How are you reminded of the time? On your phone?
Projected screen, like a lot of classrooms have these days. Same one that shows you the Pat and Vanna clips, anniversary clips, and also serves the puzzleboard for gameplay, etc. It's 5 minutes, in like an Arial white font, makes no noise when time goes down, but it will give a little notice to the CCs that time is up, when it is, not that loud.
The test...well, just do your best, and as has been told, study with games and all. When I passed it, I worked on the ones I knew, and only those ones, immediately, which for me was 6 (of 16 total) within 5 seconds. That way I would be sure to allow for ample time on the rest of them, which I had, and more than enough of. When time was running low, I did what others said here, basically filling it out as I went, with words that made sense. Just rushed through it, got at least one more that way, and probably a few partials that were good enough to reason out. There IS a benchmark to pass the test, move on to the second part/post cuts of the audition, but it's nothing horribly unreasonable.
Basically, it goes like this...well, first off, dress nicer than the audition email or whatnot told you to. I'd go in something not too formal, but just classy enough, almost like how you would dress if it was the day of the actual show. At the actual audition, it starts with you being outside wherever it is, talking with others, about basically everything, and anything. Fun! I talked about wanting to use my money for a trip to Paris, the Wheelmobile event, and a few people I had connected with that I knew would Then into the audition, where your printed out email or phone will show that you were, in fact invited. A contestant coordinator will say hi to you, to which you respond hi back, then take your seat with generally 60+ others (it was about this at mine, your experience may vary). Talk with your new seatmates, like the first day of class. Just like in class, attendance is taken, kind of in reverse, so everyone knows what to be called, and so forth. Then you fill out an application sheet with your interests, name, weeks you think you'd be good on, address, etc. Basically a criminal background check, including asking if a felony in the past 3 years (if so, what), like a job application.
Some gameplay discussion then takes place, of how this will work (random folks will be called upon, at will, to call a letter, spin the wheel, etc.). You stand up when you do this. Because of the format, pay attention to EVERY puzzle, at ALL times. I wanted to do this as it was, but this added additional incentive for me to be especially focused. Next, strategy...logically so, they tell you don't buy all 5 vowels after a $300 hit. What you may NOT realize is that they discuss Free Play, if you land on it, and its usage. You can expect a conversation like this to take place:
"Sooo, Free Play! What do you all think is a good strategy for it? Wellll, what about vowels?"
"Oh yeah, vowels."
"What was that?"
"VOOOOOOOOWWWWWELLLLLLLLLSSSSS!!"
"Gooood!"
Remember if you give a wrong letter, or give an incorrect solution, you do NOT lose your turn. It feels like 85%+ of people who missed on Free Play subsequently sat back down. Don't do that, it will hurt your chances. Furthermore, that conversation is HUGE. Pick vowels, and vowels only for FP, unless there are none left (and you'll be informed of this on monitor, as well by a coordinator). You also can be moved to Free Play, Bankrupt, Lose a Turn, or even the $5,000 wedge, at the whim of the coordinator. Why? They want to get your reaction for Bankrupt or Lose a Turn. Heck, if this happens, be gracious, and take it as a good sign--I found they did this with good players in particular, though I never received any of these glorious four, outside of an immediate bankrupt, moved in a millisecond to the adjacent $900 (which often happens-they want to see you play!). Free Play, they'll want to see you pick vowels, as mentioned, especially if a lot of people are stumped on a particular puzzle. $5,000 shows up, you best be excited. That's $5,000 per consonant people! I was pumped even when other people landed on this, myself, since hey, more money going around! You should also probably not do it to my level, but certainly clap for correct letters picked, aw for incorrect ones for duds, and whoop for those $5,000 hits, as they do come a LOT. When you are picking a letter, be swift, loud, and clear, like you're in pizza delivery, fast, efficient, people like you, and your purpose is known: "I'd like a T" is not okay; "T!" is what you should aim for. Buying a vowels is quite similar, but just make sure they know you're buying one first. My preferred method was, "Buy a vowel! *wait for them to know they heard me, at most a tenth of a second* E!" So there's THAT part.
When you play, hopefully you solve (but not too early, as the coordinators say, save your skills for the puzzle quiz!), as you'll win a WOF hat, like the ones at auditions, a t shirt that says 'SPIN THIS' (which I got for my first solve, comes in 2 colors, you don't choose), a WOF tote, etc. Notably, for one solver, they (or you) will be approached with a choice, between a WOF cap, and an autographed Vanna photo. This didn't happen to me, but given the choice, I would chose the cap (despite the fact that the crowd will be egging the person to take the photo), explaining that since everyone wants the photo so much, someone else deserves it over me. Of course, regardless of choice (the guy who did this at mine wanted both!), you will get both items, for having to deal with the teasing. Be EXTREMELY excited when you solve. I did like my own dance and jig because I knew I did it right, and a prize was coming my way.
Be sure to clap like a seal, during EVERY. SINGLE. TURN. Including yours. You want to be supportive, warm, and it's advised to do so. After enough rounds, they'll make sure everyone is called up, and then call up a few more people, that they want a bit more of, who may not have been clear in letter choices, added too much to letter picks, didn't follow FP rules, etc. Don't worry if you're part of this group, or not; I wasn't, and wasn't concerned. Then, the prep video of excited contestants, namely including the 4000th show, and Pat and Vanna wishing you good luck on the test, among advice about how to call your letters. Oddly enough, Vanna will tell you to add "May I have a" or "Can I have a"...this is the opposite of what you should do. It's quiz time! 5 minutes, 16 puzzles, you've studied hard enough. The time goes fast, but it's fun, yet nerve racking. You talk with other people after your tests are collected, about how many you got right. 2-6 seems to be typical majority. I heard someone get that they had NONE. Ouch. You fret, sweat, worry, in such a hurry...it's 20 minutes to do whatever, like use the bathroom or whatnot. I wound up carefree and doing a news segment for my Wheel affiliate, about how I got to that point.
Finally, the names are called, typically, 2/3rds of the auditioners are cut at this point. No rhyme or reason to the order, I believe. If/when you hear your name, let out a big 'WOOOO!'. Needs to be loud, so they can hear you. Soon after, the front row is cleared out, so they can get that row ready for gameplayers for the next part of the audition. Once that's set, get ready to smile, as it's mugshot headshot time, with a camera seemingly 20 years old. Then, the rules and changes for this part are explained--and they're notable! One, make decisions faster; be they your letter, or decision to spin/buy/solve--you get less time before being buzzed at this point. Two, you'll be asked to 'spin' an invisible wheel, with a spinning motion (they provide an example of how you should do this). It's embarrassing, totally, sure, but it shows how you perform doing an odd action in front of a bunch of strangers. I liked this part of it, added realism for me, but I can see how others would loathe this part. Three, I wrongly assumed, even though my group was last to play, that prizes would be handed out. They are not, at this stage. Go by pure natural energy, dance, whatever makes you look thrilled to be there. If they tell you to smile, you smile! Just listen, like you are a robot programmed to listen by voice command; they say, you do. That's what I did, and got nothing but awesomely positive looks and reactions throughout the experience, from coordinators, to fellow auditioners alike.
Everyone usually plays two puzzles in this part (though I only did one), sometimes three. After the first puzzle, you will be asked to give an interview about yourself, just like the real show. Keep it funny, real, fascinating, unique, and, like every other part of this process, not too long in length. If you do voice impressions, they generally like those, for some reason. You then play another round with your group (around 4 others you play puzzle with), and that's that. Make sure to clap and be excited again, even moreso! Don't forget that spinning motion for EVERY spin. It's a must. If your turn takes too long, you'll likely be moved to Bankrupt or Lose a Turn; again a good thing. Just be sure to show a slight degree of annoyance, just not too much.
Then, after all groups have played, to the satisfaction of the staff, the staff gets together again for five minutes, for a little meeting. Then, after this, they will pick 3-5 people they want to see "a little more out of". Some at my audition were concerned they weren't picked out for this group, which is unnecessary. They just are unsure about you, and it's not a good or bad thing--I was not part of it, didn't get on, others haven't been either, gotten on, and some have been part of this group, and gotten on, some haven't. If you are picked for part of this group, just more of the same; playing another puzzle. After this game is played, that's the audition. You are then you will get a letter in 2 weeks (could be different at yours, depending on your distance from Los Angeles), if you made the cut; if not, you get nothing. Sometimes it can be more than 2 weeks, depending on if weather, rain, or something happens, as the recipients from mine got it at 15 days, rather than the told 14, following a weather delay. You were free to go then, and do whatever. I liked talking with the other players, to be personable then. Before that though, I wanted to talk, and be thankful for the opportunity with those in charge, to leave a strong, lasting impression, complete with handshake. And thus the waiting game starts...that's all for your audition. Hope it goes well!
