round 1: TITLE

This round’s all Sandy: two L’s for $600, a $300 T, a $500 N, a $500 S, and a $700 W.

_ T ‘ S / _
W _ N _ _ _ _ _ L
L _ _ _

She solved “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE” for a $2,600 PR.

FEATURED PRIZE: ski trip to the Yarrow Hotel in Park City, UT via Southwest Airlines worth $3,057 (PARK CITY)

Round 2: FILL IN THE BLANK

Ben’s first w/ two T’s for the SURPRISE, a $400 S pair (just missed $2,500), a $350 R (just made it past BANKRUPT), two E’s, an $800 N pair, and two O’s, followed by a $200 M, three A’s, a $2,500 B, the last vowel of two I’s, and a $250 K. Board…

? / _ _ A _ E T
? / S T E A K
? / _ A M I _ _
R O B I N S O N

He solved ? CHALET ? STEAK ? FAMILY ROBINSON for $3,500 and got the $500 bonus saying Swiss. But he also got the SURPRISE, which was a trip to the Malibu Beach Inn in Malibu, CA (includes your own private limousine from Carey Limousines) worth $4,208.

PR #2

Sandy: $2,600/Ben: $8,208 cash & Malibu/Wayne: SPINNING NEXT

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Round 3: ARTIST/SONG

Wayne led off w/ an S for that $10K, four N’s for $800 in spendable money, two E’s, but then T for turnover on $1K. Second, Sandy said a baddie of G while on the ski trip. Third, Ben filled in three R’s for $2,400, a $500 H, and a Y for the DOUBLE PLAY before he used it right away. The next spin was…$600 x 2 and he found two M’s to add $2,400. Board…

H E N R Y
M _ N _ _ N _ ‘ S
M _ _ N / R _ _ E R

He solved HENRY MANCINI’S “MOON RIVER” for $5,300.

DUDS: T (Wayne), G (Sandy)

Sandy: $2,600/Ben: $13,508 cash & Malibu/Wayne: NOTHING

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FEATURED PRIZE #2: dining room package including Philippe Deshoulieres china Da Vinci crystal and Oneida silverware (FINE CHINA)

Round 4: PHRASE

Sandy got started w/ two N’s for a grand, a $5K T, a $1,500 R trio, a $500 M pair, and buys of three E’s, I, and O, after which she said a $250 F, but the S-U bells beat her just as she tried to buy A.

_ N
E M _ _ R R _ _ _ M E N T
O F / R I _ _ E _

The remaining consonants were worth $800 each.

Sandy: L (DUD)
Ben: 3 S’s
Wayne: B

_ N
E M B _ R R _ S S M E N T
O F / R I _ _ E S

Wayne solved AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES to finally get off the schneid for the Final Spin amount.

SOLE DUD: L (Sandy)

FINAL SCORES
Sandy: $2,600/Ben: $13,508 cash & Malibu/Wayne: $800 (out w/ $49,456)

GT: $16,908
NO PENALTIES

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Bonus Round

The non-$25K prizes this week were…

• Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo ($25K+)
• Southwest adventure ($17K+)
• Winnebago Rialta ($41K+)
• set of $20 gold coins ($19K+)

Ben chose the second E.

Category: THING

This seven-letter answer started as…

_ R _ _ _ S E

PMDI is a GREAT combo…

P R _ M I S E

I made a PROMISE that the week would start off w/ a win and he easily won the set of $20 Liberty United States gold coins worth $19,500, giving him $33,008 and the right to come back next time. He brought along wife Jill and friends Susan and Elliott.

Oh and for the record, he didn’t know the answer before calling the letters.

MY RATING: 7