Author Topic: What's on Pat's card? (Read 5478 times)

tvmitch · « **on:** January 12, 2011, 08:59:35 PM »

At the WoF bonus round, right before the contestant spins the little wheel, Pat always looks down at his card. Force of habit it seems.

But what's on that card? I want to think it says what letter on the little wheel holds the big money card. But I don't think that's it, because he looks offstage afterwards if needs to reveal how the contestant was one space off, or something.

Is it the puzzle category? The puzzle answer? (I guess that would have to be on there, really.)

knagl · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2011, 09:16:34 PM »

I always assumed it was the location of the big money wedge, the category, and the puzzle. He always looks at it right as the contestant spins, which is why I figured that he knows the location of the large money prize.

In fact, I seem to recall at least one time when the Million was on the wheel and the contestant missed the bonus, he told them prior to revealing the envelope that it wasn't the million.

chris319 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2011, 09:52:47 PM »

Some emcees (Allen Ludden) didn't/don't want to know the answers and be surprised along with the contestants. Barker, Drew, et. al. don't have the answers given to them, though they do know where the Shell Game ball is from moving the shells around.

Twentington · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2011, 09:57:27 PM »

He must have the answer on his card. Notice how he makes remarks like "well, you're gonna get some letters", or jokes that a puzzle will be "very difficult" if the contestant ends up filling all but one or two letters.

I always thought that the "now this is going to be very difficult"-type comments would be very awkward if he said that and the contestant somehow choked on the puzzle...

clemon79 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2011, 12:59:16 AM »

It would shock me if the location of the Big Fella were on that card. I can't see why he would want to know that far in advance, lest he accidentally tip his hand early if the contestant hits it, even in the smallest way.

J.R. · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2011, 01:19:41 AM »

[quote name=\'Twentington\' post=\'254541\' date=\'Jan 12 2011, 08:57 PM\']I always thought that the "now this is going to be very difficult"-type comments would be very awkward if he said that and the contestant somehow choked on the puzzle...[/quote]
Oh, it's happened. I seem to recall an episode of WOF in the 94-95 season that GSN aired, where someone had virtually the entire bonus puzzle revealed and the contestant just bricked. It was awkward indeed.

I remember it because it was a "road" episode featuring military contestants.

(If someone can provide more info on this memory, I'd appreciate it.)

Twentington · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2011, 01:23:29 AM »

[quote name=\'J.R.\' post=\'254564\' date=\'Jan 13 2011, 01:19 AM\']Oh, it's happened. I seem to recall an episode of WOF in the 94-95 season that GSN aired, where someone had virtually the entire bonus puzzle revealed and the contestant just bricked. It was awkward indeed.[/quote]

Wasn't that the one where the contestant couldn't figure out AWARD with only the W missing? I remember seeing the clip on YouTube but it was taken down.

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2011, 02:35:51 AM »

[quote name=\'J.R.\' post=\'254564\' date=\'Jan 12 2011, 10:19 PM\'][quote name=\'Twentington\' post=\'254541\' date=\'Jan 12 2011, 08:57 PM\']I always thought that the "now this is going to be very difficult"-type comments would be very awkward if he said that and the contestant somehow choked on the puzzle...[/quote]
Oh, it's happened. I seem to recall an episode of WOF in the 94-95 season that GSN aired, where someone had virtually the entire bonus puzzle revealed and the contestant just bricked. It was awkward indeed.

I remember it because it was a "road" episode featuring military contestants.

(If someone can provide more info on this memory, I'd appreciate it.)
[/quote]
With a little looking, I can find the video, but he couldn't get AWARD from A_ARD.

Craig Karlberg · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2011, 04:02:39 AM »

Yesterday's WoF had a simmilar scenerio Kevin, only it was N_GHTFALL. Seems to me Pat pretty much knew what was going on when the contestant called the letters & said " Vanna, oh go ahead & put 'em up" or something like that. If it was the Puzzle answer, then that's probably why Pat might've been a bit "suspicious" as to what was going on. He didn't show where the Big Fella was because there was no $1M in play & he might've saw where it was offstage & chose to ignore it because it wasn't close enough to warrrant a reveal. I'm not suggesting a rigged thing here, just the fact that Pat was very, how should I describe it, maybe a little envious as to what was happening.

knagl · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2011, 04:12:40 AM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'254561\' date=\'Jan 13 2011, 12:59 AM\']It would shock me if the location of the Big Fella were on that card. I can't see why he would want to know that far in advance, lest he accidentally tip his hand early if the contestant hits it, even in the smallest way.[/quote]
I can't prove anything other than a memory of a Youtube video of someone landing on the right wedge (and went on to win the million buckaroos), and before the puzzle was revealed Pat seemed to have done more cautioning of the audience to shut the heck up than normal. Maybe it just felt that way, though.

I also seem to think that he looks at the card when the contestant doesn't land on the correct wedge to rotate the wheel and show America that the million was in there. I'm open to being corrected about that, though.

Chris C: You mentioned that Mr. Ludden didn't want to have the answers. Surely he had the passwords visible to him so he'd know whether the guesser was right or wrong, right?

Jeremy Nelson · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2011, 04:38:23 AM »

[quote name=\'knagl\' post=\'254578\' date=\'Jan 13 2011, 03:12 AM\']Chris C: You mentioned that Mr. Ludden didn't want to have the answers. Surely he had the passwords visible to him so he'd know whether the guesser was right or wrong, right?[/quote]
Maybe so. But considering all you need is the password giver's confirmation and a set of dings from the sound guys to tell a right answer from a wrong one, Allen could very well have not had any of the answers in front of him.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2011, 06:11:07 AM »

[quote name=\'knagl\' post=\'254578\' date=\'Jan 13 2011, 04:12 AM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'254561\' date=\'Jan 13 2011, 12:59 AM\']It would shock me if the location of the Big Fella were on that card. I can't see why he would want to know that far in advance, lest he accidentally tip his hand early if the contestant hits it, even in the smallest way.[/quote]
I can't prove anything other than a memory of a Youtube video of someone landing on the right wedge (and went on to win the million buckaroos), and before the puzzle was revealed Pat seemed to have done more cautioning of the audience to shut the heck up than normal. Maybe it just felt that way, though.

I also seem to think that he looks at the card when the contestant doesn't land on the correct wedge to rotate the wheel and show America that the million was in there. I'm open to being corrected about that, though.
[/quote]
During the first $100K win, Pat said excitedly "You'd better get this one!" I remember thinking to myself "I wonder if Pat knows the contestant has the $100,000 envelope?"

Okay, I looked at the clip for the first time in 9 years...Pat wasn't as excited, but he did say that and added "I have a good feeling about this..." Of course, Pat's low-key personality could've referred to an ordinary win as well...

Unrelated, I forgot about the cool bump shot they used to do going into the bonus round, with the contestant's face on the big screen...nice little touch prolly edited out for time constraints...

whewfan · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2011, 09:04:56 AM »

Chris C: You mentioned that Mr. Ludden didn't want to have the answers. Surely he had the passwords visible to him so he'd know whether the guesser was right or wrong, right?

I am not sure HOW, but I do believe that Allen was also shown the passwords. He never knew the solutions to the PUZZLES on Password Plus, in fear that he may accidentally give it away, although he still did give away puzzles on occasion (I think Chris C said that Allen's puzzle goofs were edited out because Allen didn't handles these situations very smoothly)

parliboy · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2011, 09:50:14 AM »

IIRC from reading, Pat is given a cue from off-stage when the big wedge is spun. Go watch the clip where the million is won. Just before he announces the category, he looks off-stage, then briefly loses his spot and has to compose himself.

Jeremy Nelson · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2011, 12:34:23 PM »

I would really like to see what's written on Pat's card as far as letter distribution for the main game. Is it some sort of grid template, or are the distributions written by hand? It's kinda silly, but I've always wondered that.