Long Discontinued Game Show Practices (that Lasted Longer Than You Thought)

[vtown7]

Without going into specifics, Bob/Drew had/has a way of knowing where the car and master keys are before walking to the locks, although the specific method is different for each host.

So the keys are actually functioning keys? I always assumed the keys were just the equivalent of "pick a number", and someone just pushed a button backstage to do the reveal.

I'm sure I've heard somewhere (possibly multiple places) that there are magnets in the keys which do/don't trigger the locks opening?  And if that's not the case I'd love to hear how they work.

Ryan

[Bryce L.]

Without going into specifics, Bob/Drew had/has a way of knowing where the car and master keys are before walking to the locks, although the specific method is different for each host.

So the keys are actually functioning keys? I always assumed the keys were just the equivalent of "pick a number", and someone just pushed a button backstage to do the reveal.

I'm sure I've heard somewhere (possibly multiple places) that there are magnets in the keys which do/don't trigger the locks opening?  And if that's not the case I'd love to hear how they work.

Ryan

Correct. One magnet in each of the "single prize" keys (on the old keys, these magnets would've been located at the front end of the key, where the "teeth" of a real key would've been; not sure if the current keys work the same way). The master key had magnets in all three "teeth", and the dud key had no magnets whatsoever. When placing the key into the lock and turning it, the two magnets (one in the key, one in the lock itself) connecting would be what triggered the "WIN!" sign popping up.

[clemon79]

(and was unsurpisingly done by a Golden-Road regular who knew where the producers would hide the car and master key)

Huh?

[Kevin Prather]

(and was unsurpisingly done by a Golden-Road regular who knew where the producers would hide the car and master key)

Huh?

I'm guessing someone who studies the game enough to notice a pattern of where they put each key.

[Steve Gavazzi]

I'm guessing someone who studies the game enough to notice a pattern of where they put each key.

I don't know exactly what happened on the show in question, but for a long time, there was a pretty reliable rule that the second and fourth keys were, in no particular order, one of the first two prizes and the key that didn't open anything.  As long as you were able to win both items, it worked well enough that you could pretty much guarantee yourself the car.

[Jeremy Nelson]

I'm guessing someone who studies the game enough to notice a pattern of where they put each key.

I don't know exactly what happened on the show in question, but for a long time, there was a pretty reliable rule that the second and fourth keys were, in no particular order, one of the first two prizes and the key that didn't open anything.  As long as you were able to win both items, it worked well enough that you could pretty much guarantee yourself the car.

I mean, that would have to just be dumb luck, right? Wouldn't S&P require the keys to be randomly placed before each playing?

[Steve Gavazzi]

I mean, that would have to just be dumb luck, right? Wouldn't S&P require the keys to be randomly placed before each playing?

I don't see why -- the show has never claimed it was random.  It's no different than deciding where the ball starts in Shell Game or where the $25,000 is in Punch a Bunch.

[aaron sica]

Because I know someone knows...

 On "classic" TPiR, after pricing game 4,  is the shot of the audience and the announcer intoning "Stay tuned for more pricing games and the the fabulous showcases coming up on the second half of 'The Price is Right'". Nowadays, Drew just mentions it in passing. When did they do away with that?

[BrandonFG]

2003 or so. I remember asking the same thing a few years ago.

[PYLdude]

2003 or so. I remember asking the same thing a few years ago.

I thought that when Drew took over, they started doing it again?

I know the practice did stop when Rod Roddy was still alive.

[Mr. Armadillo]

(and was unsurpisingly done by a Golden-Road regular who knew where the producers would hide the car and master key)

Huh?

It's another one of those psychological tricks that producers can use to influence whether a game is won or lost.  Humans, when presented with a set of five otherwise-identical options (keys in this case), will pick one of the middle options far more often than the outside two.  Checking the TPiR stats page, over the last 20 years, contestants have selected key #1 only 11% of the time and key #5 16% of the time.

The producers know this, and in order to save on the budget, often put the car and master key in those positions to "hide" them.  Out of the 21 times Key #1 was selected (and used), it unlocked the car lock **17** of them.  Likewise, Key #5 won the car 20 of the 32 times it was selected.

So, obviously, if a contestant were actually to get on The Price is Right and play Master Key, it would be very much in their interest to take key #1 (and #5 to a lesser extent), but who outside of this little corner of game show fandom would even think to look for a pattern there?

TL;DR: If the keys were assigned randomly, each one would win the car 40% of the time, but they're not, and Key #1 wins the car over 80% of the time, though nobody outside of g-r would realize it

[JasonA1]

I thought that when Drew took over, they started doing it again?

I know the practice did stop when Rod Roddy was still alive.

November 2005. Bob -- and later Drew -- throws it to break with "more pricing games coming up on the second half of The Price Is Right!"

-Jason

[clemon79]

TL;DR: If the keys were assigned randomly, each one would win the car 40% of the time, but they're not, and Key #1 wins the car over 80% of the time, though nobody outside of g-r would realize it

Right. I'm just completely baffled that S&P lets that stand when it's so easy to rent a monkey to pull pool balls out of a bag.

[WilliamPorygon]

Right. I'm just completely baffled that S&P lets that stand when it's so easy to rent a monkey to pull pool balls out of a bag.

Because, again, they've never claimed the keys are placed randomly.  Much like how in the early days of Millionaire the 50:50 would be preprogrammed to keep the wrong answer that the producers thought would be most likely to be the one a contestant would be considering.

(If there's anything that baffles me as to how S&P is fine with it, it's how Family Feud prevents 3-round wins by changing the double round question based on the scores after the single questions.)

[clemon79]

Because, again, they've never claimed the keys are placed randomly.

That's a fair point.

(If there's anything that baffles me as to how S&P is fine with it, it's how Family Feud prevents 3-round wins by changing the double round question based on the scores after the single questions.)

That's no different than the Idiot Stack that Tomarken would go to on PYL if there weren't enough spins handed out to be interesting.

So, yeah, point well taken.