kaytei
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Post by kaytei on Sept 2, 2012 14:51:26 GMT -5
Hi! My name is Kathryn and I just found out yesterday that I was selected to be a contestant!! I'm so excited!
I decided to join this forum to see if there are other contestants and former contestants to talk to for some advice!
Thanks and I look forward to getting to know everyone!
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Guint
Production Assistant 
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Post by Guint on Sept 2, 2012 14:52:58 GMT -5
Congratulations!  What day will you be taping? |
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wheelbaby
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Post by wheelbaby on Sept 2, 2012 16:43:10 GMT -5
Hi Kathryn,
Congrats! I'm a former contestant and just taped my episode on 8/9. It airs on 9/28. We can definitely help you!
What day are you taping? Where are you from?
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Sept 2, 2012 18:59:17 GMT -5
Welcome, Kathryn, and congratulations! ;D If you got notified yesterday, then I imagine you'll be taping on either September 20 or 21, right? What's the theme? May I ask how you found this forum? In the meantime, we'll all help you prepare for your moment. If you have any questions at all about anything, just ask. |
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caseheart
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Post by caseheart on Sept 2, 2012 19:48:21 GMT -5
Welcome. : ) I'm taping this week (9/7) so Ill try to help you as much as possible.
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kaytei
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Post by kaytei on Sept 3, 2012 16:55:00 GMT -5
Hi everyone! Thanks so much for replying!  I just received the letter saying that I was chosen as a contestant, but not when I would be taping or anything like that, just that it would be within the next 18 months. :/ I will definitely be asking for help and all about the process! I'm already so nervous! I'm from Knoxville, TN, by the way. I went to a Wheelmobile event in May and got an email to return to an audition about two weeks ago. Then I received the letter letting me know I was chosen! I was so excited that I think I may have frightened the neighbors lol |
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musicalblessings
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Post by musicalblessings on Sept 3, 2012 19:17:19 GMT -5
Hi Kathyrn: I just finished taping my episode for teachers week on August 10th. It will air on October 25th. I had a lot of fun! Everyone was so nice and cordial. The entire staff treated me like a queen. Pat and Vanna are just good old down to earth folk. My advice is to relax, have fun, and yes- BUY LOTS OF VOWELS! Let us know when you will be taping. |
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Sept 3, 2012 19:21:21 GMT -5
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caseheart
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Post by caseheart on Sept 4, 2012 19:31:49 GMT -5
Hey Kathryn... I was at the Knoxville TN audition too - Casey. Awesome!
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kaytei
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Post by kaytei on Sept 5, 2012 11:15:40 GMT -5
That's great! I know of one other person from our group who made it as well! Did they just call you? They sent me a letter in the mail telling me that over the next 18 months they would give me a 14-day notice to get to LA lol
I'm already so nervous and I don't even know when I will be taping!
Good luck this week and you'll have to tell me all about it!
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kaytei
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Post by kaytei on Oct 16, 2012 20:06:44 GMT -5
A quick update-
They called me and I am flying to LA in 3 weeks to tape my show! I'm so nervous! Any advice from fellow contestants?
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Oct 17, 2012 0:06:59 GMT -5
Congratulations! ;D When's your tape date? Be sure to tell us the theme as soon as you find out.
As for advice, just the typical stuff we've all talked about before...
- The $1,000 Toss Up is almost always themed
- Only use Free Play for unguaranteed calls (for example, if you're the first to spin in a Same Name puzzle and there's no ampersand, and you hit FP, call something like E or T instead of A, N, or D)
- Try to remember your spin power to know when your next average spin will reach a bad area so you can put a bit less power into it without making it seem like you're "aiming"
- Solve ASAP in the Prize Puzzle round
- Remember that the minimum is $1,000, so if the person before you screws up late in the round, don't just spin once and solve with ~$500; either keep going to at least surpass the minimum or just solve without spinning, unless there are multiples left
- If you're way ahead by the time Speed-Up happens, or if you now have a round score that will overtake the leader, call vowels to defend your lead better
- Don't pick letters that you know are in the bonus puzzle if you don't know the whole thing (avoid H if there's a "T_E", avoid A and D if there's "_N_", etc.)
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Post by nowhammies11 on Oct 18, 2012 9:29:23 GMT -5
9 times out of 10, your Bonus Round letters ought to be BGHO. If you have the Wild Card going to the Bonus Round, call a C.
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kaytei
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Post by kaytei on Oct 21, 2012 17:58:50 GMT -5
Thanks so much for all the tips!
I'm so scared that I am going to do something really dumb and just embarrass myself :-[
Does anyone know if I am allowed to say the theme yet? Do I have to wait until after I tape it or anything?
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kaytei
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Post by kaytei on Oct 21, 2012 18:00:31 GMT -5
9 times out of 10, your Bonus Round letters ought to be BGHO. If you have the Wild Card going to the Bonus Round, call a C. Really? I usually stick with the DCMA (P) letters. Am I doing it wrong? lol |
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Guint
Production Assistant
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Post by Guint on Oct 21, 2012 18:08:20 GMT -5
Yes.  |
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whammy007
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Post by whammy007 on Oct 21, 2012 18:09:38 GMT -5
Years ago, CDMA was the best way to go. However, Wheel's writers have reversed that trend in recent seasons. Nowadays, BGHO are the better picks and are more likely to be in most bonus puzzles.
That doesn't necessarily mean they are automatic picks though. You have to measure the situation and pick letters you think will be there. Occasionally W, K, or Y might be a key letter, or U might be the big vowel. Or they may give you an easy puzzle loaded with CDMA - you never know just what will happen till you stand in Bonusland!
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MarioGS
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Post by MarioGS on Oct 21, 2012 18:15:51 GMT -5
It's OK to tell us the theme and tape/air dates.
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Prizes
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Post by Prizes on Oct 21, 2012 18:19:05 GMT -5
Go with BGHO, with F as the Wild Card, CDMA is a surefire trap and loss for about 85% of puzzles, trust me on this. Really, I'm your site owner, I want people to win as much as possible, so I suggest this to every contestant- and it does work, we've had it happen last season (contestant, Jared, took BGHO, after our suggestion, won 50K in the BR). Saying the name of the week, and the date to air, are absolutely okay (and welcomed), gameplay spoilers of any kind are not. |
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WarioSajak
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Post by WarioSajak on Oct 21, 2012 18:54:09 GMT -5
Saying the name of the week, and the date to air, are absolutely okay (and welcomed), gameplay spoilers of any kind are not. Continuing from this, but for after your taping (and mods, feel free to correct if I'm wrong)... * Mentioning the names of your opponents is, I think, fine. Stating what they won is not. * Noting that something was edited out or retaped is fine. Specifying the round is, I think, fine. Specifying why or what happened/was removed is not, unless it's something like "they stopped tape because the video wall behind the players froze", which actually happened. * Saying what Pat's Final Spin originally landed on, and how he or others reacted to it, is fine. Saying what the aired Final Spin hit is not. |
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