Concentration

[normb]

Of course, statistics have since debated the theory that only young people buy soap, soda and automobiles.  However, just for the fun of it -- look at today's commls for Jeopardy! and Wheel -- all those medical products are not for the under 30 crowd.

The theory isn't that older people don't buy the products ... but that as we age, we're far less likely to change our loyalty to our long-established favorite brands, at the mere suggestion of advertising.

I'm in my mid-50s.  I use a certain soap and only one brand of toothpaste.  I already know which shirts and pants and cars I like.  I'm not going to change, unless they stop making what I use.  It probably won't be too much longer, though, before I'll have to start paying more attention to spots aimed at "men of a certain age".

What you say is only partially true.  The psychology of advertising goes way back and is categorized by too many factors to discuss here.  Cigarette advertising (now banned) showed movie celebrities and other teenage "idols" as well as sports figures, doctors, etc.   Beer and soft drink sponsors show bathing beautys, macho guys and others having a wild time.  The gimmick was and still is, get the young uns to smoke their brand, drink their beer, drive their car, etc., etc. etc. and you too will be a member of the beautiful "in" crowd.  As you said, you've already picked your favorite brands and are sharp enough to ignore the pitchmen with their magic potion that will turn any nerd into a god or goddess. Advertisers know that, and will not waste their ad budget with fifty year olds.  So, they go by demographics.  As I said, there's a time slot for every age group. As I said, Jeopardy! and Wheel have proven that oldsters (over 30) have a lot of buying power.

[normb]

Were there any puzzles where you thought of the sound-alike and then came up with a phrase that incorporated it?

"'Tear a ...' Say, 'pteradactyl' starts with those sounds ..."

That has always been a challenge for me. Examples like a pic of a sea horse intrigued me.  After a lot of fruitless struggling, I finally came up with, "U CAN SEA HORSE+ELF COMB+INK & GO+WING" I always felt I had accomplished something special when things like that occured.
By the way, just for the record, I never included pictures I considered "the act of doing someting" in any of my puzzles,  The best example is the word "Pull" -- associates suggested I show guys on a tug-o-war team pulling a rope -- to me that was a no-no, that would decode as "men", "tug=o-war," etc. So, I would never use "Tear a" (an act of doing something) or even a pteradactyl -- that would translate as a dinasaur (and undoubtedly be an unknown to folks not as smart as you).  Solving my whacky puzzles waa tough enough, without confusing contestants even more. Thanks for the query.

[geno57]

Here's one I've often wondered, but forgot about until now:  Did you ever consider using minus signs in the rebuses?  I always thought it might be a nifty idea to use them in a sort of "Super Puzzler" game, with a bigger-than-usual payoff.  Or, perhaps, only use them in the T of C competitions.

[normb]

Here's one I've often wondered, but forgot about until now:  Did you ever consider using minus signs in the rebuses?  I always thought it might be a nifty idea to use them in a sort of "Super Puzzler" game, with a bigger-than-usual payoff.  Or, perhaps, only use them in the T of C competitions.

Yes, but quickly threw out the idea.  With key portions of a puzzle revealed early, players occasionally took wild guesses and were correct.  That created variety, which we wanted.  Just like on "Wheel of Fortune."  That would have been completely eliminated with minus signs.  The entire puzzle would have to be shown, showing which parts were to be eliminated and which were to be kept.  Our feelings were that there would  be no reason to have a game of making matches, taking wild guesses and competition.  Just flash the entire plus/minus puzzle and see who gets it first.

[Christopher]

The only time I ever recall a clue used in the act of doing something was a golfer putting a golf ball for either "put" or "putting." Beyond that, I never recalled the original show exercising that usage. Steve Ryan tended to use it a lot on Classic Concentration.

[normb]

The only time I ever recall a clue used in the act of doing something was a golfer putting a golf ball for either "put" or "putting." Beyond that, I never recalled the original show exercising that usage. Steve Ryan tended to use it a lot on Classic Concentration.

Interesting.  I didn't know Steve used that type of clue.  How did the players answer?  Using your example, which would be the correct solve: a)  "PUTTING ON THE RITZ" or b) "PUT ON THE RITZ"  Sounds unfair to me. I made sure there would only be one solution, not two.  Thanks for sharing that info with me.

[Christopher]

Interesting.  I didn't know Steve used that type of clue.  How did the players answer?  Using your example, which would be the correct solve: a)  "PUTTING ON THE RITZ" or b) "PUT ON THE RITZ"  Sounds unfair to me. I made sure there would only be one solution, not two.  Thanks for sharing that info with me.

Oh, on the original, they'd say "Putting On The Ritz" since it sounded more familiar. Steve would use somebody rowing a boat for a syllable sounding like "row" or any such variant or a person on a scale weighing themselves for "way" or such rhyming syllable.

[TLEberle]

Oh, on the original, they'd say "Putting On The Ritz" since it sounded more familiar. Steve would use somebody rowing a boat for a syllable sounding like "row" or any such variant or a person on a scale weighing themselves for "way" or such rhyming syllable.

I don't see any variant of "row" or "way" in "Putting on the Ritz." Confusing.

[Christopher]

In general, Steve would use those clues. I wasn't using "Putting On The Ritz" as an example of it.

[normb]

Oh, on the original, they'd say "Putting On The Ritz" since it sounded more familiar. Steve would use somebody rowing a boat for a syllable sounding like "row" or any such variant or a person on a scale weighing themselves for "way" or such rhyming syllable.

I don't see any variant of "row" or "way" in "Putting on the Ritz." Confusing.

Sorry I might have confused you.  I'll try to explain this personal rule I employed when I created all the puzzles used on the original Concentration (NOT Classic Concentration).  Let's say the puzzle is "STRIKING A HARD BARGAIN."  To convey the word. "STRIKE", I would never use a baseball player missing a pitch or a group of picketing people on strike.  Those acts of doing something could mean several things other than "STRIKING" or even "STRIKE".  Same with the example "PUTTING" -- that could be PUTT or PUTTING, GOLFER, GOLF, etc.  So, for my puzzle, it would be: "ST+RYE+KING A HEART BAR+GUN" (that would be a whiskey bottle, with word, RYE on it), Here again, I would never use a rye bread, that could be called "BREAD", "LOAF" or who knows what.  I could also use a picture of a bowling ball knocking all ten pins in the air (STRIKE) plus a picture of a KING. None of those objects from the HEART to the GUN, could be anything else but what it is.  Hope I haven't confused you even more.

[TLEberle]

None of those objects from the HEART to the GUN, could be anything else but what it is.  Hope I haven't confused you even more.

Nope, I understand completely.

[chris319]

Very interesting points about making the clues unambiguous.

[PYLdude]

Norm, you brought up earlier that the show got fan letters from the then-Mrs. Jerry Lewis and it got me thinking. Now I apologize if this has been asked before, but I was curious. How often did you get negative feedback from viewers, and what might've been the favorite letter you ever got (good or bad, or both), if you can remember?

And I also will extend my thanks to you for coming aboard here and sharing your experiences. It's always a fun read.

[normb]

Norm, you brought up earlier that the show got fan letters from the then-Mrs. Jerry Lewis and it got me thinking. Now I apologize if this has been asked before, but I was curious. How often did you get negative feedback from viewers, and what might've been the favorite letter you ever got (good or bad, or both), if you can remember?

And I also will extend my thanks to you for coming aboard here and sharing your experiences. It's always a fun read.

Received tons of angry letters -- and as crazy as some were, every one of them was answered. One of my all time favorites accused us of fraud.  In one of our commercials there was a sailor in a little boat happily sailing around inside a toilet bowl.  When a viewer bought the toilet cleanser there was nothing but suds.  They threatened to sue us -- we sent their complaint to the sponsor.  Lots of mail complained about everything from contestants with short skirts to our emcee showing favorites or using foul language. Many viewers the asked for the addresses of the big money winners or beautiful contestants.  Wonder why?  Remember TV was still in its infancy during the years that Concentration was on, and most people didn't know how it worked.  Letters from many viewers asked for advice or sent in checks for the rent or electric bill to us.  We had to return them.  Some folks might have sounded like sickos (and many were) but some were confused or merely frightened.  Here's a letter I've never destroyed: "STOP WATCHING ME!  No matter what I do, no matter where I go, you keep staring at me.  I turn off the television set, but it does no good.  You keep watching me,  I go into the other room and I can feel your eyes on my back.  Before I go to sleep at night, I have to pull out the plug on my set but it does no good.  I demand that you stop being a peeping Tom, you are all sick."   Sad, but true.  Possibly that person's logic:  If you could make a phone call, you could both send and receive conversations.  So, why not the same with a new-fangled TV hook up? Luckily, good and bad, sane or insane, the mail kept coming and that kept us on the air.

[JayDLewis]

So, for my puzzle, it would be: "ST+RYE+KING A HEART BAR+GUN" (that would be a whiskey bottle, with word, RYE on it), Here again, I would never use a rye bread, that could be called "BREAD", "LOAF" or who knows what.

This may be a dumb question but, why not?

If the contestant has essentially figured out something-KING A HARD BARGAIN then Loafking or Breadking doesn't make sense. 1 vs 100 used this plenty of times in questions like "Who was the first US President? A: The one born in Pennsylvania, B: The one born in Delaware, C: The one born in Virginia."

Do you consider this (added) level of complexity considered unnecessary?