Author Topic: I Have A Free Spin, Dammit! (Read 3587 times)

Brandon Brooks · « **on:** August 09, 2006, 10:20:16 PM »

Alright, I know that WoF is seems to be held in low standards here, but I watch and enjoy it sometimes. While at the gym, I saw a situation that could present itself.

It was obvious that the young lady was spinning today in the final round to earn enough money to overtake the leader and go to the bonus round. So let's say she kept spinning until one constanant was left on the puzzle board. Let's also say she also had a free spin. She lands on $300, but calls a bad letter in order to get that $5K. She goes to hand her free spin in, but before she could: "DING-dong, DING-dong... That means time has run out, I'm going to give the wheel a final..." Would she get first dibs on guessing that last letter or does control pass to next player?

beatlefreak84 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2006, 10:28:48 PM »

According to the "official rules," once the ding-dongs come in to signify that it's time for the final spin, the free spin is immediately nullified. So, if she didn't get to hand it to Pat beforehand, then it doesn't count, and she loses her turn.

I sincerely hope that that's NEVER come up before...

Anthony

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2006, 10:31:24 PM »

This is horribly vague, I know, but I seem to recall a rather weird situation from a few years back where the "time's running short" chimes actually cut off PAT asking the contestant if they wanted to use their Free Spin.

clemon79 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2006, 10:31:29 PM »

[quote name=\'Brandon Brooks\' post=\'126803\' date=\'Aug 9 2006, 07:20 PM\']
She goes to hand her free spin in, but before she could: "DING-dong, DING-dong... That means time has run out, I'm going to give the wheel a final..." Would she get first dibs on guessing that last letter or does control pass to next player?
[/quote]
I'm gonna guess that situation would never happen simply because the director would wait until the player decided whether to use their Free Spin or not before telling the sound effects guy to fire the Final Spin bell.

And if he didn't, they would find out real fast that they screwed up and do an edit.

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2006, 11:13:48 PM »

. . . except that they can decide to use it when the next player has their hand on the wheel. How do you balance that?

clemon79 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 09, 2006, 11:34:15 PM »

[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' post=\'126822\' date=\'Aug 9 2006, 08:13 PM\']
. . . except that they can decide to use it when the next player has their hand on the wheel. How do you balance that?
[/quote]
By making damned sure, when you're getting close to that situation, that your host asks your player who is still sitting on a Free Spin in Round Three or later if they would like to use it each and every time the opportunity arises, before permitting the next player to spin the wheel.

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2006, 01:03:59 AM »

I can recall a somewhat similar situation. The contestant asked to solve the puzzle right as the times-up sounded, and after a few seconds of deliberation, they went ahead and let her solve. I imagine they'd do the same in this situation.

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #7 on:** August 10, 2006, 02:13:22 AM »

Chris: That's fair.

I don't remember it ever happening on Wheel, even in the bygone era before the Edit-Happy Years, but it's fair.

uncamark · « **Reply #8 on:** August 10, 2006, 03:03:31 PM »

But it seems to me that at least once a player has started to say "I'd like to solve the puzzle..." before the bell goes off and Pat has said something like "wait a minute and you can get some more money" while spinning the wheel.

Of course, we then run the risk of a wrong letter still being called or the player not giving the correct solve, but it seems to me that Pat's done it at least once.

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #9 on:** August 10, 2006, 03:10:16 PM »

[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'126934\' date=\'Aug 10 2006, 12:03 PM\']
But it seems to me that at least once a player has started to say "I'd like to solve the puzzle..." before the bell goes off and Pat has said something like "wait a minute and you can get some more money" while spinning the wheel.

Of course, we then run the risk of a wrong letter still being called or the player not giving the correct solve, but it seems to me that Pat's done it at least once.
[/quote]
I imagine it has happened only once. Letting them just solve the puzzle then and there is by far the better option for them. Remember, the bell doesn't mean time is up. It means time is running short. Even if they play the bell, and then just let them solve before the spin, there will be a whole other puzzle.

JasonA1 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 10, 2006, 03:13:57 PM »

If the player solved before the bell I really don't think they'd do a whole 'nother puzzle. If that's not what you meant, my bad.

-Jason

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #11 on:** August 10, 2006, 03:15:51 PM »

[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'126937\' date=\'Aug 10 2006, 12:13 PM\']
If the player solved before the bell I really don't think they'd do a whole 'nother puzzle. If that's not what you meant, my bad.

-Jason
[/quote]
It is what I meant, and yes, they would. I know because they have. They go to another puzzle and fire off the bell again immediately.

parliboy · « **Reply #12 on:** August 10, 2006, 03:30:14 PM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' post=\'126938\' date=\'Aug 10 2006, 02:15 PM\']
[quote name=\'JasonA1\' post=\'126937\' date=\'Aug 10 2006, 12:13 PM\']
If the player solved before the bell I really don't think they'd do a whole 'nother puzzle. If that's not what you meant, my bad.

-Jason
[/quote]
It is what I meant, and yes, they would. I know because they have. They go to another puzzle and fire off the bell again immediately.
[/quote]

While I can't vouch for if they have, it would seem logical that in the current format they would have another puzzle. The speed-up round is always played now, even if an entire puzzle has to be dedicated to it.

CherryPizza · « **Reply #13 on:** August 11, 2006, 07:30:13 PM »

I have no idea of the ins and outs of rules for the US version, but here a Free Spin was always still valid after the bell goes. It could be used to choose an extra letter in the 'speed-up round' (that term was never used over here, but still the same concept), or in the situation you've quoted, it would give the just-buzzed player the power to choose the first letter after the host's spin

clemon79 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 11, 2006, 07:49:46 PM »

[quote name=\'CherryPizza\' post=\'127102\' date=\'Aug 11 2006, 04:30 PM\']
I have no idea of the ins and outs of rules for the US version, but here a Free Spin was always still valid after the bell goes. It could be used to choose an extra letter in the 'speed-up round' (that term was never used over here, but still the same concept), or in the situation you've quoted, it would give the just-buzzed player the power to choose the first letter after the host's spin
[/quote]
Yeah, on our show, the Free Spin effectively goes away once the speed-up round is officially underway.