December 31, 1998 recap

Airdate: December 31, 1998

From Sony Pictures Studio, it's America's game! 1998 is coming to an end...

Final contestants of the year:
Natalie Chammond: Senior at UCLA studying psychology and graduating in June, plans to go to medical school and currently helps developmentally delayed kids; from Los Angeles
Gerald Matthews: Personal management specialist for a federal government agency, also a certified aerobics instructor; from Washington, D.C.
Sherry Sparks: Grandmother of two and plays horseshoes and watches Wheel during spare time, from Indianapolis, IN

The top-dollar value on the Wheel is $1,000, and this is the last day to count your Big Money before...actually, no. That's next year. Enjoy the now and get ready to spin!





Gerald solves USA TODAY. Last $3,000 Puzzler of the year, though Pat might have forgot at first. Can Gerald solve it?


He says HIDLINE but corrects it and solves HEADLINE.

---

Natalie solves GEPPETTO'S CREATION. We can give her a $2,000 bonus if she knows who it is.

And she instantly identifies Pinocchio.

---

You might go further with the $3,500 and Jackpot spaces! How about trying to win everything in sight to end the year?

---

Forget "Y2K", as my mind is blown now. We'll just let Pat give the Wheel a Final Spin. Consonants are worth... $5,000 a piece! Now what?


Natalie: T ($5,000)
Gerald: S ($5,000)
Sherry: N ($5,000)
Natalie: L (DUD!)
Gerald: D (DUD!)
Sherry: K ($10,000)
Natalie: R ($10,000)
Gerald: F ($10,000)
Sherry: M ($15,000)


Sherry solves ASK FOR IT BY NAME for a zero-to-hero victory!






BONUS ROUND:




RSTLNE gives her:


BPDO gives her an important vowel.