December 20, 1999 Recap

Shifting forward to season 17 and one of the prizes this episode might be one of the most unique that I've seen. Before we start this recap, I'd like to present to y'all a Preview Puzzle. On The Map is the category for it...

N E _ / _ _ _ E N

CHRISTMAS WEEK
AIR DATE: 12/20/99

Pat totally blows it with NED MOREN (the heck?) when it's actually the Connecticut city of NEW HAVEN. Anyway, these three players started this week...

Michael Caldwell: Los Angeles, CA. Legal secretary for a major insurance company with acting/filming ambitions
Robert Chiosi: Saddle Brook, NJ. Business owner married to Carol, scuba diver, part of a band called The Barking Spiders.
Teresa Wilson: Savannah, GA. Owner of a pest controller company married to Steve with a 12-year-old-son who's six-feet tall (?!) and loves to play baskeball/football/baseball.

Round 1: Event (Also the Puzzler)

_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Michael starts with 2 T's and D worth $500, a $900 H, 3 N's and G on $600 (next to BANKRUPT), but E stops him.  Robert can't find an S while on $1,000 despite a nice reaction from the audience, so Teresa gets 3 L's for the FREE SPIN and a $600 F pair...

N F L
_ _ N D _ _ / N I G H T
F _ _ T _ _ L L

...and solves NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. To make it $3,600, here are some People...

_ O M M _ _ _ _ _ O R S

...and she says COMMENTATORS at the start of the timer beeps, so $3,600 is her subtotal.

Duds: E (Michael), S (Robert)

Pre-Round 2 Scores:
Michael: Bought a dud vowel.
Robert: Spinning Next
Teresa: $3,600 + FS

1st Prize Added to Wheel: $2,500 YAHOO! Shopping spree

$10,000 Round: Where Are We?

/ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _
/ _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _

(just 10 spaces left blank here)

Robert begins this one with 7 T's for $4,900 already. Next up are 3 E's, 4 $300 H's, 3 O's, 4 $800 S's, 2 $900 N's, 4 I's, a $400 W (next to $600), 2 A's to clean out the vowels, 2 $700 C's, and 2 $550 M's.

/ T H E / _ _ I N C H
T _ I E _ / T O / S T E A _
C H _ I S T M A S / _ _ O M
/ T H I S / T O W N

He solves THE GRINCH TRIED TO STEAL CHRISTMAS FROM THIS TOWN for $13,000. Does he say Whoville for the bonus...yes. PERFECTION!

Pre-Round 3 Scores:
Michael: Nuthin
Robert: $16,000
Teresa: $3,600 + FS

---

2nd Prize Added to Wheel: 1-week vacation to the Hilton at Short Hills in NJ worth $4,450 (marked SPA)

Alberto VO5 Jackpot Round: Phrase

_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _             ($5,000)
_ _ _ / _ / _ _ _ _ ' _
_ _ _ _

Teresa begins with an S for the SPA, a $600 T, 3 A's, but then the BANKRUPT near $900 to give up $4,800 cash & trip and uses the FREE SPIN. Next up is a $3,500 L, 2 E's, a $500 R, I, 3 $450 K's, a $550 W, and 2 F's on the same $400.

L I K E / W A T E R             ($10,400)
_ F F / A / _ _ _ K ' S
_ A _ K

...I don't think I've heard of the saying LIKE WATER OFF A DUCK'S BACK, but Teresa's earned another $6,200.

Bankrupt: Teresa

Pre-Round 4 Scores:
Michael: No Luck
Robert: $16,000
Teresa: $9,800

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(Pat then jokes about Charlie downloading stuff from that Copenhagen site.)

Round 4: Same Name

_ _ _ _ _ _ / &
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Michael just misses the YAHOO! Shopping wedge, but he can't find a T while on $800. Robert puts up 2 $300 S's, but then a dud R on $600. 

Teresa hits the same BANKRUPT, so it's back to Michael...but a B on a different $400 won't work. Robert finds 3 N's on $900, but time's running out.

S _ _ _ N _ / &
_ _ N _
N _ _ _ _ _ S

Final Spin: $1,400

Robert: L
Teresa: D
Michael: W

S _ W _ N _ / &
_ _ N _
N _ _ D L _ S

Michael finally breaks through with SEWING & PINE NEEDLES for $1,400.

Duds (Before Final Spin): T (Michael), R (Robert), B (Michael)
Bankrupt: Teresa

Final Scores:
Michael: $1,400
Robert: $16,000
Teresa: $9,800

Maingame Total: $27,200
Bankrupt Trash: $4,800 from Teresa in R3.

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Bonus Round

Usually, winning one round doesn't mean good news, but you'll never know. These are the prizes that await Robert in Bonus Land...

• 2000 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Convertible
• Luxury trip to Australia ($20,992)
• 2000 Chevrolet Venture ($28K+)
• Stocking Stuffer ($42K+)
• And, of course, the $25,000 CASH.

After Robert explains that 16 is his lucky number since he was born on the 16th, Robert picks the L.

Category: Phrase

Stingy RSTLNE help here...

_ / _ _ _ / _
_ _ N _ _

DPMA gives him most of the top row...

_ / _ A D / A
_ _ N _ _

...but he nails it anyway and I HAD A HUNCH that he would win this - the Stocking Stuffer. In a Price Is Right Showcase-esque way, Pat and Robert go to the gifts in the Stocking to find...

• Plastic Snowboards - resembles the pair of Arbor Snowboards
• Set of Keys - resembles a Yakima Rack AND a 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe 4X4!