Grand Opening (Day 3)

You guys are in for a wild ride, and it's not gonna be any good...

Contestants: Patrick, Katie, Greg

Toss-Up 1: Proper name
_ _ _ I _ _ _ _ A
A _ _ _ _ E R A

We all know her name - Patrick quickly IDs CHRISTINA AGUILERA.

Toss-Up 2: Thing
S T O _ W _ T C H

Our STOPWATCH stops taking time right here - Greg solves this puzzle for control.

Prize on the Wheel: Grand Canyon, Arizona, $6,000

Jackpot Round: (Yet another) Proper name

Greg picks up the Wild Card with an R, but Bankrupts between $900 and $600 to give it right back. Patrick gets the same Bankrupt as Greg, while Katie finds $1,400 from a pair of S's. Yet she buys a dud A, so we're coming to Greg...but he fails on $600 with a lackluster L. Patrick then finds a $500 T (although he nearly hit the Jackpot), a $600 N, an $800 B, but then he Bankrupts on the MDW's left side. Katie and Greg then BLOW THEIR TURNS with I (Katie) and $600 C (Greg) calls, respectively. So it's back to Patrick, who decides to just solve this puzzle right now...

B _ S T _ N
R _ _ / S _ _

...and he IDs the BOSTON RED SOX for the house minimum. VERY UGLY ROUND, PERIOD.

Wrong Letters: A (Katie), L (Greg), I (Katie), C (Greg)
Bankrupts: Greg, Patrick 2x
Unclaimed Jackpot: $8,800

Patrick and Greg: $2,000 each
Katie: $0

Mystery Round: Thing (hey, is there some sort of category pattern?)

Hoping to recover from a nasty round, Patrick doesn't do any good thanks to a Bankrupt near $3,500. Katie finds a $600 R, a $1,200 pair of S's, and an E, but can't capitalize on $500 with a T. Greg just doesn't make it to the MW and Loses a Turn instead. Patrick then finds a $300 L, a $300 M, and a pair of N's (what he wanted to say on $300 instead of L) while on the MW near LaT. He flips it...but he isn't the third Mystery Wedge winner. Dang it. Katie then asks for quadruple A's...

A N / A M E R _ _ A N
_ L A S S _ _

...and reads AN AMERICAN CLASSIC for her first $1,350. Could've gone on for those C's...

Wrong Letter: T (Katie)
Bankrupts: Patrick 2x
Lose a Turn: Greg

Patrick and Greg: $2,000 each
Katie: $1,350

Prize Puzzle: Things

Katie tries to end this low-scoring affair with a $550 R and a $300 S. But Lose a Turn doesn't help her. Greg then collects $2,700 from a few T's, but fails with L on $300. Patrick then Bankrupts near $600. It just isn't his night tonight. Katie then goes on a spending spree: an E, an A, and triplet I's. She then finds a $300 C, purchases a few O's...

O _ T _ O O R
A C T I _ I T I E S

...and solves this puzzle for only $150, but that's just enough to pay for OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES on her $5,500 trek to QUEBEC, CANADA. She's earned $5,650 that round.

Wrong Letter: L (Greg)
Bankrupt: Patrick
Lose a Turn: Katie

Patrick and Greg: $2,000 each
Katie: $6,950 cash and Canada

Toss-Up 3: People
_ O O S _ E _
C L U B

Katie guesses BOOSTER CLUB...correct, so she's moved up to $9,950.

Round 4: On the map

Katie starts out with an $1,800 trio of S's, but fails on $300 with an R. Greg can't find an L on $300, but it's Final Spin time anyway...

_ _ _ _ _ _ S
_ _ _ _ _ S S _ _

...and consonants are worth $1,450 each. Still anybody's game.

Patrick - 1 T.
Katie - 5 E's!
Greg - 1 I; the last of the vowels.

Does Greg solve this puzzle with this setup?

_ E _ _ _ I S
T E _ _ E S S E E

Nope, he blanks out. Let's see if Patrick can solve it after asking for double N's...

_ E _ _ _ I S
T E N N E S S E E

...not a word comes out of his mouth. Does Katie get it with a pair of M's?

M E M _ _ I S
T E N N E S S E E

Of course, with MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE! She's $4,700 richer.

Wrong Letters: R (Katie), L (Greg)

Patrick and Greg: $2,000 each
Katie: $14,650

Maingame Winnings: Not very good - just $18,650

Bonus Round: Thing

Looks like Katie's survived an ugly game. She lands on the C in AMERICA'S.

RSTLNE gives some decent help:

_ L _ S S _
_ _ _ T _

She knows it like I do! She's going with PHYO...

_ L O S S Y
P H O T O

I'll be absolutely willing to take a GLOSSY PHOTO of her winning $35,000, giving her $49,650, cash and Canada! Better job done by her!