September 17, 2015 recap/discussion

$1,000 Toss-Up: Thing

M A R _ N E
_ _ _ _ _ _ Y

Mark solves MARINE BIOLOGY.

Mark Rotella, West Islip, NY, married to Renee, high school math teacher at Brentwood High School, varsity lacrosse coach
Mary Jo Vonasek, Glendale, AZ, math teacher at Sandra Day O'Connor High School, has two sons
Natalie Basile, Mountainside, NJ, teaches 4th grade at Robert Gordon School, co-owns a small business that makes lessons plans and resources, reads and writes

$2,000 Toss-Up: Occupation

A T _ _ E T I C
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mary Jo solves ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.

Round 1: Title

Mary Jo calls N on $500 between $550 and $900, buys A and I, then calls G on $650. After buying O and E, she calls F on $800, then gets a U on Free Play to finish the vowels. But after T on $900, she Bankrupts between $900 and $650.

Natalie then hits Lose a Turn, but Mark gets the Shopping Spree with R.

T A _ E _ / O F / A
F O U R T _ / G R A _ E
N O T _ I N G

He solves TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING for $1,000 and a RetailMeNot shopping spree ($6,000).

Bankrupt: Mary Jo ($5,600)
Lose a Turn: Natalie

Natalie: $0
Mark: $8,000
Mary Jo: $2,000
====
Mystery Round: Before & After

Natalie calls N and T on $800 and $650, then buys E and A. After H on ½ Car between $650 and $900, she calls D on $700, then buys O to clear the vowels. Her next picks are L, M, and S on $800, $900, and $900.

T H E / O L D / M A N
A N D / T H E
S E A
M O N S T E _

She solves THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA MONSTER for $10,400 and the tag.

PERFECT ROUND

Natalie: $10,400 + ½ Car tag
Mark: $8,000
Mary Jo: $2,000

Pat: This star of "City Slickers" and "The Comedians" was a substitute teacher on Long Island. Who is it? Stay tuned. (Billy Crystal)
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Prize/Express Round: What Are You Doing?

Mark Bankrupts between $900 and $3,500. Mary Jo calls N and G on $550 and ½ Car between $650 and $900, but after buying I and A, she duds with S on $600. Natalie then hits the Bankrupt between $900 and $650.

Mark finishes off the vowels with E on Free Play, but his next stop is Lose a Turn. Mary Jo tries M and Y on $700 and $500 between $800 and $650, but she duds with D on the Mrs. Prindable's gift tag.

Back to Natalie, who tries T and L on $550 and $500 between $650 and $900. She then gets the Million Dollar Wedge with B and calls V on $700, but her pick of R on Wild Card is a no-go.

Mark finishes with C on the Mrs. Prindable's gift tag…

C _ E C _ I N G / M Y
A V A I L A B I L I T Y

…and solves CHECKING MY AVAILABILITY for $1,000, the Gift Tag, and a trip to Cabo San Lucas (Grand Solmar Land's End Resort, $7,300).

Bankrupt: Mark ($0), Natalie (½ Car tag)
Lose a Turn: Mark
Duds: S (Mary Jo), D (Mary Jo), R (Natalie)
Unclaimed: $2,250 + ½ Car tag (Mary Jo), $2,250 + Million Dollar Wedge (Natalie)

Natalie: $10,400
Mark: $17,300
Mary Jo: $2,000
====
$3,000 Toss-Up: Phrase

B E _ _ _ V _ / _ N
_ _ U R _ E L _

Mary Jo solves BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

Round 4: Rhyme Time

Mary Jo calls N and D on $650 and $900 before the bells ring.

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

Final Spin: $500 between $5,000 and $900

(null cycle)
Mary Jo: M
Natalie: L
Mark: P
Mary Jo: Y

_ / P _ P P Y
_ N D / _ / _ _ P P Y

For $4,550, she solves A PUPPY AND A GUPPY.

Aired duds: M (Mary Jo), L (Natalie)
Unclaimed: $7,500 (Mark)

End totals:
Natalie: $10,400
Mark: $17,300
Mary Jo: $9,550
====
$100,000 Bonus Round

Mark's wife, Renee, is in the audience.

He lands on the I in SPIN, and his puzzle is Thing:


_ _ _ R L _
_ _ _ _ T E

P, D, M, A: (Pat mishears the D as V)

_ _ _ R L _
_ P D A T E

He solves HOURLY UPDATE for $33,000. End total: $50,300.

$5K EVERY DAY SPIN ID: DR0071771