September 14, 2015 (Season 33 premiere) recap/discussion

The opening graphic zooms in further and faster, starting at the bay.

$1,000 Toss-Up: Phrase

The Toss-Up wipe is now a darker blue.

L O O _ / W H _ / _ _ D E
T H E / H _ N _ R / _ _ _ L

Alicia solves LOOK WHO MADE THE HONOR ROLL.

Alicia Edmonds, Moreno Valley, CA, high school science teacher at Royal Valley High School, married to Michael, has two daughters and a son, also an archer
Ashley Fisher, Naperville, IL, sixth-grade teacher at WBO in Joliet, runs 5Ks, ran a "pi mile run" on March 14 to raise money for charity
Chris Gauss, Rumson, NJ, married to Ted, has three children, Spanish teacher at Rumson Fair Haven, did a student trip to Guatemala where they roasted marshmallows on volcanic rock

$2,000 Toss-Up: Event

_ _ _ _ _ R / _ _ _ A K

Chris blanks.

S U _ _ E R / B _ _ A K

Ashley says SUMMER BREAK.

Note: Jim no longer announces the Wheel Prize unless it is won. Also, the ½ Car tags are not being used in Round 1.

Round 1: Title

The category wipe bug now reads "America's Game". Also, the strip now makes a white "ripple" effect when the puzzle is solved.

Ashley calls T on $900, but after buying E, she Bankrupts between $900 and $2,500. Chris calls H on $900, buys A, then gets the Wild Card with W before the Bankrupt on the right of the Million Dollar Wedge stops her.

Alicia picks off I, the last vowel, on Free Play, then gets the African safari with L.

W H E _ E / T H E / W I L _
T H I _ _ _ / A _ E

She solves WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE for $500 and the trip to Chongwe River Camp in Zambia ($9,000).

Bankrupt: Ashley ($1,550), Chris ($3,450 + Wild Card)

Chris: $0
Alicia: $10,500
Ashley: $2,000
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Mystery Round: Before & After

This round is all Chris: N and T on $800 and $900, then a purchase of O. After S on $500 between $800 and $650, she buys I and E, then barely hangs on to $3,500 for R. She buys A and U to clear the vowels, then hits $700 for P.

P U T / T _ E _ / I N
_ _ R O N O _ O _ I _ A _
O R _ E R
O _ / _ R I E S

She solves PUT THEM IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF FRIES for $17,350.

PERFECT ROUND

Chris: $17,350
Alicia: $10,500
Ashley: $2,000

Vanna gives a piece of trivia: He was one-half of one of the most prolific folk-rock duos of the 60s. And he's also a former math teacher. Who is it? We'll tell you when we come back. (After the break, she reveals the answer: Art Garfunkel.)
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Prize/Express Round: Thing

Alicia calls N on $600, then duds with H on $600. Ashley tries T on $900, but after buying A, I, and O, she duds with S on $550.

Chris picks R on $600, buys E, and gets the ½ Car (Ford Fiesta) between $550 and $900 with F. After picking U on Free Play to clear the vowels, she duds with V on $650.

Back to Alicia, who picks P on Express and hops on:

Express letters
L
C
X

A / R E P U T A T I O N
F O R / E X C E L L E N C E

She reads off A REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE for $7,200 and a trip to Antigua (St. James's Club, $7,260).

Duds: H (Alicia), S (Ashley), V (Chris)
Unclaimed: $1,050 (Ashley), $1,450 + ½ Car tag (Chris)

Chris: $17,350
Alicia: $24,960
Ashley: $2,000
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$3,000 Toss-Up: People

_ O L L _ _ _
A _ P _ I _ _ _ _ S

Chris solves COLLEGE APPLICANTS.

Round 4: Living Things

Chris duds with T on $500 between $5,000 and $900.

Alicia tries R and N on $700 and $500 between $550 and $900. After buying A, she calls D and S on $650 and $650.

_ A _ _ N D _ R
A N D / _ _ _ A _ S

Final Spin: $500 between $650 and $900

Alicia: L
Ashley: V

L A V _ N D _ R
A N D / L _ L A _ S

For $1,500, she solves LAVENDER AND LILACS.

Dud: T (Chris)
Unclaimed: $7,900 (Alicia)

End totals:
Chris: $20,350
Alicia: $24,960
Ashley: $3,500
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$100,000 Bonus Round

Alicia's brother, Morton, is in the audience.

She lands on the second A in AMERICA'S, and her puzzle is Thing:

_ _ _ _ _
R E _ _ _ E

After accidentally calling L, she picks D, M, C, A:

_ _ M M _
R E C _ _ E

She solves YUMMY RECIPE before the timer even starts for the new season minimum of $33,000. End total: $57,960.

$5K EVERY DAY SPIN ID: LS8954272