May 21, 1990 recap | Buy a Vowel Boards

May 21, 1990 recap Jul 20, 2022 7:48:01 GMT -5

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Post by mechamind on Jul 20, 2022 7:48:01 GMT -5

Airdate: May 21, 1990

From Hollywood, it's America's most watched game show!

Over $201,000 just waiting to be won during College Week on...

Wheeeeeel Of Fortune!

Today's contestants:
Matt Kiel: Senior at Northwestern University majoring in engineering (spoken too quickly)...and to avoid modesty, he plays water polo and is in Naval RTC, Phi Kappa Sigma, and going to "Wash U" medical school to become a surgeon.
Todd Bierbaum: Senior mechanical engineering student at University of Washington, planning to go to graduate school (but still hasn't got his whole life laid out ahead of him)
Gina Lazaroni: Junior at Tulane University studying biology for premed, and just finished taking her med school entrance exam; she also volunteers at a private hospital in pediatrics

The three top winners will be back on Friday for a chance at a $25,000 scholarship for their school and a trip to London for the team.

Pat gets ready to spin the Wheel himself before realizing he doesn't do that anymore. He's just trying to fake us out.

The top-dollar value on the Wheel is $1,000. We are playing for cash, and here's our first puzzle:

Round 1

SAME NAME

The trilon for the ampersand is a little dim, or "sick" as Pat describes it. The light is completely on after the first spin.

MATT	Todd	Gina
$300: N $750: T (DUD!)	$500: S (x2) $300: C $300: R (x3) -$250: I (x3) $500: "Buy an L." (x3) Solve: Correct!
$300	$3,450

SAME NAME

Todd solves SINCLAIR & JERRY LEE LEWIS.

Matt	Todd	Gina
	$3,450

The staff secretly wants Jerry Lee Lewis to pay for our next prize: a trip to Walt Disney World and stay at the new Dolphin in the Epcot Resort area (labeled TRIP) worth $3,078.

He won't cover the tuition, however. That's a job for the $2,500 space.

Round 2

TITLE

Matt	TODD	Gina
	$250: T (x3) $750: S (DUD!)	$500: H (x2) -$250: E (x3) $200: L (DUD!)
	$750	$750
Lose A Turn!	$900: C $800: R (x3) Solve: Correct!
	$4,050

TITLE

Todd solves THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER.

Matt	Todd	Gina
	$7,500

If you're still on the hunt for prizes, we're keeping them on the Wheel until they're picked up for this week only! Our trip to Walt Disney World is still in play!

Todd's competition is also trying to chase down the $3,500 space. They're gonna need it.

Round 3

PERSON

Matt	Todd	GINA
		BANKRUPT! ($0)

Lose A Turn!	$800: T Lose A Turn!	$200: N (x2) $200: R (x3) -$250: E (x3) BANKRUPT! ($750)
	$800
$200: W $200: H (DUD!)	$3,500: S (DUD!)	$450: M (DUD!)
$200	$800
$250: L -$250: I (x3) $400: C (DUD!)	$150: P (x2) Solve: Correct!
$200	$1,100

Matt tries to spin after Todd hits Lose A Turn, but Pat stops him.

Later, Gina tries to buy a vowel after Todd duds with the S. "Never mind."

And after that, the buzzer can be faintly heard when the L "dings".

PERSON

Todd solves PULITZER PRIZE WINNER.

Matt	Todd	Gina
	$8,600

Imagine if we sounded the buzzer during Charlie's time? Nah, we'll just let him read about an Addictor 333 Bambino boat (labeled BOAT) worth $7,985.

Our contestants love their schools, but they keep the cash for themselves. Just to make sure Matt tries for a $5,000 spin.

Round 4

PHRASE

The camera almost points at Todd when the round starts, but it is corrected after Matt takes his first spin.

MATT	Todd	Gina
$500: N (x2) $500: R -$250: I (x3) -$250: O (x2) TRIP! $300: T (x3) $400: H -$250: E (x2) Lose A Turn!	Lose A Turn!	$250: C $900: P $700: M $500: G $550: K (DUD!)
$2,050+		$2,350
$200: L (DUD!)	$500: W (DUD!)	$900: S (DUD!)
$2,050+		$2,350
-$250: A (DUD!)	$400: D (DUD!)	-$250: U BANKRUPT! ($2,100)
$1,800+
BOAT! $200: J (DUD!)	$400: B Solve: Correct!
$1,800+	$400

PHRASE

Todd solves BURYING THE COMPETITION. That's our time to stop...

...and what a puzzle for someone who swept the game!

Matt	Todd	Gina
	$9,000

Matt and Gina really don't need to be reminded about this one. They're both taking home the nice parting gifts.

BONUS ROUND:

Todd doesn't need to be reminded about the Round 4 puzzle, either. He wants to be remembered for solving our bonus puzzle and winning one of:

Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo (over $35,000)

Jeep (over $28,000)

Annuity ($30,000)

"Good ol' American cash" ($25,000)

As we can see, there are only four bonus prizes to choose from. The fifth one in the middle E, a $25,000 scholarship with a trip to London for the team, is reserved for Friday.

Todd will pick one of the other four envelopes. It's gonna be the W, and this is gonna be his puzzle:

Bonus Puzzle

LANDMARK

RSTLNE gives him:

LANDMARK

CDPA gives him another third.

LANDMARK

He instantly solves PIKES PEAK to COMPLETE THE SWEEP! What has he won for himself?

It's the annuity, the Time Value nest egg from RBP that matures to $30,000! Todd finishes with $39,000, and he's in good shape for the finals!