December 24, 1997 recap | Buy a Vowel Boards

December 24, 1997 recap Feb 5, 2021 20:57:27 GMT -5

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Post by mechamind on Feb 5, 2021 20:57:27 GMT -5

Airdate: December 24, 1997

From Sony Pictures Studio, it's America's game! The special day comes tomorrow!

Warming up tonight:
Russ Ceccola: Engineer for a premiere energy company, also a writer on the side (and a roller coaster enthusiast); from West Conshohocken, PA
Carole Floyd: Mother of five and grandmother, from White Oak, PA (originally from Santa Fe, NM)
Wendy Nason: Became a contestant thanks to a postcard sent by her husband, also a mother of two; from Sacramento, CA

The top-dollar value on the Wheel is $1,000. I guess some last minute cash might be nice, so let's begin this!

Round 1

LANDMARK

RUSS	Carole	Wendy
$600: S (x2) -$250: A $600: N $250: T (DUD!)	$300: D Surprise: L (DUD!)	$250: R Lose A Turn!
$1,550	$300	$250
BANKRUPT! ($1,550)	$900: Y (x2) -$250: E (x3) -$250: O (x2) Solve: Correct!
	$1,600

LANDMARK

Carole solves SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE.

Russ	Carole	Wendy
	$1,600

Will Russ be just as excited about this coming prize? It's a Rand McNally store and online gift certificate (labeled SHOPPING) worth $2,500.

As for the $2,500 and one-third $10,000 spaces? I think he's really going to love this.

Round 2

BEFORE & AFTER

Russ	CAROLE	Wendy
	$900: T -$250: E (x5) $500: H $700: N (x4) -$250: I (x3) Surprise: G (x2) -$250: A (x3) $900: S $600: D (DUD!)	$400: R (x4) Solve: Correct!
	$4,350+	$1,600

Wendy thinks she landed on $900 and asks to buy a vowel after spinning, but is told to call a consonant.

BEFORE & AFTER

Wendy solves MY EARS ARE RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR.

Russ	Carole	Wendy
	$1,600	$1,600

You could bring in some new money with the good ol' $3,500 and Jackpot spaces!

Round 3

THINGS

Russ	Carole	WENDY
		$250: S (x2) $600: N (x2) $300: T (DUD!)
		$1,700
$300: R (x5) -$250: E (x5) $300: C (x2) $300: H (x2) Solve: Correct!
$2,450

THINGS

Russ excitedly solves RED & GREEN MARASCHINO CHERRIES. He's gotta be careful, though. He might break the set.

Russ	Carole	Wendy
$2,450	$1,600	$1,600

You might want to cover your ears...because we're bringing out the $5,000 space!

Round 4

EVENT

RUSS	Carole	Wendy
$700: R (DUD!)	$800: N (x3) -$250: A (x2) -$250: I (x2) -$250: O (x2) $300: G (x2) $250: H (DUD!)	$800: S (DUD!)
	$2,250
$800: L $300: F (DUD!)	Lose A Turn!	$400: B $800: D (x2) Solve: Correct!
$800	$2,250	$2,000

EVENT

Wendy solves GOING ON A BLIND DATE.

Russ	Carole	Wendy
$2,450	$1,600	$3,600

How's this for a present? We have time for another round!

Round 5

PHRASE

Russ	CAROLE	Wendy
	$250: T (x3) BANKRUPT! ($750)	Lose A Turn!

$400: R (x3) $800: N
$2,000

PHRASE

DING DING! DING DING!

(Russ asks to solve just after the bells, but changes his mind.)

Let's give it one more spin for an extra consonant. Pat does his spin, and they'll be worth... $450 a-

Russ: B!!! ($2,050)

PHRASE

Russ solves "Just like Wheel", BETTER THAN EVER! You know, Pat just got over Richard Simmons being here...

Russ	Carole	Wendy
$4,500	$1,600	$3,600

At the end of the game, Pat reaches down to Carole's feet so we can look at one of her Rudolph slippers.

BONUS ROUND:

Russ can certainly call it better than ever now that he's in Bonus Land. He can play for one of...

Pair of snowmobiles (over $15,000)

Jeep Cherokee

Christmas stocking

Minivan (over $27,000)

"The cash" ($25,000)

Pat asks what Russ's favorite roller coaster is, and he says it's in Las Vegas.

But now, let's cheer for the envelopes! Russ takes the H, and let's look at one more puzzle:

Bonus Puzzle

PHRASE

RSTLNE gives him:

PHRASE

DGHO isn't very exciting.

PHRASE

He guesses IN HOPES and a bunch of things, but he does not solve IN FOCUS...

...so the $25,000 slips away. Russ finishes with $4,500 in cash.

In the post-game, Pat and Vanna talk about how the little kids are going to be excited about Christmas tomorrow...