Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 13

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A timeline for Season 13 of Wheel of Fortune, which aired in first-run from September 4, 1995 through June 7, 1996, with additional first-run shows from at least July 15-18, 1996.

Season Changes[]

The show moves to its current taping location, Stage 11 at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City.
From now until about October 2004, the show stops using an applause machine.
The category names, prize values, post-Bonus Round totals, sponsor list, eligibility disclaimer, and credits are switched from Gill Sans to Clearface.
The category chyrons change to white Clearface font on a tan background, essentially becoming "strips". They now reveal with a miniature graphic of the Wheel which rolls from left to right.
The "decade" category chyrons now use a lowercase S after the number (e.g. "THE 60's").
The value of the Bonus Round prize is changed to black on a golden "plaque".
If a puzzle in a non-"bonus" category has a trivia question, Pat now asks the question instead of Charlie.
The intro is abridged to "It's America's Game: Wheel of Fortune! The world's most popular game show! And now from the Sony Studios, here they are: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!" The opening logo is almost the same, but is no longer angled facing frontward and the Wheel is now spinning clockwise. As before, the U's bottom is flat, and the "O" in "of" is a normal-looking O instead of Wheel-shaped, like the two-row logo. When the logo breaks, the letters fly towards the sides as they zoom forward, and the wedges all separate as they zoom forward while the center zooms back. It also transitions to different graphics related to the show, including pictures of Pat, Vanna, the $25,000 sign, and the Round 4 Wheel spinning, all shown in the letters of "WHEEL", with the "America's Game" slogan and so-called "options" of "Spin the Wheel", "Buy a Vowel", and "Solve the Puzzle" vertically scrolling upwards in the background; followed by a fly-over shot of Sony Pictures Studios just before Pat and Vanna are introduced. The "swoosh" sound is heard as lasers fly around each letter, and also applies to the 1992 Tyco home game plug, which is updated to reflect the new theme, graphics, and sound effects. The opening theme is shortened to end with the puzzle-solve cue that debuted in October 1994.
The closing spiel is changed to "This is Charlie O'Donnell speaking. Wheel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin.", the only closing spiel where he signs off with his name. The first half of the spiel is played over the "Created by Merv Griffin" credit and the second half is played over the copyright/title screen (complete with drumroll). The Columbia TriStar Television logo and theme are played as he says "Produced by Columbia TriStar Television." The King World logo and music play as usual with spiel. Weekend repeats of this season use the closing starting the following season (i.e. copyright date, "Created by Merv Griffin" credit, King World logo, and CTT logo/music).
The pink $1,000 in Round 1 is recolored sparkly green.
Free Spin moves to the purple $200 (clockwise from Lose a Turn), where it stays through the second week of Season 14. Previously, it did not have a fixed location.
Prize wedges no longer move between rounds.
The "burst" contestant backdrops are slightly redone. As a result, they have less glitter and the blue one is darker.
For the closing credits, the first few credits from Executive Producer to Associate Director are shown as chyron before scrolling to reveal the remaining credits. Pat and Vanna's wardrobe credits are accompanied with the logos of their respective providers.
The W-H-E-E-L envelope holder now uses the lower-pitched chime for the rest of its tenure, regardless of the locale.
Tiger Electronics releases a handheld electronic LCD game during this time, complete with additional cartridges that contain more puzzles. The game is marketed on the backs of boxes of Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal, as well as in a TV campaign featuring kids frustrated by their parents' constant playing of the game. For more information, see Video games.
Wheel and Jeopardy! become official sponsors for the 1996 Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. The shows sell Olympic T-shirts and sweatshirts which may be acquired via phone or mail.

September 1995[]

1stsony2 — The road-show board in late 1995.

For the weeks of September 4 and September 11, the road show puzzle board is used.
September 4 is Teen Week, the last time that the season begins with one. This is also the last Teen Week in which the players are not paired with a best friend or relative until Season 40. During this week, the contestants help model the Prizes.
On September 4:
- All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 1.
- Ten wrong letters are called in Round 1, seven of which are consecutive.
- Double Play debuts. It is on the purple $200 for Round 2 since Free Spin was claimed, then moves to the tan $200 for Rounds 3+. A post-production shot of the latter position is used when Pat describes the token at the start of Round 2.
- The Round 2 Prize is a $2,000 gift certificate for a stereo system at Service Merchandise, whose wedge has "CERTIFICATE".
- Surprise is on the purple $150 in Round 3.
- The Round 3 puzzle PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE BEEP (Phrase) sets what may be a record for the most instances of one vowel in the same puzzle until January 2021, with ten E's.
- The winning contestant (Jay) has only $2,450 before the Bonus Round.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On September 5:
- Double Play takes its normal position on the blue $300 for Round 2, and the pink $200 for Rounds 3+.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt.
On September 6:
- Double Play is placed on the tan $200 between $300 and the top dollar amount in Round 2, the tan $200 between $500 and $550 in Round 3, and the pink $200 between $400 and $900 in Round 4.
- Surprise is on the purple $150 in Round 3; it takes its normal position in Round 4.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt.
- The Bonus Round envelope (an annuity) has a golden star on the inside.
On September 7:
- Double Play is placed on the tan $200 between $300 and the top dollar amount in Round 2.
- Double Play is used for the first time, successfully doubling a $300 spin.
- In Round 3, one of the yellow contestant's spins is shot differently than usual: it starts with a bird's-eye view of the entire contestant area before zooming in on her arrow.
- Against normal practice, the buzzer sounds on a repeated D in Round 3.
- Ten turns are lost in Round 3.
On September 8:
- At the top of the show, contestant Jay switches positions with Pat and introduces the remaining two contestants. Pat also lets Jay do the "Just before the show we drew numbers to see who would start the game" spiel after he messes up.
- Free Spin is placed on the red $200; it is claimed in Round 1 so the placement of the Double Play on the blue $300 is not affected.
- The Round 2 Prize is an RCA television displaying the Round 1 wheel template spinning as Charlie describes it.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- For the first known time, both Title and Title/Author are used in the same game, although the former appears in the Bonus Round.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used.
On September 11:
- Free Spin is placed on the red $300 in Rounds 1 and 2.
- Double Play is placed on the purple $200 in Round 2 and the blue $200 in Round 3; it is claimed in that round so the placement of the Round 4 Prize is not affected.
- The $10,000 Wedge is accidentally placed over the Bankrupt between $900 and $500 in Round 3, and between $1,500 and $700 in Round 4.
- The Surprise is a $10,406 trip to Greece.
- Contestant Bruce uses Double Play on Bankrupt in Round 4.
- The contestant window in the Bonus Round does not appear until after the timer starts.
On September 11 and 12, the pink $1,000 is used in Round 1.
On September 12:
- Free Spin is placed on the blue $300 in Round 1.
- Vanna turns the first N too far in the Round 1 puzzle MARILYN MONROE POSTAGE STAMP, causing the letter to slide partway off the trilon.
- Double Play is placed on the purple $200 in Round 2 and the tan $200 in Round 3.
- Contestant Janice uses the Double Play on $1,000 in Round 3, earning $4,000 from two R's on that turn. The doubled spin causes her to win the game, as she wins by less than $2,000.
- There is a jump cut to Pat during the Speed-Up, likely due to him having to quiet the audience over their amusement at the large number of wrong guesses given.
- Seven wrong answers are given in the Speed-Up.
- In the Speed-Up, Janice calls a U after the last vowel in the puzzle has been revealed, due to Pat never telling the contestants that no more vowels remain. This does not affect the outcome, as she later solves the puzzle anyway.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
- The previous season's closing spiel is used.
On September 13:
- Double Play is placed on the tan $200 between $300 and the top dollar amount in Round 2, and the tan $200 between $500 and $550 in Round 3+.
- Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- The Round 4 puzzle MILE HIGH STADIUM IN DENVER is inexplicably categorized as Place instead of Landmark.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On September 14:
- Free Spin is placed on the red $400 in Round 1.
- Double Play is placed on the tan $200 between $700 and $500 in Round 2 as Surprise is claimed in Round 1.
- Contestant Jeff uses Double Play on Lose a Turn in Round 2.
- Round 3's puzzle ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN (The 60's) is only the second known puzzle on the trilon board to have an ampersand, apostrophe, and hyphen.
On September 15:
- Round 1 is the first appearance of Who Said It?
- Round 2 (HOUSTON ROCKETS N.B.A. CHAMPS AGAIN) is improperly punctuated, as "NBA" does not contain periods.
- Double Play is placed on the tan $200 between $300 and the top dollar amount in Round 2, and the tan $200 between $500 and $550 in Round 3+.
- Contestant Morgan spins over the Final Spin bells. She's allowed to complete her turn, after which Pat does the Final Spin.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used.
On September 18:
- The regular puzzle board returns, with a new frame which looks like a cross between the original 1981 and "spiky" Season 12 ones.
- Double Play is on the purple $200 for Round 2 since Free Spin was claimed, then moves to the blue $200 for Round 3; it is claimed in that round so the placement of the Round 4 Prize is not affected.
- Contestant Jerry sweeps the game and wins a trip to New England in the Bonus Round.
  
  The puzzle board in late September 1995.
On September 19, Pat's Final Spin lands on Lose a Turn. His second attempt hits $5,000.
On September 20:
- The Round 2 Prize is a Mangavox camcorder and a TV which displays various clips from the show.
- The two-row logo is shown between Pat's wardrobe credit and Merv's Executive Producer credit.
On September 21:
- Rounds 2-4 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- Ten wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up (counting a repeated N), five of which are consecutive.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On September 22:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 4 and the Bonus Round are Place.
Between September 8 and 22, eleven bonus puzzles in a row are only one word.
On September 25:
- Round 1 (PEACH FUZZ) is shorter then ten letters.
- No letters are revealed in the above round until the tenth turn and twelve turns are lost in total.
- After the Round 2 Clue puzzle SITE OF THE NEXT OLYMPIC GAMES (Atlanta), Pat promotes the Olympics and the upcoming Atlanta shows.
On September 26:
- Round 1 is the only known appearance of Title/Authors.
- Contestant Kyle adds A before the correct answer to Round 4 (WINNING BINGO CARD), but is still accepted.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Contestant Ann retires with $56,761.
On September 27:
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- The Round 3 Who Is It? puzzle WIFE MARY TODD FORD'S THEATER HONESTY (Abraham Lincoln) has two blank spaces between TODD and FORD'S, and the word THEATER indented by one space. This awkward positioning is likely an attempt to make it clearer that "wife Mary Todd" and "Ford's Theater" are different elements of the answer.
- The ding is accidentally used on revealing the apostrophe in the Speed-Up.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On September 28:
- The Round 2 and 4 Prizes swap positions in Round 4.
- The "only vowels remain" beeps fail to sound in Round 4.

October 1995[]

On October 2:
- The bonus puzzle ALOHA is a rare instance, and the last, of a one-word Phrase.
- Round 1 is People, while Round 4 is Person.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
- Contestant Charlie retires with $32,010, having lost all three of his Bonus Rounds. He is also very likely the only contestant to get no help from his extra letters three times in a row.
On October 3:
- Nobody correctly identifies the missing word in Round 3's Fill In the Blank puzzle ? EAGLE ? HOLIDAY ? TENDER (Legal).
- The bonus puzzle VOICE MAIL is misspelled (it should be one word).
On October 4:
- Nobody correctly identifies the next line in Round 2's Next Line Please puzzle LISTEN MY CHILDREN AND YOU SHALL HEAR ("of the midnight ride of Paul Revere").
- The bonus puzzle is BONUS.
On October 5:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- For the last time until season 39, three four-row puzzles (Round 1, 2, and 4) are used in the same show.
- Round 4 (a Before & After of THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER YOU'VE GONE) is the longest puzzle and a rare instance of the category also containing part of the answer.
- In a rather rare occurrence, the Speed-Up bells ring as Pat comes to remove contestant Dan's prizes after he hits Bankrupt. He also removes Dan's unused Free Spin token.
- RSTLNE reveals more than half of the bonus puzzle (TRUMPET).
- Dan solves the above bonus puzzle despite getting no help from his extra letters.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On October 6:
- Two "bonuses" are played: Round 1 is the debut of $1,000 Slogan and Round 3 is Next Line Please.
  - Unlike the other "bonus" categories in use at the time (besides the now-defunct Megaword), $1,000 Slogan differs at the time in that only the contestant who solves the puzzle may attempt the bonus question.
- The Round 2 Prize is a Mangavox camcorder and a TV which displays various clips from the show.
- No vowels are bought in Rounds 2 or 4.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The category strip "rolling Wheel" accidentally appears when contestant Dan is offered a guess for the Next Line Please puzzle.
- Contestant John gives the correct answer to the Round 3 Next Line Please puzzle MORE POWERFUL THAN A LOCOMOTIVE ("able to leap tall buildings in a single bound"), but Pat does not accept it as the judges' intended answer is "able to leap tall buildings at a single bound", which is not given by either of the two remaining contestants. This is the first of only two known instances of a "bonus" question being factually incorrect, although it does not affect the outcome.
- After Dan solves the Speed-Up puzzle THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE with only the T, H and R's showing, Pat pretends to frisk him. This is the first known instance of Pat's running gag of doing so when a contestant solves with very few letters (although most subsequent occurrences are in the Bonus Round).
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
During the week of October 9:
- The $10,000 Wedge is landed on every day, the only known instance of this happening.
- All five main game winners are from the yellow podium, part of a seven-day streak beginning on the 5th.
- In an unusual move, Charlie plugs the Bonus Round car before Round 3.
On October 9:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Surprise is placed on the pink $200 in Round 3; it takes its normal position in Round 4.
- The $10,000 Wedge is accidentally placed over the Bankrupt between $1,500 and $700 in Round 4.
- Contestant Michael hands Pat the Double Play just as Speed-Up bells ring. He is allowed to take his spin, after which Pat does the Final Spin. His spin ends up landing on Surprise; however, due to the Speed-Up, Pat does not hand the token back to him.
- While Charlie describes the Surprise, Pat tosses it and the $10,000 Wedge and onto the Wheel; both of them stay during the Bonus Round but are cleared before the closing credits.
- The Round 2 Prize, Surprise, and $10,000 Wedge are all claimed in Round 4, likely the most Wheel Prizes claimed in a single round.
- Michael sweeps the game and wins a Volvo 850 in the Bonus Round.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On October 10:
- Contestant Donald adds "and" between the last two words in Round 3's Fill In the Blank puzzle WRIGHT ? DR. JOYCE ? SMOTHERS ? (Brothers), but is still accepted.
- Rounds 2, 3 and 5 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
On October 11:
- The Round 1 puzzle DUBUQUE IOWA has none of the five most common consonants.
- For what may be the first time, a cycle of three lost turns that does not affect the outcome, cardboard in possession, or letters revealed (henceforth called a "null" cycle) is edited out. This can be discerned by the fact that none of R, S, T, or N is called on-air. Such edits are not known to have occurred on any other episode until after the introduction of the electronic puzzle board. Overall, eleven lost turns are aired (nine wrong letters, a Bankrupt, and a Lose a Turn), and no fewer than fourteen turns are lost if the "null" cycle is counted.
- Free Spin is accidentally carried over to Round 3 and placed on the pink $300; however, it is not hit in that round.
- The Bonus Round Prize won is a $12,500 diamond watch. This is the last Bonus Round Prize to be under $15,000.
On October 12:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Although a repeated I is called in Round 3, it is not acknowledged as such.
- The ding is accidentally used on revealing the hyphen in the Speed-Up.
On October 13:
- The Round 2 Prize is artwork of Babe Ruth complete with his signature.
- When Charlie promotes the Bonus Round car before Round 3, the word VOLVO appears on the third row of the puzzle board.
- The Round 4 Prize is a $10,000+ trip to New Zealand.
- All four Wheel Prizes are claimed, though none are won.
Sometime during the taping session for the week of October 16, Game Show Network films the pilot of its phone-in game show Decades on the Wheel set, with Peter Tomarken hosting and Charlie announcing. For this pilot, GAME SHOW NETWORK appears on the puzzle board, and three podiums with the network's logo are present: one for Peter in front of the puzzle board, and two for the contestants in front of the Wheel. The presence of Charlie and the Round 4 template would suggest that this was taped after that week's Wheel episodes.
On October 16:
- Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
- The Round 1 puzzle is JEOPARDY PREMIERES (The 60's).
- The Round 2 Prize is a historic document signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, with an appraised value of $3,500.
- Surprise is on the purple $150 in Round 3.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Contestant Greg's 3-day total is shown on a blue background.
- Contestant Shannon solves the bonus puzzle TAKE A BOW despite getting no help from her extra letters.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On October 17:
- Nobody correctly identifies what is described by the Round 2 Clue puzzle FIRST FULL-LENGTH ANIMATED FILM (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs).
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- No vowels are bought in Rounds 3 or 4.
- The $10,000 Wedge is accidentally removed before Round 4.
- The Round 4 puzzle MAGIC CARPET RIDE is categorized as Phrase instead of Title.
On October 18:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 4 (a Before & After of THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW OR NEVER) is the longest puzzle.
- The Round 5 puzzle MEZZANINE is shorter than ten letters and has only three unique consonants.
- Contestant Nancy's two-day total is not shown onscreen.
- When recapping Nancy's final score, Pat tosses her unused Double Play onto the Wheel; it remains there for the rest of the episode.
- Round 1 is Things, while Round 2 and the Bonus Round are Thing.
On October 19:
- Pat does not do most of his pre-Round 1 spiel, likely due to him getting distracted by a joke he made toward the blue contestant.
- When Charlie describes the Round 2 Prize (a tennis bracelet from Ross-Simons), that designer's name appears on the chyron in Gill Sans. This is the first use of a Gill Sans chyron since their retirement the previous season.
- Rounds 2 and 3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- For the second known time, both Title and Title/Author are used in the same game.
On October 20:
- Rounds 1 and 3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- The audience does not applaud after a correct letter (I) in Round 5.
- The right-letter ding is accidentally used on the only turn of the Speed-Up.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
On October 23:
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- Contestant John asks to buy a Y in Round 2 and loses his turn.
- Round 3 (A COVEY OF QUAIL) has none of the five most common consonants. It also has a redundant A at the beginning.
- Rounds 1 and 4 are played entirely by the contestant who began them.
- The Round 5 puzzle is GENERAL PRACTITIONER is one space further to the right than usual.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt. His second attempt hits $5,000.
Between October 17 and 23, five bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
On October 24:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Against normal practice at the time, Charlie reads copy for the Round 4 Prize.
- Round 4 and the Bonus Round are Place.
- Contestant Steve retires with $87,416.
On October 25:
- The overhead shot of the Round 2 Prize is not used after is it described; instead, the shot is from behind the contestants' backs.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The $10,000 Wedge is accidentally placed over the Bankrupt between $1,500 and $700 in Round 4.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on Double Play. Likely due to this catching the camera operators off-guard, the Speed-Up split-screen briefly appears before he spins again.
On October 26:
- Eight consecutive turns are lost with only the J and W missing from the Round 2 Before & After puzzle BEVELED GLASS JAW.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On October 27, Rounds 2 and 4 are Before & After.
On October 30, Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
On October 31:
- After the Round 2 Fill In the Blank puzzle ? MARINERS ? SPACE NEEDLE ? SEAHAWKS (Seattle), Pat promotes the upcoming Seattle shows.
- The first three turns are lost in Round 4 (two Lose a Turns and a Bankrupt), after which the Speed-Up bells ring and Pat does the Final Spin.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- When recapping winning contestant Brenda's final score, Pat tosses her unused Free Spin and Double Play, along with her name tag, onto the Wheel. While she retrieves her name tag before the Bonus Round, Free Spin and Double Play stay there for the rest of the episode.
- The contestant window in the Bonus Round does not appear until Brenda's second letter.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
- The credits mention that "due to technical difficulties, a portion of this game was re-produced."

November 1995[]

On November 1, the Round 4 Prize is on the red $300.
On November 2:
- Contestant Sharleen's spin in Round 2 just barely misses the Lose a Turn but flips over at the last second. Harry informs Pat that her spin is ruled as landing on Lose a Turn.
- The Round 2 Where Are We? puzzle PIKES PEAK OR BUST VAIL RIVER RAFTING (Colorado) has two blank spaces between VAIL and RIVER, and the word RAFTING indented by one space, possibly for the same reason this was done on September 27. Likely due to contestant Tamara still being confused by the puzzle's spacing, and Pat mocking the same, no subsequent puzzles are spaced in this fashion.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The ding is accidentally used when Vanna reveals the two periods in the Speed-Up.
- Sharleen solves the Speed-Up puzzle JOHN F. KENNEDY JR. with only the J's and R showing.
- Contestant Brian's name tag falls off as he celebrates his win with his guests.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On November 3:
- The Round 4 Prize is a $10,000+ jet boat.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used.
The weeks of November 6 and 13 are taped at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle. During these weeks:
- The diamond-shaped contestant backdrops for road shows are used for the last time.
- In advance of these taping sessions, the top of the Space Needle is painted to resemble the Round 4 template. Clips of this are seen in the opening, and again in various retrospectives.
- "Maximum Drive" by Network Music Ensemble begins to be used as the opening theme for road shows.
- The Round 4 Prize moves to Round 3, and Charlie reads copy for it.
- Road shows revert to displaying two-row bonus puzzles on the second and third rows instead of the first and second.
On November 6:
- Double Play is on the blue $400 in Round 3.
- In Round 3, nobody correctly identifies what is described by the Clue puzzle MIDDLE NAME OF WILLIAM CLINTON (Jefferson).
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
On November 7:
- Surprise comes loose in Round 1; this is fixed in Round 2.
- The Round 3 Prize is on the pink $300.
On November 8:
- Several overhead shots of the Wheel spinning are done differently than usual: they begin with a bird's-eye view of the contestant area and entire Wheel before zooming in on the contestant's arrow.
- The first commercial break bumper is a clip of a tour guide showing Vanna the Space Needle.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The "right letter" ding accidentally sounds twice in Round 4.
On November 9, the Round 1 puzzle JULIE ANDREWS IN VICTOR/VICTORIA is the first of only four uses of a slash, the only one of those to occur on the trilon board, and the last appearance of Person/Title.
On November 10:
- The Round 3 Prize is on the pink $300.
- The Round 3 puzzle FRED & ETHEL MERTZ has only one vowel. It is also inexplicably categorized as Husband & Wife instead of Fictional Characters.
- Contestant Mark solves the bonus puzzle DASHBOARD before the timer can start.
November 13 is College Week. During this week:
- The opening sequence is done at Husky Stadium:
  - On Monday and Thursday, Vanna is at the stadium asking the audience if they would like to be on show and let's them do the opening chant.
  - On Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, the opening logo appears with the stadium in the background.
- The University of Washington marching band plays the pre-1994 arrangement of "Changing Keys" during the intro, and various other pieces as bumpers.
- The contestants help model the Prizes.
- Unusually, before the Round 2 Prize copy, Charlie announces the consolation prizes as well.
On November 13:
- The Round 2 Prize is $2,000 credit toward Pendleton sportswear.
- The Round 3 Prize moves to the red $300 in Round 4.
- Contestant Mike uses Double Play on Lose a Turn in Round 4.
- Seven consecutive turns are lost in Round 4.
- Contestant Jenny accidentally calls L in the Bonus Round, and it appears on the chyron. This is the last instance of this happening.
- Jenny solves the bonus puzzle BUMPER STICKER just after the buzzer, and there is a pause before Pat checks with the judges. Despite her answer coming after the buzzer, she is ruled a winner; however, the board's border does not flash.
- The $25,000 sign is used for the last time during road shows. Charlie's $25,000 spiel is not read until a few seconds later.
On November 14, Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
On November 15:
- Against normal practice, the buzzer sounds on a repeated H in Round 1.
- The Round 3 Prize is on the pink $300, and Double Play is on the blue $400 in Round 3.
- Double Play, Surprise (on the red $300), and the $10,000 Wedge are still on the Wheel despite Round 4 beginning as a Speed-Up.
On November 16:
- Pat uses the Surprise wedge to swat a fly on the Wheel after the Round 2 Prize is described; the Round 1 template is still visible as he does this.
- The Round 2 puzzle CALL ME ISHMAEL (Quotation) is followed by a question asking for the novel to which it is the first line. Contestant Jordan does not give the correct response of Moby-Dick. This is also the first time that Pat asks a question in a non-"bonus" category instead of Charlie, due to no others having been played since February 1995.
- Jordan sweeps the game (except the bonus question) but loses an annuity in the Bonus Round.
On November 17:
- Contestant Chris fills in the Round 1 puzzle KING ARTHUR GUINEVERE & SIR LANCELOT by himself.
- The Surprise is an RCA television displaying various clips from the show as Charlie describes it.
- The Round 2 Prize is a $1,500 Cabela’s gift certificate.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
During the week of November 13, all five winners come from the red podium.
November 20 is Celebrity Week, apparently originally scheduled to be Country Music Week. During this week:
- The celebrities are: Brian Austin Green, Shelley Fabares, and Ed Asner on Monday; Jacklyn Zeman, Lauralee Bell, and Renée Jones on Tuesday; Alexandra Paul, Joey Lawrence, and Terry Farrell on Wednesday; Tom Wopat, Beverly Johnson, and George Hamilton on Thursday; and Jay Thomas, Liz Torres, and Charlie Daniels on Friday.
- The name tags are star-shaped.
- The set is decorated with pictures of each celebrity on white, polygon-shaped protrusions.
- For the first time, the interviews are in a different spot than normal: Pat interviews the red contestant before Round 1, the yellow contestant before Round 2, and the blue contestant before Round 3. As he does, their names appear in white Helvetica on a chyron.
- Clips of each celebrity are shown as bumpers. For the only known time, the clips also include "courtesy of" credits for the distributors where applicable:
  - Monday: Brian Austin Green on Beverly Hills, 90210, Shelley Fabares on Coach, and Ed Asner on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  - Tuesday: Jacklyn Zeman on General Hospital, Renée Jones on The Young and the Restless, and Lauralee Bell on Days of Our Lives
  - Wednesday: Alexandra Paul on Baywatch, Joey Lawrence on Brotherly Love, and Terry Farrell on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
  - Thursday: Tom Wopat on Cybill, a picture of Beverly Johnson on the cover of True Beauty, and George Hamilton on George & Alana
  - Friday: Liz Torres on The John Larroquette Show and Charlie Daniels performing "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" in concert; for unknown reasons, no footage of Jay Thomas is shown
- All contestants receive a house minimum of $5,000 and the Bonus Round is played for $25,000.
- As was the case with the Season 12 celebrity week, only one round is played in the first segment. Rounds 2 and 3 use the Wheel templates normally used for Rounds 3 and 4 respectively, the $10,000 Wedge is moved to Round 2, Double Play is moved to the pink $300, and Free Spin is moved to the pink $200 in Round 2. In addition, Free Spin stays on the Wheel for the entire game.
On November 20:
- During his interview, Ed shows off a T-shirt for his charity, Heifer International.
- In Round 2, Ed chooses to use Double Play immediately after claiming it, and throws it back on the Wheel in the process.
- No vowels are bought in Round 3.
- Before the Bonus Round, Pat mentions that he lost against Ed on an episode of Celebrity Jeopardy! about two years earlier.
- During the Bonus Round, when prompted for his third consonant, Ed accidentally calls A. Against precedent, this is disregarded.
- Ed fills in the bonus puzzle SLEIGH completely.
- Ed sweeps the game and wins the Bonus Round.
On November 21:
- Free Spin remains on the pink $200 in Round 3 and Double Play is moved to the red $300.
- All three contestants hit penalty wedges consecutively in Round 3 (two Bankrupts and a Lose a Turn).
- Round 3 (CHILLED EGG NOG SPRINKLED WITH NUTMEG) is the longest puzzle; this puzzle is also misspelled, as "eggnog" should be one word.
On November 22:
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- Round 1 (a $1,000 Slogan puzzle of JUST DO IT {Nike}) is shorter than ten letters.
- Two "bonuses" are played: Round 1 is $1,000 Slogan and Round 2 is Fill In the Blank.
- All "bonus" categories begin using the rules established by $1,000 Slogan earlier in the season: the value for the "bonus" question is increased to $1,000, and the "bonus" is made available only to the contestant who solves the puzzle.
- Free Spin and Double Play swap positions in Round 2.
- The ding does not sound for the second correct letter in Round 2.
- There is a rare instance of a contestant losing their turn with only vowels remaining: with only the U missing from the Round 2 Fill In the Blank puzzle SIMPLE ? NEIL ? PAUL ? (Simon), Joey gives an incomplete answer, after which Terry buys the U and solves.
- Free Spin is on the peach $200 in Round 3.
- The bonus puzzle is SILK BLOUSE, despite BLOUSE having been used in that round on September 11.
- All of the puzzles are very short, with Rounds 2 and 3 (the latter being GLOWING REVIEWS) tied for the longest at only 14 letters.
On November 23:
- Rounds 1 and 3 are Person.
- Against normal practice, the buzzer sounds on a repeated R in Round 2.
- In Round 3, George hides Double Play in his jacket after claiming it.
- There is a jump cut during the Speed-Up after Beverly calls E. This is likely due to her calling her letter just after the buzzer and having to have it checked before gameplay could resume.
On November 24:
- Pat and Vanna come out at the top of the show and announce that the celebrities will play "starting tonight". This would suggest that this episode was originally intended to air first, but was changed at the last minute.
- In Round 1, Jay places Free Spin on his chest after claiming it.
During the weeks of November 27 and December 4:
- Johnny Gilbert fills in for Charlie. This is the only time until shortly before Charlie's death in 2010 that someone fills in for him.
- "Bonus" categories revert to the previous rules, suggesting a tape date prior to Celebrity Week.
During the week of November 27, Pat and Vanna's post-game discussion is about her decision to cut her hair, and the two of them show computer-generated images of her in different hair styles.
On November 27:
- A second design of the $3,500 wedge is introduced, where the "3" is the same font used for the normal cash wedges although it is slightly shorter than it is wide. It is used periodically throughout the season (most notably on road shows) before becoming permanent at the start of Season 14.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
On November 28:
- Vanna models the Prize, a sculpture by Michael Maiden.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The Surprise is a trip to Egypt worth $10,388.
- The first spin of Round 4 starts with a bird's-eye view of the entire set before zooming in on the red contestant's arrow.
- Contestant Gary's two-day total is not shown on screen.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On November 29:
- While conversing with Johnny after the intro, Pat says that Wheel "isn't like Jeopardy!, where if you finish in second place with $10,000, you get a lounge chair!", to which Johnny responds, "But it's a $10,000 lounge chair."
- Against normal practice, the buzzer sounds on a repeated A in Round 2.
On November 30:
- There are several noticeable edits during the contestant interviews, to the point that returning champion Kristin does not say anything at all during hers.
- Before Round 2, Pat has Johnny say "This is Jeopardy!", his typical introduction on that show.
- The Surprise is a trip to New Zealand with $10,046.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The bonus puzzle FORGIVE AND FORGET is the last bonus puzzle to use more than two lines of the puzzle board.
- Contestant Kristin retires with $80,780. She also wins the Surprise on all of her appearances, the first known instance of this ever happening.

December 1995[]

On December 1:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- During the closing chat, Pat cuts off a lock of Vanna's hair to ensure that she does not "chicken out", then distributes strands to audience members during the credits. This was seen in several retrospectives.
During the week of November 27, the Surprise is won five times in a row, part of a seven-day winning streak through to the 5th.
On December 4:
- Pat walks out solo at the top of the show and introduces Vanna while joking about her fear of her new haircut. The puzzle-solve cue plays as she walks out.
- The Round 2 Prize suddenly moves to the blue $200 in Round 3 after contestant Sandy's first spin.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
- The Round 3 template without the $3,500 space is accidentally used in the closing credits.
On December 1 and 4, Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
On December 5:
- Rounds 1 and 4 are played entire by the contestant who began them.
- Round 2 is the first Who Is It? to be only one clue (THE WIZARD OF MENLO PARK [Thomas Edison]).
- Rounds 1, 4, 5, and the Bonus Round are Thing; this is the only instance between Seasons 10 and 17 of the same category being used four times in one show.
On December 6:
- Johnny accidentally says "It's America's game show" instead of "It's America's Game" during the introduction.
- Round 3 is a Same Name with three names (DAVID ROBERT & JACK FROST).
- Contestant Paul uses Double Play on Bankrupt in Round 3.
On December 7:
- Pat accidentally calls Johnny "Charlie" as he makes his entrance.
- The Round 2 Prize is Magnavox Television which displays the Wheel atop the Space Needle from the November Seattle episodes as Johnny describes it.
- Rounds 2 and 3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- Contestant Rosemarie hands over the Double Play in Round 4 but then asks to buy a vowel immediately afterwards. Pat confirms with Harry and allows her to do so, the token is then applied to her next official spin.
- Rosemarie spins over the Final Spin bells. She is allowed to complete her turn, after which Pat does the Final Spin.
- Rosemarie wins the Round 4 Prize in the Speed-Up; however, Johnny does not describe the Prize until before the Bonus Round. This is the only known instance of this happening.
- For no particular reason, the C called in the Bonus Round is displayed on the chyron in Korinna instead of Clearface.
- Rounds 3, 5 and the Bonus Round are Thing.
- Rosemarie retires with $99,349.
- Vanna brings in Nicholas during the closing chat.
- When rerun in 1996, the closing credits are inexplicably overdubbed with just "Changing Keys" by itself, without any applause or announcer.
On December 8:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The ding is accidentally used on revealing the apostrophe and the first letter in the Speed-Up.
- The Bonus Round puzzle WEEKEND has RSTLNE revealing more than half of the answer and a rare instance of E being the only vowel in a bonus puzzle. This puzzle is also inexplicably categorized as Thing instead of the more logical Event.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
Between December 1 and 8, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
On December 11:
- Charlie returns.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 4 (DENSE FOG) is shorter than ten letters.
- The winning contestant (Carl) finishes with only $3,400.
On December 12:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- The Round 2 Prize is a $1,015 set of sculptures by David Winter; the footage of the Prize includes a "sparkle" effect added in post-production.
- The Round 2 puzzle TIFFANY STAINED-GLASS WINDOW is improperly hyphenated.
- $3,500 is accidentally left on the Wheel in Round 4, but it is not hit.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
On December 13:
- No vowels are bought in Rounds 1 or 5.
- The Round 2 Prize is a $1,180 Magnavox electronics package; this is all the more unusual given the below.
- "Bonus" questions (in this case, Fill In the Blank in Round 3) revert to the rules used during Celebrity Week, and continue to be this way for the rest of the season.
- The Surprise is an $11,440 trip to France.
- Contestant Accacia spins the wheel just after the Speed-Up bells ring, at which point Pat stops the Wheel and does the Final Spin.
- All four Wheel Prizes are claimed.
- Accacia fails to solve the bonus puzzle PEPPER MILL with only the P's missing.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On December 14:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- The Round 1 template is still visible until the Round 2 puzzle is revealed.
- Accacia buys a vowel just as the Speed-Up bells ring, after which Pat does the Final Spin.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on the Round 4 Prize.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
On December 15, contestant Pamela sweeps the game and wins a $35,000 art collection in the Bonus Round.
December 18 is Family Week, played identically to the ones in 1992-94. During this week, the three teams competing on the Friday Finals each receive a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood worth $7,804. Charlie promotes this before Round 4.
On December 18:
- The Round 2 Prize is a trip to Hawaii worth $10,058.
- The dollar sign on the $10,000 Wedge is missing.
- The Round 4 Prize is on the tan $200.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on Lose a Turn.
- When Pat describes one of the Bonus Round prizes, a Sony electronics package with a TV, said TV shows a clip of Vanna and Nicholas with Santa Claus.
- The contestant window in the Bonus Round does not appear until the Vanna turns the letters that are chosen.
- Contestants Mary and Brenda solve the bonus puzzle CABIN before the timer can start.
- Round 4 and the Bonus Round are Place.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On December 19:
- Once again, the dollar sign on the $10,000 Wedge is missing.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Contestants Sarah and Sheila try to hand the Double Play to Pat after hitting Bankrupt, even though unlike the other cardboard, it is not lost to Bankrupt.
- The ding accidentally sounds when Vanna reveals the apostrophe in the Speed-Up.
- Contestants Jim and Barbara solve the Speed-Up puzzle BABY'S FIRST STEPS with only the S's and T's showing.
On December 20:
- The opening spiel changes from "here they are" to "here are the stars of our show".
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- Contestants David and Rob use Double Play on the Round 2 Prize in Round 3; Pat hands it back to them, but they do not use it again.
- The Round 4 Prize is on the pink $200.
- When Pat describes one of the Bonus Round Prizes, a Sony electronics package with a TV, said TV shows a clip of Vanna and Nicholas with Santa Claus.
- The Bonus Round window does not appear until the second letter is chosen.
On December 22:
- After the Round 1 puzzle ($1,000 Slogan) is solved, the four low-pitched beeps sound instead of the High Rollers chime.
- Mary and Brenda use Double Play on Lose a Turn in Round 2.
- The Round 2 Prize is on the pink $200 in Round 4 and the Round 4 Prize is on the red $300.
- Pat's final spin lands on Bankrupt.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
- When the $25,000 is won in the Bonus Round, the shot of the $25,000 sign is a static shot from above, as opposed to a pan.
- Santa Claus joins Pat and Vanna during the post-game chat.
Reruns air during the week of December 25.

January 1996[]

On January 1:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 3 is a factually incorrect Before & After of ME TARZAN YOU JANE FONDA (the line "Me Tarzan, you Jane" never occurred in Tarzan or any adaptation thereof).
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
On January 2:
- Contestant Pamela's two-day total accidentally has an extra $5,000 added, although this is not corrected or commented on.
- The Surprise is a $10,500 sculpture.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 2 is People while the Bonus Round is Person.
- Pamela wins a 3-day total of $137,150 (again counting the extra $5,000) despite not making it to the Bonus Round on her third appearance. She also wins the Surprise on all of her appearances, which is the only the second known instance of one contestant winning it three times in a row.
On January 3:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 5 (MILKMAN) is shorter than ten letters.
On January 4, Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
On January 5:
- The Round 2 Prize is an O'Sullivan Entertainment Center with a Sanyo TV which displays the Aretha Franklin promo from 1994 as Charlie describes it.
- The Round 3 puzzle BAMBI THUMPER & FLOWER (Fictional Characters) is followed by a trivia question asking which one of three characters is the skunk. Contestant Curtis provides the right answer of Flower.
January 8 is Best Friends Week, with the Friday Finals. During this week:
- Any cash won is awarded to both members of that team, except for the $25,000 Bonus Round Prize.
- The Round 4 Prize is not used.
On January 8:
- The right letter ding accidentally sounds after the usual chime when the Round 1 puzzle is revealed.
- The Prize is a pair of Yamaha scooters.
- The Surprise is a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi worth $11,400.
- After Round 3's Who Said It? puzzle is solved, both Pat and the judges forget about the "bonus" question until Pat begins to throw to commercial, at which point the High Rollers chimes sound and contestants Cristina and Gretchen give the correct answer. Likely because of this, the scoreboards switch off and the correct answer does not appear on the chyron.
On January 9:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Double Play is placed on the tan $200 between $700 and $500 in Round 2 as Surprise is claimed in Round 1.
- Contestants Steve and Joe use Double Play on Bankrupt in Round 3.
- Three consecutive Bankrupts are hit in Round 3 (two by the red team and one by the yellow team).
- No vowels are bought in Rounds 3 or 4.
On January 10:
- Against normal practice, the buzzer sounds on a repeated N in Round 1.
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- The Prize is a pair of Magnavox televisions with one of them displaying the Wheel atop the Space Needle from the November Seattle episodes as Charlie describes them.
- Charlie erroneously says "Congratulations" after reading the above Prize copy.
On January 11:
- No vowels are bought in Rounds 1 or 5.
- There is a rare instance of contestants losing their turn with only vowels remaining: with only the I's missing from the Round 2 Slogan puzzle TWO TWO TWO MINTS IN ONE (Certs), contestants Kelli and Suzanne give a wrong answer.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 3 is a grammatically incorrect answer of BEATLES MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR ALBUM (should be "Beatles'" or "The Beatles'").
- The Surprise is an $11,082 Jayco trailer.
- Vanna turns the first P too far in the Round 4 puzzle STAUNCH SUPPORTER causing the letter to slide partway off the trilon.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
On January 12:
- The puzzle lights do not flash when Round 2 is solved.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The $10,000 Wedge is redesigned to have a golden $10,000 graphic on its reverse; previously, the reverse was blank.
- The Round 4 puzzle HOME-MADE VEGETABLE SOUP is improperly hyphenated.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Pat already has the last remaining envelope in his hand before the Bonus Round (a $30,000 annuity).
- The board operator forgets to light up the S in the bonus puzzle SCHEDULE, and an offstage voice can be heard acknowledging this before Pat asks the team for their three more consonants and a vowel.
All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of January 8.
During the week of January 15, the bonus prizes (other than the $25,000) are a Saab and three trips: London, Paris, and Rome. For no particular reason, the Saab's envelope has a golden star on its top flap.
On January 15:
- Vanna wears a sleeveless top and pants.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 4 (a Before & After of MADE OF DURABLE PLASTIC SURGEON) is the longest puzzle.
On January 16:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- The Round 4 Prize is shown on the red $300; it moves to its proper space during the gameplay.
- Both Prizes and Surprise are won.
- Every main game puzzle has a punctuation mark: Round 1 has an apostrophe, Round 2 is a Fill In the Blank puzzle with three question marks, Round 3 has a hyphen, and Round 4 has an ampersand.
On January 17:
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- Round 2 (A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER) is misspelled (should be "for ever").
- Ten turns are lost in Round 3.
- As the bonus puzzle is CATEGORY, Pat noticeably avoids using that word throughout that round.
- In reference to the Round 2 puzzle, Pat reads the John Keats poem "Endymion" during the closing segment.
On January 18:
- The High Rollers chimes sound twice after Round 2's Where Are We? puzzle is solved.
- The Surprise is an $11,630 Sony electronics package.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
Between January 11 and 18, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
On January 19:
- Two spins in Round 2 are shot differently than usual: one is a bird's-eye view of the contestant area that zooms in on the blue contestant's arrow, while another is an angled view of the contestant area from near the blue contestant which then cuts to the usual shot for less than a second.
- RSTLNE reveals more than half of the bonus puzzle (HOUSEKEEPER).
- Contestant David solves the above puzzle despite not getting any help from his extra letters.
On January 22, no vowels are bought in Round 3.
On January 23:
- The Round 4 Prize is a set of Sterling silver worth $15,000, very likely the most expensive non-car prize ever offered in the maingame.
- After the Round 4 puzzle HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, Pat promotes the upcoming Hawaii shows.
- Contestant John loses $14,300 to Bankrupt in Round 2, but wins the game with $11,200 claimed entirely in Round 5.
On January 24:
- The value of the Round 2 Prize (a trip to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta) uses alternating red and blue numbers for the value.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Rounds 2, 4, and 5 are played entirely by the contestants that began them.
- Six rounds are played.
- Round 6 (LOVED ONES) is shorter than ten letters.
- Contestant Kate solves the bonus puzzle WHISPER despite getting no help from her extra letters.
- There are two sets of repeated categories: Phrase in Rounds 2 and 5, and Thing in Round 3 and the Bonus Round.
On January 25:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The Round 4 Prize is a boat worth over $12,000.
- Kate solves the bonus puzzle BACON BITS before the timer can start.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On January 26, Kate retires with $105,160, having won all three of her Bonus Rounds.
During the week of January 29, Free Spin in on the red $200 in Round 1 while Double Play is on the purple $200 in Round 2 if Free Spin is not claimed in the former round.
On January 29:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The Round 2 Prize is an electronics package with a satellite dish, the copy of which includes a promo for Game Show Network.
- Rounds 2 and 4 are Person.
On January 30:
- The Round 2 Prize is artwork of Babe Ruth complete with his signature.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The "wrong letter" buzzer accidentally sounds when contestant Chris hits Bankrupt in Round 5, with the slide whistle coming immediately afterward. This itself is cut off by the Final Spin bells.
- Contestant Jennifer spins over the Final Spin bells. She is allowed to complete her turn, after which Pat does the Final Spin.
- Contestant Karen's two-day total is shown on a blue background.
- There are two sets of repeated cateogries: Rounds 2 and 5 are Thing(s), and Round 3 and the Bonus Round are Person.
On January 31:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Double Play is on the tan $200 between $700 and $500 in Round 2 as Surprise is claimed in Round 1 and on the tan $200 between $500 and $550 in Round 3.
- In Round 2, Pat forgets to mention the ampersand until after Karen begin to spin. He does not acknowledge this until after the Wheel stops.
- Contestant Kathy wins with $5,000, earned entirely from a single letter called in a Speed-Up.
- Unusually, the Bonus Round category of Fictional Character is displayed as just "Fict. Char." on the strip. This is the only known instance of a category being abbreviated, and it may factor into this being that category's only use in the Bonus Round this season.

February 1996[]

On February 1:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The Surprise is a $10,406 Greek cruise.
On February 2:
- No letters are revealed until the seventh turn in the Round 1 puzzle KEY DECISION and fourteen turns are also lost in total.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Although a repeated C is called in the Speed-Up Round, it is not acknowledged as such.
- There is a rare instance of a contestant losing their turn with only vowels remaining in the Speed-Up. This is mainly due to Pat not acknowledging this until the turn is lost.
- Round 5 (ODOMETER) is shorter than ten letters.
- No vowels are bought in Round 5.
- Rounds 1, 4 and 5 are Thing(s).
February 5 is Sweethearts Week, with the Friday Finals. During this week:
- The three-round structure is used except for the 5th and the 9th. As a result, those episodes have the second Wheel Prize introduced in Round 3 and unlike the Celebrity Weeks, Free Spin is once again removed after Round 2.
- One of the Bonus Round Prizes is a trip to Minnesota with a $10,000 shopping spree at Mall of America.
- The contestant window in the Bonus Round is heart-shaped.
- The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize for the week of February 5 is a luxury trip to Hawaii worth $32,004. Coincidentally the next two weeks are taped there.
On February 5:
- Free Spin is on the red $200 in Round 1; it is claimed in that round so the placement of Double Play is not affected.
- In Round 2, Pat forgets to mention the apostrophe until after contestants Dave and Cindy begin to spin. He does not acknowledge this until after the Wheel stops.
- The Round 4 puzzle HEATHROW AIRPORT IN LONDON is inexplicably categorized as Place instead of Landmark.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On February 6:
- Free Spin and Double Play swap positions in Round 2.
- Contestants Rob and Agnes use the Double Play on $5,000 in Round 3. They call two T's for $20,000, but lose $25,100 to Bankrupt later in the round.
On February 7, every main game puzzle has punctuation in it: Round 1 has a hyphen, Round 2 has an ampersand and an apostrophe, and Round 3 has an apostrophe.
On February 8:
- Contestants Peter and Deborah successfully use Double Play on the $10,000 Wedge in Round 2; they end up solving that round's puzzle for $24,300.
- Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the teams who began them.
- Peter's name tag falls off as he and Deborah celebrate their victory after Round 4. Deborah picks it up and pins it back on.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On February 9:
- Peter's name tag is missing during the first segment of the show. It is found during the commercial break, Pat pins it back on the wrong side but Peter fixes it. At the end of the main game, Pat takes it off and hides it in his jacket joking that "I think he'd be better without a name tag".
- The Round 2 Prize is on the blue $200 in Round 3.
- Peter and Deborah set a new winnings record of $146,529, the highest total until the introduction of the Million-Dollar Wedge in Season 26.
All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of February 5, part of an eight-day streak through to the 14th.
The weeks of February 12 and 19 are taped outdoors, in front of the Waikoloa Village in Hawaii. During these weeks:
- The three-round structure is used.
- "Hilo March" by the Hawaiian Serenaders plays during the opening, followed by a timpani roll under Charlie's introduction.
  
  Wheel! Of! Flowers!
- A set of flowers is planted to resemble the Wheel.
- The contestant backdrops are a set of three wood surfboards with sunflower-like figures each in the contestant's corresponding colors.
- A map of the Hawaiian Islands is on the floor at center stage.
- A lap steel guitar rendition of the original "Changing Keys" melody is used as a bumper and fee plug bed.
- For obvious reasons, a $25,000 graphic is used instead of the sign. Additionally, all Bonus Round prizes are promoted over video footage, except for vehicles.
During the week of February 12, the Round 4 Prize moves to Round 3.
On February 12:
- Before the contestant interviews, Pat island hops on the aforementioned map. This clip has been shown during the 3000th show.
- Three new players start the first week.
- Double Play is on the blue $200 in Round 2; it is claimed in that round so the placement of the Round 3 Prize is not affected.
- Contestant Brigitte uses Double Play on Lose a Turn in Round 2.
- Brigitte spins over the Final Spin bells. She is allowed to complete her turn, after which Pat does the Final Spin.
- Round 4 (a Before & After of ABRAHAM LINCOLN CONTINENTAL) is the longest puzzle.
- Contestant Lowell wins by $100.
On February 13:
- In Round 2, contestant Marie calls an N before spinning the Wheel; Pat mistakenly rules against her and she loses her turn. This ends up not mattering, since the puzzle does not have an N anyway.
- Against normal practice at the time, Charlie reads the copy for the Round 3 Prize.
- No vowels are bought in Round 3.
- Round 4 is a Same Name with three "names".
- Bankrupt is hit five times in Round 4.
- Pat shows off his newborn daughter, Maggie, in the final segment.
On February 14:
- Free Spin is on the blue $200 and Double Play is on the pink $200 in Round 2.
- During the post-game chat, a clip of Vanna, George, and Nicholas swimming with the dolphins is shown.
On February 15, contestant Don accidentally tries to pull off a letter on the W-H-E-E-L holder when picking a Bonus Prize.
On February 16:
- The Round 2 Prize are Zodiac watches modeled by Vanna and George.
- Don solves the Round 3 Fill In the Blank puzzle ? THE FAITH ? IN TOUCH ? OFF THE GRASS by saying "keep" in place of the question marks. However, he stops midway and continues solving without saying "keep". He is allowed to start over and solves the puzzle properly and is given the $1,000 bonus for correctly filling in the blank.
- Contestant Victoria's name tag falls off as she celebrates her victory after Round 4.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
- In the final segment, Vanna shows off footage of a helicopter tour she took of Hawaii.
February 19 is Family Week with the Friday Finals. During this week:
- The bumpers consist of "Family Week in Hawaii" in gold letters over footage of Hawaii.
- Vanna, George, and Nicholas announce the theme during the intro:
  - On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they are shown sitting at a table.
  - On Tuesday and Thursday, they are shown standing at the beach.
- Before Round 2, Charlie announces that every team will receive a package of skin care products from Hawaiian Tropic.
- There is no second Prize added to the Wheel in Round 3 except Friday.
On February 19, Vanna forgets to turn the first O in the Round 1 puzzle A MOTHER'S INTUITION after it is solved, but fixes it while the camera is on Pat and the red team.
On February 20:
- The Prize is a Hilton Hawaiian Village shopping spree.
- Free Spin and Double Play swap positions in Round 2.
- Contestants Deena and Sharla finish with only $3,000.
On February 21:
- The Prize is a pair of scooters modeled by Vanna and George.
- Round 1 and the Bonus Round are Thing, while Round 4 is Things.
- In the final segment, Vanna shows off footage of a helicopter tour she took of Hawaii.
Between February 13 and 21, seven bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
On February 22:
- Both contestants on the red team are named Connie.
- During the post-game chat, Vanna is given an anthurium courtesy of the Tropical Connection and named it after her. Pat would later get his own during their next visit in February 1999.
On February 23:
- Round 1, PICTURE POST CARD, is misspelled ("postcard" should be one word).
- The High Rollers chimes sound twice after Round 2's Who Said It? puzzle is solved.
- For the only known time, both Who Said It? and Quotation are used in the same game.
- Against normal practice at the time, Charlie reads the copy for the Round 3 Prize.
On February 26:
- Shane Brown, who was the returning champion on the 2nd, returns for his second episode.
- The Round 1 puzzle THE DANUBE RIVER is inexplicably categorized as Thing instead of Place.
- For the first known time, a Final Spin landing on Bankrupt is edited out.
On February 27, Rounds 1, 3 and the Bonus Round are Thing.
On February 28:
- The Round 4 Prize is a $10,000+ trip to England.
- Rounds 4 and 5 are Thing, while the Bonus Round is Things.
- Contestant Suzanne retires with $137,227.
On February 29:
- After contestant Ali spins on her first turn, Pat fixes the microphone on her dress.
- In a very likely unique occurrence, all four main game rounds have a contestant give a wrong answer.

March 1996[]

On March 1:
- In a very rare occurrence, the Round 2 Prize is food: specifically, $2,000 credit to Lobster Gram, Omaha Steaks, and Dessert of the Month.
- The Round 2 puzzle JERRY MATHERS AS THE BEAVER is categorized as The 50's instead of Star & Role.
- Pat erroneously says there is another prize added to the Wheel before the start of Round 3.
- The Round 2 Prize is on the blue $200 in Rounds 3 and 4.
- The Round 3 Fill In the Blank puzzle ? LIST ? ROOM ? IN THE WINGS (Waiting) is one space further to the left than usual.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on the Round 2 Prize.
- Contestant Jennine's 2-day total is not shown on screen.
On March 4:
- For the last time, there are two returning champions: James from March 1, and Don from the last Hawaii episode (February 16).
- Double Play is on the purple $200 for Round 2 since Free Spin was claimed, and on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 3 is the first use of Author/Title instead of Title/Author.
- The category stays onscreen during the final shot of the puzzle board in each round.
On March 5:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On March 6:
- Contestant Donna uses Double Play on Lose A Turn in Round 2.
- During the score recap, Pat jokingly lets contestant Dana frisk him as a consolation prize.
- The winning contestant (Elizabeth) finishes with only $4,650.
- During the post-game chat, Pat reads notes from then-stage manager Bob Cisneros.
On March 7:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- For the only known time, all three contestants have the same names as the ones from a pervious episode (Diane/Mike/Elizabeth, Season 1).
- Round 4 (BORN FREE) is shorter than ten letters.
- Contestant Mike solves the above puzzle with only the B showing.
On March 11:
- Contestant Doyle picks up Free Spin in Round 1 before calling a letter. He then guesses a wrong letter and is forced to put it back.
- The Round 1 puzzle YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID has none of the five most common consonants.
- Surprise is accidentally placed on $550 in Rounds 3 and 4.
- The overhead shot of Nancy's second spin in Round 3 appears to be edited in, as Double Play is visible despite it having been claimed in Round 2.
- The buzzer accidentally sounds a right letter in Round 4.
- In Round 4, the "only vowels remain" beeps do not sound as Doyle starts to solve.
On March 12:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Contestant Lynn's name tag is missing during the first segment.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- The "only vowels remain" beeps do not sound after the last consonant is revealed in Round 5.
- Six rounds are played without a Speed-Up.
- In the final segment, the bonus puzzle PARAGRAPH is shown with all of its trilons turned to the blank sides. Vanna uses the P's to determine her letter turning techniques, after which Pat asks for the A's to light up and then turns them himself.
On March 13:
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- Round 2 is a factually incorrect answer of HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM (it should be "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here").
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Contestant Keily hands over the Double Play immediately after picking it up (causing Pat to nearly fall over reaching for it) and asks to buy a vowel. Pat does not allow her to do so and asks her to spin.
- Lynn retires with $45,030. She wins her last game by only $100.
On March 14:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Round 1 is a Before & After of WHEEL OF FORTUNE COOKIE.
- if the $10,000 wedge is claimed, contestants are now required to place it on their arrow with the full-size side face-up.
- Contestant Tom loses $16,900 to Bankrupt in Round 3.
- Three consecutive Bankrupts are hit in Round 3 (one by the blue player and two by the red player).
- Round 3 is the last known Who Is It? puzzle to use three clues until December 1996.
- The Round 4 Prize is a $10,000+ jet boat.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On March 15:
- Round 3 is the only appearance of Show/Song; the puzzle is SOUTH PACIFIC'S YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME.
- Due to Pat introducing the above category for the first time, he forgets to mention the $10,000 Wedge before the start of the round.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On March 18:
- Double Play is on the purple $200 for Round 2 since Free Spin was claimed.
- Contestant Tiffany uses Double Play on the Surprise in Round 4; Pat hands it back to her, but she does not use it again.
- The Round 4 puzzle is PUZZLE SOLVER.
On March 19:
- The camera accidentally pans on the Wheel during the contestant interviews.
- The overhead shot of $5,000 in Round 4 is done at the red arrow instead of the yellow one.
- During contestant Jim's second spin in Round 4, the camera accidentally shows the blue arrow instead of his arrow (yellow).
On March 20:
- The Round 2 Prize is signed artwork by Amanda Watt.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
On March 21:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
On March 22:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Rounds 1 and 4 are Event.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
- Contestant Rick retires with $43,941.
Between March 12 and 25, ten bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
On March 25, no vowels bought in Rounds 1 or 4.
On March 26:
- Two "bonuses" are played: Round 2 is Clue, and Round 4 is NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT (Place) followed by a question asking for which Ivy League university is based there. The contestant provides the right answer of Yale. This is both the last time two "bonuses" are played in the same episode and the last time that one is done in Round 4.
- The bonus puzzle I DO is a rare instance of both a three-letter bonus puzzle and the last one not to have any of RSTLNE in it. It is solved with only the D showing.
On March 27:
- Round 3 is the only appearance of Composer/Song; the puzzle is RAVEL'S BOLERO.
- Four consecutive turns are lost with only the V missing from the above puzzle.
- Cues from Merv Griffin's 1983 music package are used for the final time. "Nightwalk" is used for the Round 2 Prize, a trip to Las Vegas.
On March 28, no vowels are bought in Round 4.
On March 29:
- Double Play is on the peach $200 in Round 3.
- Eleven consecutive wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up.

April 1996[]

On April 1:
- The show begins phasing in new prize cues, largely additional "stock" production music (including several pieces from Network Music Ensemble) and new original compositions for the show. The 1989 package remains in use temporarily.
- Appropriately, the Round 1 puzzle is APRIL FOOLS' DAY.
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- Rounds 3, 5, and the Bonus Round are Phrase.
- At the end of the show, Pat jokes that it is the last show that he and Vanna will be hosting.
On April 2:
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Contestant Rae solves the Round 3 puzzle DICK & JERRY VAN DYKE with only the R's revealed.
- The Round 4 Prize is a motorcycle worth over $10,000.
On April 4, Pat's Final Spin landing on Lose a Turn is edited out.
On April 3 and 4, contestant Norman wins the $10,000 Wedge, the only known time one contestant has won, let alone claimed, the wedge more than once.
On April 5:
- Unusually, the Round 2 Prize includes food: specifically, steak from Omaha Steaks.
- Twelve turns are lost in Round 3.
- Contestant Vicky solves the bonus puzzle BABE before the timer can start.
Reruns air during the week of April 8.
On April 15:
- The Round 2 Prize is an electronics package with a satellite dish, the copy of which includes a promo for Game Show Network.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 3's Fill In the Blank puzzle ? STEERING ? BROKER ? OF ATTORNEY (Power) does not have its question marks aligned underneath each other, even though such an arrangement could have fit on the board.
- Vicky's Round 4 Prize slides off her arrow, so Pat reaches over and fixes it.
- For the first known time, a contestant does not call any letters in the entire game: contestant Leslie spins only once in the entire game, landing on Lose a Turn in Round 2, and no Speed-Up Round is played. As a result, her scoreboard also does not light up the entire game.
- Vicky sweeps the game and wins a $24,000 amethyst and diamond bracelet in the Bonus Round. She also solves the bonus puzzle GULF despite getting no help from her extra letters.
On April 16:
- A shot of all three contestants with the Surprise still on contestant Lisa's arrow is visible until the Round 2 puzzle is revealed.
- Vanna forgets to turn the second Y in the Round 2 puzzle SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES OPENING CEREMONY after it is solved, but fixes it just as Pat acknowledges it.
- Double Play is on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Rounds 4 and 5 are Thing.
- The ding is accidentally used when Vanna reveals the hyphen in the Speed-Up.
- The $10,500 sculpture from January 2 is the Round 4 Prize.
- Vicky retires with $132,060.
On April 17:
- Round 1 and the Bonus Round are Title.
- Double Play in on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Contestant Barbara solves the bonus puzzle HEIDI before the timer can start.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used.
On April 18:
- No vowels are bought in Rounds 2 or 4.
- After the Round 2 puzzle ($1,000 Slogan) is solved, the four low-pitched beeps sound instead of the High Rollers chime.
- Double Play in on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Contestant Chris finishes with only $4,000.
- During the post-game chat, Pat brings in a sheet of paper with Olympic fun facts.
On April 19:
- Round 1 (MERYL STREEP) has only one vowel.
- The Round 2 Prize is a $2,500 Fred Joaillier watch gift certificate.
- Double Play in on the pink $300 in Round 3.
- Round 5 (EUGENE OREGON) has only three unique consonants.
- Round 1 and the Bonus Round are Person.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
- Prize cues from the 1989 music package are used regularly for the final time.
The weeks of April 22 and 29 are Olympics-themed weeks taped at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. During these weeks:

Let the games begin!
- The three-round structure is used, but the Free Spin is no longer available in Round 2 and the second Prize is removed.
- After the first round, Pat and Vanna promote a special series of 1996 Olympics-themed Wheel T-shirts autographed by ten Olympians and a special Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Olympic Committee. This plug is done by both of them at center stage, with further promotion by Charlie and a pre-recorded appearance by one of the Olympians who signed the shirt.
- The contestant backdrops are shaped like Olympic torches with stripes each in the contestant's corresponding colors.
- There is a video wall at center stage, with "ATLANTA" in illuminated letters at the top. Throughout the game, it is also used to show the Wheel in mid-spin, a moment from the game, or footage of the prizes (including Bonus Round prizes).
- Since the $25,000 sign is not present, a graphic is displayed on the video wall if someone wins it.
- The "Atlanta 1996" Olympic logo is on the floor near center stage.
- The Friday Finals format is used.
- The intro segment begins with Pat and Vanna chroma-keyed in front of an overhead shot of Atlanta with an American flag border. Pat says "From the site of the 1996 Olympic Games...", then Vanna says "...it's Wheel of Fortune from Atlanta!" Afterward, Network Music Ensemble's "Pushing the Limit" plays. This is followed by a shot of the Fox Theater and a timpani roll under Charlie's introduction of "From the fabulous Fox Theater, here are the stars of our show: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!"
- Pieces from John Williams' Summon the Heroes are used as bumpers and various points throughout the show.
- For the first time, the Prize wedges feature the logos of the companies providing the prizes
- "Changing Keys" is no longer used as the commercial outro cue, except for the break after the last round
April 22 is Olympic Kickoff Week. During this week:
- A montage of Olympics-themed graphics are shown in the opening, ending with a shot of the Olympic flame/torch with the 1995-97 logo in the upper-right corner flipping over to reveal "OLYMPIC KICKOFF WEEK".
- One of the Bonus Round prizes is a historic document signed by Robert E. Lee worth $15,000.
- The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize is a $16,200 Thomasville American revival home theater system.
For unknown reasons, the week of April 22 is not rerun on Game Show Network; all events pertaining to these episodes not on social media are known through a contemporary recap on the newsgroup alt.tv.game-shows.
Between April 22 and 24, the outer frame of the Wheel is misaligned by about half the distance between two pegs, which is most noticeable when contestant Rashad hits the Bankrupt on the right side of the $10,000 Wedge on the 24th. The frame is finally fixed before Round 3 on the 24th.
On April 22:
- The Prize is a $1,499 set of commemorative Olympics coins.
- The Round 3 puzzle AND THE OSCAR GOES TO SUSAN SARANDON is inexplicably categorized as Phrase instead of Quotation.
On April 23:
- The Prize is a Gap shopping spree worth $1,500.
- The Round 2 puzzle is FREE SPIN LOSE A TURN & BANKRUPT.
- The buzzer does not sound on a wrong letter in Round 3.
- Six consecutive turns are lost with only the J and K missing from the Round 3 Fill In the Blank puzzle ? WATER ? JOKE ? FOR CONGRESS (Running).
- Contestant Jessica solves the bonus puzzle HALF-HOUR before the timer can start.
- Jessica sweeps the game (except for the bonus question) and wins a Ford Taurus Wagon in the Bonus Round.
On April 24:
- The Prize is Artwork honoring the Olympic games titled "Atlanta 1896-1996" by French painter Michel Delacroix worth $2,500.
- Nine turns are lost in Round 2.
- The slide whistle does not sound on a Bankrupt in Round 2.
- Round 3 (CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE DAME IN PARIS) is the longest puzzle.
- Contestant Matt solves the bonus puzzle PISTACHIO just after the buzzer, after which Pat informs him that they will have to stop tape to check. In the final segment, Pat tells him that he beat the buzzer by 1/16th of a second, and he and Vanna sign off after Charlie describes the trip to Greece that Matt won. Although Pat says the answer, it is never revealed on-air. It was likely revealed during the commercial break or in an edited-out portion, as the last three letters can be seen in the background while Pat announces the win.
- Matt's post-game total is not shown on screen.
- The credits contain a typo: "A portion of the show was edited not effecting the outcome of the game" (should be "affecting").
- During the credits, Matt is onstage with Pat and what appear to be his parents and wife. There is also a shot of him revealing a Superman tattoo to Pat earlier in the game after Round 1.
From around this point until the end of Season 24, some episodes with Bonus Round wins feature a slow-motion replay of the contestant's reaction or other moments near the end of the credits.
On April 25:
- The Round 3 Next Line Please puzzle FUZZY WUZZY WAS A BEAR ("Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair") has four Z's in it.
- No vowels are bought in Round 3.
- Round 4 (a Before & After of STEREO SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE) is the longest puzzle.
On April 26:
- No vowels are bought in Round 1.
- Rounds 2, 4, and the Bonus Round are Thing.
April 29 is Olympic Games Week. During this week:
- The opening is the same as the previous week except there is a shot of the city of Atlanta shown with the 1995-97 logo in the upper-right corner flipping over to reveal "OLYMPIC GAMES WEEK FROM ATLANTA".
- The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize is a trip to Busch Gardens worth $14,206.
On April 29:
- Two new music cues are added going into commercial break.
- Round 3 begins as a Speed-Up.
- Contestant David sweeps the game and wins $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
On April 30:
- The Prize is a $1,500 Speedo gift certificate.
- Round 2 is the last appearance of The 50's.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- The Bonus Round window appears as the bonus puzzle is shown.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
Between April 23 and 30, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.

May 1996[]

On May 1:
- Round 2 is the first instance of Song/Artist being used instead of Artist/Song. The category continues to alternate between the two before settling on Song/Artist in 2008.
- Rounds 2 and 3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- Round 3 is a Same Name with three "names".
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On May 2:
- The Prize is a "Mr. Coke" Artwork worth $1,500. This is the last Wheel Prize under $2,000.
- Pat walks over to contestant A.G. after he mistakenly looks at contestant Lucas's arrow pointing at $5,000.
- Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
On May 3:
- For unknown reasons, Game Show Network skips this episode entirely; all events pertaining to this episode are known through a contemporary recap on the newsgroup alt.tv.game-shows.
- The Round 2 puzzle WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS (Quotation) is followed by a bonus question asking what it is the first line of. Contestant Donna does not provide the right answer of Declaration of Independence.
- The Round 3 Before & After puzzle HUNDRED-YARD DASH OF SALT uses the second through fourth rows, even though it could fit on only the middle two.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
May 6-24 are the Olympic Games Sweepstakes, with each Round 2 puzzle having red-and-blue letters that spell out an Olympics-related word. This is the last time that differently-colored letters are used as part of a contest. During these weeks:
- The three-round structure is used, with the Prize in Round 1.
- For unknown reasons, the original $10,000 Wedge with the skinnier numbers is used during the first two weeks.
- If the Bonus Round is won, stock pieces of music play going into commercial instead of "Changing Keys".
- After Round 1, Pat and Vanna promote a special series of 1996 Olympics-themed Wheel T-shirts autographed by ten Olympians and a special Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Olympic Committee.
- Grand prize winners receive a Ford Taurus valued at $23,445. Other prizes include a trip to Atlanta valued at $4,412, a Zodiac watch valued at $215, and Ray-Ban sunglasses valued at $95.
- The show airs a special promo for the contest.
- Reruns on Game Show Network in 1999 edit out almost all references to the contest, resulting in several awkward cuts and abrupt endings to segments.
During the week of May 6, a very unusual prize is offered in the Bonus Round: a set of Amtrak tickets with $15,000 cash worth $20,000.
On May 6:
- Free Spin is on the red $200 in Round 1.
- Rounds 2, 4, and the Bonus Round are Thing.
On May 7:
- Double Play is on the pink $200 in Round 2.
- Contestant Carl's scoreboard accidently switches off after he hits Lose a Turn in Round 2.
- Carl sweeps the game and wins the Tickets/Cash prize in the Bonus Round.
- There are two sets of duplicate categories: Phrase in Rounds 1 and 3, Things in Round 2, and Thing in the Bonus Round.
On May 8:
- The full solution to the Round 1 puzzle DONE TO PERFECTION is not shown on camera.
- Double Play is on the pink $200 in Round 2.
- The A in the bonus puzzle THE KING AND I is accidentally lit and revealed, despite contestant Carl calling I as his vowel.
- Carl retires with $84,455, despite failing to claim $16,250 in Round 3. He is the last champion to retire undefeated under the three-day format.
On May 9:
- Pat acknowledges the previous day's Bonus Round error at the beginning of the episode and then declares that Carl won "fair and square".
- Round 1 (POKER FACE) is shorter than ten letters.
- Double Play is on the pink $200 in Round 2.
- No vowels are bought in Round 2.
On May 10:
- Contestant Deelicht uses Double Play on $5,000 in Round 3, but calls an incorrect C.
- The Bonus Round chyron does not appear until after Pat asks for three more consonants and a vowel, the contestant window does not appear until just after this, and the entire chyron disappears just as Vanna turns the P in the bonus puzzle PICNIC.
- After contestant Jean wins a Ford Windstar in the Bonus Round, Pat jumps through one of its windows upon realizing the door is locked.
On May 13:
- Vanna models the Surprise, a Magnavox camcorder.
- Round 3 is a rare instance of a "bonus" category (specifically, Fill In the Blank) and of a four-row puzzle being used in a Speed-Up.
- There is a brief jump cut to Pat right before Amy solves the Speed-Up, and Vanna is not shown turning the remaining letters. After Pat asks for her to provide the missing word in the Fill In the Blank puzzle, Vanna is not in the shot of the board, and the category strip remains intact. These edits would suggest that this segment had to be re-shot due to a technical error.
- No vowels are bought in Round 3.
- All of the cardboard is claimed.
- Contestant Easter solves the bonus puzzle FROG despite getting no help from her extra letters. This previously happened with the same puzzle on September 7, 1992.
On May 14:
- Game Show Network does not edit the Olympic promo out of the opening.
- Double Play is on the pink $200 in Round 2.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
On May 15:
- Once again, Game Show Network does not edit the opening.
- Double Play is on the pink $200 in Round 2.
- The Round 4 Before & After puzzle FINANCIAL WIZARD OF OZ is one of only two known instances of a word being omitted to make a Before & After puzzle work (in this case, "the" from The Wizard of Oz).
On May 16:
- Surprise is accidentally placed on the pink $700 in Round 1.
- The Olympic Sweepstakes plug after Round 2 is accidentally left in the Game Show Network broadcast of this episode.
On May 17:
- There is a cold opening of Vanna plugging the Olympic Sweepstakes as Pat puts a ceramic goose in front of her.
- A bird's-eye view of the set is used as Pat and Vanna walk out.
- Round 3 (PONCE DE LEON SEEKS THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH) is the longest puzzle.
- In Round 3, contestant Geri hesitantly gives the right answer over the buzzer, then gives a wrong answer before starting over and saying the right answer again. Pat consults with the judges, and her answer is accepted.
On May 20:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- Game Show Network does not edit the opening.
- No vowels are bought in Round 4.
- Vanna turns the first E in the Round 4 puzzle BEEN THERE DONE THAT a little too far but fixes it.
- Contestant Geri sweeps the game but loses $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
Between May 13 and 20, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing(s).
On May 21:
- There is a cold open where Pat says, "Cars! Trips! Consonants! Vowels! We have everything coming up right now on..." before the title chant.
- Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- The Round 2 puzzle NEW YORK CITY'S CENTRAL PARK is categorized as Place instead of Landmark.
- The Round 3 puzzle is FINAL JEOPARDY.
- Geri uses Double Play on Bankrupt in Round 4.
- Geri spins over the Final Spin bells. She is allowed to complete her turn, after which Pat does the Final Spin.
- Geri leaves with $47,842, despite having lost both of her Bonus Rounds and winning nothing on her third appearance.
On May 22:
- Game Show Network does not edit the opening.
- The Round 1 puzzle is LOVELY PARTING GIFTS.
- The Round 2 Prize is a $2,500 Service Merchandise gift certificate.
On May 23:
- There is a cold open where Pat says, "One of tonight's puzzle could help you win a new car. We're not one of the shows that gives away used cars, you know" before the title chant.
- Pat's Final Spin lands on Lose a Turn. His second attempt lands on $5,000.
- Pat forgets to show the Bonus Round Prize that contestant Ben did not win. He reveals it during the post-game chat.
On May 24:
- There is a cold open where Pat and Vanna tell knock-knock jokes.
- The Round 1 puzzle is RETURNING CHAMPION, solved by the actual returning champion Ben.
- Contestant Kari wins by $50.
- During the post-game chat, Vanna crochets a blanket.
May 27 is Olympic Games Salute Week, which uses the Friday Finals. During this week:
- The Bonus Round Prizes consist of four trips to past Summer Olympics host cities: (Paris, Stockholm, Tokyo, and Montreal), three with cars included (Saab 900 SE Turbo, Acura TL, and Jeep Grand Cherokee).
- The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize for the week of May 27 is a luxury trip to Australia worth $27,300.
- These games use the three-round structure.
- The Olympic Torch backdrops are used.
On May 27:
- There is a cold open of Pat telling viewers not to touch their remotes.
- The opening graphic is changed to a CGI flyover shot of Sony Pictures Studios. This remains through the end of Season 16.
- During the contestant interviews, footage is shown of Vanna surprising contestant Susan with the news that she has been selected for the show.
- Double Play is on the pink $200 in Round 2.
- All three contestants hit penalty wedges consecutively in Round 2 (one Bankrupt and two Lose a Turns).
- John Naber joins Pat and Vanna during the post-game chat. He promotes the Wheel of Fortune T-shirts and his appearance on the then-upcoming Olympic Stars Week.
On May 28:
- Contestant Wayne sweeps the main game but loses the trip to Paris in the Bonus Round.
- Benita Fitzgerald joins Pat and Vanna during the post-game chat. She also presents her gold medal won in the 1984 Olympic Games and promotes the Wheel of Fortune T-shirts and fundraising.
On May 29:
- Rounds 1 and 5 are Place.
- Round 2 is the last appearance of $1,000 Slogan under its original name.
On May 30:
- Round 4 is the only use of Song/Show; the puzzle is MEMORY FROM CATS. Interestingly, this category and puzzle were also used on the Nintendo 64 game.
- There is a rare instance of a contestant losing their turn with only vowels remaining in the Speed-Up. This is mainly due to Pat not acknowledging this until the turn is lost.
- During the ending segment, various clips are shown of Pat and Vanna carrying the Olympic torch.
On May 29 and 30, in an unusual occurrence for a three-round structure game, a fifth round is played.
On May 31:
- Pat's Final Spin lands on Lose a Turn.
- The Round 4 Before & After TIDAL WAVE GOOD-BYE is improperly hyphenated.
- Wayne retires with $115,185.
- Janet Evans joins Pat and Vanna during the post-game chat.

June 1996[]

During the week of June 3, the Olympics shirts are once again promoted. As a result, the three-round structure is used.
For unknown reasons, the week of June 3 is not rerun on Game Show Network.
On June 3, the "burst" contestant backdrops return.
On June 5:
- The Round 2 puzzle is PAT SAJAK NAMED WHEEL OF FORTUNE HOST (The 80's).
- For the last time, a "bonus" category (specifically, Fill In the Blank) is used in the Speed-Up.
On June 6:
- No vowels are bought in Rounds 1 or 4.
- The second spin of Round 2 uses an overhead shot which shows the entire Wheel.
- The Round 3 puzzle LINCOLN WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON is followed by a bonus question asking for the fourth president on Mount Rushmore; contestant Jeanette does not provide the correct answer of Theodore Roosevelt. This is also the last use of the low-pitched beeps.
- Round 3 is People, and the Bonus Round is Person.
- Jeanette sweeps the game (except the bonus question) and wins a $20,000 annuity in the Bonus Round.
- Vanna brings in her son, Nicholas, in the final segment.
On June 7:
- The $25,000 is won for the last time before the sign's retirement.
- Jeanette becomes the last returning champion under the three-day rule. Although she wins her second game in the last regular show of this season, she returns next season to play her third game (although her winnings are not acknowledged).
- During the post-chat, a Baskin-Robbins representative named Michael gives Pat and Vanna a sample of their new ice cream flavor "Wheel of Fortune Choco-Letter Crunch" and promotes the upcoming special Baskin-Robbins "Watch to Win" contest in July. The ice cream is also given to the people in the audience.

July 1996[]

In an unusual scheduling (perhaps as a lead-in to the Games themselves), the week of July 15 consists of new shows. Also taped at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, this week has former Olympic stars playing for charity. It is also the second instance since 1983 of new episodes airing outside the usual September-May/June cycle, and the last time until 2009. During this week:
- The three-round structure is used.
- Despite the tournament only lasting four episodes (as confirmed by the Associated Press), the Friday Finals are used.
On July 18, the Round 1 puzzle OLYMPIC VILLAGE has none of the five most common consonants.
It is unlikely that a 195th episode (#S-2535) exists, and it is unknown whether Friday, July 19 was a new episode or a repeat. It is known that July 18 is the last Atlanta episode, as confirmed by the Associated Press and multiple comments from Pat during the episode itself. It is also confirmed that Jeopardy! had a new, regular episode on July 19 following a four-day tournament from July 15-18. A copy of the July 18 episode of Wheel (#S-2534) is held by the Paley Center for Media. According to one unconfirmed recollection, a repeat of the September 8, 1995 episode was aired on July 19. If #S-2535 does not exist, this would be the only time until Season 37 that a season does not last for 195 episodes. Season 14 is known to be numbered #S-2536 through 2730 regardless of whether an episode for #S-2535 exists or not, potentially leading to a discrepancy in the show's episode count.
July 22-26 is a special Baskin-Robbins "Watch to Win" contest, likely edited into that week's repeats. In conjunction with this, the company's Flavor of the Month is "Wheel of Fortune Choco-Letter Crunch".