WoF Retro Recap: March 4, 1996

The set on W26 is decorated w/ a French-style cathedral and two of this week’s BR prizes have something to do w/ France, so we’d like to call this Paris Week.

EPISODE #2466: PARIS WEEK

The two men from this panel were returning champions…

Donna Gotch: college instructor who teaches public speaking at Cal State San Bernardino and Pasadena State College from Arcadia, CA

James Lao: catering manager in Century City for a luxury hotel and 1-day champ w/ $8,850 from Friday from Venice, CA (orig. from Virginia)

Don Miklautsch: retired from the State where he used to be part of the Dept. of Education and 2-day champ w/ $17,650 from their Hawaii shows on Feb. 16

Round 1: EVENT

Donna: one T for Free SPIN, $500 S pair, $1,800 R pair, two I’s, $1,500 F pair, one O, baddie of L on $1K and used FS, $500 D, $500 Y, one A, $400 N, solve…

F I R S T / D A Y
O F / S _ R I N _

She solved the FIRST DAY OF SPRING for $4,450.

FEATURED PRIZE: Los Abrigados Resort & Spa in Sedona, AZ (incl. a ride aboard the Verde River Canyon excursion train worth $3,260 (SEDONA)

Round 2: THINGS

James: $900 S pair, N for negative

Don: two T’s for SURPRISE, L’s no good again

Donna: $1K R pair, two E’s, $400 C, one I, baffling dud of K

James: one A, M for mistake on SEDONA

Don: G for goof

Donna: two H’s for SEDONA, solve…

_ S T R I C H
_ E A T H E R S

Not sure if she would find OSTRICH FEATHERS in Sedona, but she’s correct to win that trip plus $900.

Donna: $8,610 cash & Sedona/Men: $0 each

---

Round 3: AUTHOR/TITLE

Don: two S’s for $1,100, $400 T, $1,800 R pair, five E’s, $750 N trio, $10,500 D trio, triple A’s, PAINFUL BANKRUPT near $500 (lost $14,050)

Donna: $1,800 P pair, solve…

_ A N E
A _ S T E N ‘ S
P R _ D E / A N D
P R E _ _ D _ _ E

She solved JANE AUSTEN’S “PRIDE AND PREJUDICE” for the $1,800.

Donna: $10,410 cash & Sedona/Men: ZERO a head

---

FEATURED PRIZE #2: marked PIANO

Round 4: PLACE

Whole panel: struck out w N, S, and T, respectively (James was on $5K)

Donna: $350 L, $1K D pair, three E’s, no M on DOUBLE PLAY

James: acquired DP w/ V and used right away…$400 x 2 and two R’s, solve…

D _ V E R
D E L _ _ _ R E

James finally broke through by locating DOVER, DELAWARE for $1,600.

Speed-Up: OCCUPATION

Consonants were worth $500 apiece.

James: N (goofed right away w/ LINE-IN AN WAIT)
Don: T (DUD)
Donna: S (DUD)
James: L

L _ _ _ – _ N
_ _ _ _

James nailed it that time w/ LIVE-IN MAID.

PENALTY BOX	DUDS	LaTs	BANKRUPTS	DQs
Round 1	L (Donna)
Round 2	N & M (James) L & G (Don), K (Donna)
Round 3			Don
Round 4	N & M (Donna), S (James), T (Don)
Round 5	T (Don), S (Donna)			James’s botched solve

FINAL SCORES
Donna: $10,410 cash & Sedona/James: $2,600 (out w/ $11,450)/Don: SHUTOUT ($17,650)

GT: $13,010
BANKRUPT TRASH: $14,050

---

Bonus Round

This week’s non-$25K prizes…

• new Volvo ($34K+)
• gourmet tour of Paris ($15K+)
• Renoir artwork ($41K+)
• 18-karat gold link chain and 20 franc French coin necklace ($15K)

Donna chose the L.

Category: THING

Here’s 1/3 of the answer…

_ _ R _
_ E N _ _

MCDA added another three…

_ A R _
_ E N C _

She solved PARK BENCH and won the authentic Pierre-Auguste Renoir artwork title “L’Enfant au Biscuit” worth $41,300, giving her a 1-day total of $51,710 cash & Sedona. She was greeted by her mom and friend John.

MY RATING: 7