Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 29

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A timeline for Season 29 of Wheel of Fortune, which aired in first-run from September 19, 2011 through June 15, 2012.

Season Changes

• The Wii animations are largely retired as intros, though some return as the pre-Round 2 bumpers, and some are sporadically retained for special theme weeks in later seasons.
• The title card graphic is the same as last season's, but it starts with the colored strips flying into place around the logo, and the words "Wheel of Fortune" now appear on the gold center of the logo as they are chanted. Also, the camera now zooms in between the O and F.
• The relatively consistent rule of having a Same Name or Before & After in every game is reverted; conversely, both categories start appearing in Round 1 with increasing frequency.
• Each week's theme is now shown on the scoreboards at the top of the show.
• SPIN ID draws no longer award $50,000 to winners who have an active Sony Card.

  

• The Prize Puzzle and Final Spin graphics are updated to use the color scheme of the Season 28 logo. The former now includes a graphic of a navigational compass, and the latter has two graphics of the Wheel with the words "Final Spin" on two rows in between.

  

• The backdrop for Pat and Vanna's post-game chat is two spinning golden Wheels: one at the top, one at the bottom.

• The $700 is reduced to $500. As a result, $700 is now absent until next season; also the Wild Card moves from it to the pink $900.
• The buzzer now sounds after incorrect answers.
• Starting this season, the audience does not always shout out suggestions when a contestant decides whether to flip a Mystery Wedge.
• Only one locale is now used on road shows.
• All sixth-episode weeks are once again called America's Game.
  • For this season only, America's Game weeks use the Wheelmobile as a category wipe and a red-white-and-blue star as the Speed-Up wipe.
  • Starting this season and continuing through Season 38, nearly all America's Game weeks have an American theme for the $1,000 Toss-Up and use commercial bumpers which feature Vanna at an American landmark.
• A lottery promotion runs during this season, through January 11, 2012. The winners receive a $15,000 trip for four to Culver City in April to spin the Wheel for cash or a prize. At least some of these are randomly chosen to play special Lottery Experience Games with Pat, Vanna, Jim, and the same rules as normal episodes.
  • At least some of the winners spin a Wheel replica at their local lottery office around December, with hosting duties handled by Todd Newton.
  • The Lottery Experience Games are recorded but not aired, with strict internet guidelines put on the contestants. Despite this, one such episode surfaced in April 2014.
  • Despite the Lottery Experience Games not being intended for air, they are nonetheless considered to be each contestant's once-in-a-lifetime Wheel appearance.
• Starting this season, ampersands are used much less frequently, mainly being used in cases where AND would make the puzzle too long (or in the cases of Toss-Ups and puzzles in Rounds 4+, more than two rows) or in Same Letter puzzles when necessary.
• Starting this season, season finales are no longer mentioned on-air.

September 2011

• September 19 is Home Sweet Home (Family Week), taped July 15, with family teams competing. The Wheel Prize this week (excluding the sixth episode) is $7,500 cash courtesy of Maxwell House.
• Between September 19 and November 18, the map for SPIN ID draws always shows Alaska and Hawaii, as opposed to showing them only if the winner was from one of those states.
• On several episodes early in the season, a postcard-like graphic is briefly shown on the video wall at the start of the Prize Puzzle copy. This is retired by October.
• On September 19:
  • Pat briefly mentions that Jim Thornton is the permanent announcer.
  • After the Bonus Round, footage is shown of Vanna at the Gary Center (a social service agency in La Habra, California) promoting the Maxwell House sponsorship.
• On September 20:
  • Round 2 is the first appearance of What's That Song? since February 8.
  • A new graphic is introduced for the Mystery Round intro showing money in a bank vault. This sequence was recycled from Sony's unsold game show Combination Lock, which was taped in 2007. The show alternates between this and the previous season's graphic consisting of $100 bills on a green background.
  • Bankrupt is hit four times in Round 3. During the second one (by the blue team), their scoreboard does not display the "Bankrupt" graphic.
• On September 19 and 20, two teams in a row solve their bonus puzzles just after the buzzer.
• On September 21:
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
  • At the end of the show, everyone in the audience receives a can of Maxwell House coffee.
• On September 22:
  • Vanna reads the second line of the Prize Puzzle copy.
  • Before the Bonus Round, one of the winning team's mothers is shown off to the side of the audience in a wheelchair.
  • Following the Bonus Round, Pat shows off his Lifetime Achievement Award.
• On September 23:
  • Though the red team earns the Wild Card in Round 1, it is absent from the start of Round 2 for unknown reasons. This ends up not mattering, as the team hits Bankrupt later in Round 2.
  • Jim appears onstage with Pat and Vanna at the end of the show as they introduce him as the permanent announcer. He does the "Promotional consideration provided by..." tag from center stage, and stays with Pat, Vanna, and the winner during the credits.
• September 26 is Spa Fantasy, taped July 15. During this week, the category wipe for is a floating red flower, and the category strip's font appears narrower than usual during the wipe.

  

• On September 26, the new ½ Kia tags are introduced. Except for Halloween Week, they offer a $15,000 Kia Soul. One is still on the blue $500 next to the red $900, but the other is now on the green $500 (formerly $700). They are not used on weeks with two-person teams, unless the teams are married couples.
  • If it is not won, Jim plugs the car after the "Promotional consideration provided by..." tag.
  • Until November 1, Pat explains how they work over an animation of them "flying" off their respective Wheel wedges and joining to form a license plate saying "CAR".
  • For the first week only, contestants who claim ½ Kia tags have a "½ Car" license plate displayed on their scoreboard.
  • On September 26 and 27 only, hitting a ½ Car tag does not award $500 per corect consonant. While tags are hit on both of these dates, this does not affect the outcome in either case.
• On September 27, contestant Bob is credited with $2,250 after solving Round 2 when he should have won only $1,750, due to being erroneously credited with five S's on $500 instead of four. While this mistake does not affect the outcome, it is never acknowledged or corrected on-camera.
• On September 28:
  • $500 per consonant is now awarded with the ½ Car tag.
  • The ½ Car (Kia) is won for the first time.
• On September 29:
  • Movie Quote debuts in Round 1. Strangely, Pat makes no mention of it being a new category.
  • Round 3 is the last appearance of Headline until September 2013.

October 2011

• October 3 is Ports of Call, taped August 18. During this week:
  • The category wipe is a driving boat.
  • Vanna promotes the Mystery Round prize.
• On October 3:
  • TV Quote debuts in Round 2. Once again, Pat makes no mention of it being a new category.
  • The ½ Kia graphic displayed on contestants' scoreboards is changed to match the tags.
  • As a reference to the Round 1 puzzle LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, the closing chat includes footage of Vanna presenting Pat with his Lifetime Achievement Award.
• On October 4, Bankrupt is hit six times in Round 2, a tie for the most known Bankrupts in one round. Interestingly, five of them are on the Million-Dollar Wedge. All three contestants hit Bankrupt again in Round 3, and at least one other Bankrupt may have been edited out of Round 1.
• On October 5:
  • Contestant Ashley wins the Kia after picking up three tags: one in Round 1, two in Round 2. When the third tag is picked up, the graphic of the second tag disappears from her scoreboard and its animation is replayed.
  • 7:30 Eastern airings on ABC affiliates are interrupted during Round 3 for a special report on the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The show returns during the final tally. The episode is re-broadcast on March 16, 2013.
  • A Changing Lives segment is shown for a contestant who won on Soap Stars Week in February 2006.
• On October 6:
  • The Prize is a $12,140 Alaskan cruise.
  • The right-letter ding does not sound when the L is revealed in Round 2.
  • There is a ½ Kia win in Round 2.
• On October 7:
  • The Prize Puzzle trip is worth $11,500, a rare instance of one worth more than $10,000 on a non-team episode.
  • Contestant April finishes second with $20,500, while contestant Jeremy finishes third with $18,000.
• October 10 is Bed & Breakfast, taped July 29. During this week, the category wipe is a flying bird, and the Final Spin wipe is butterflies flying diagonally across the screen.
• On October 13:
  • Vanna reads all but the first line and value of the Prize Puzzle copy.
  • Food & Drink makes its first appearance in the Bonus Round since September 20, 2010.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of October 10. This is part of an eight-loss streak starting on the 5th.
• October 17 is Desert Hideaways, taped September 1. During this week:
  • The category wipe includes a strip of sand and a palm tree, with the sand dissolving to form the strip.
  • The Wii intro previously used for Desert Oasis week in Season 28, with the Pat and Vanna avatars relaxing against a desert background, is seen before the pre-Round 2 promotional plugs.
  • The Mystery Round moves to Round 2 resulting for the first time (barring the three-round structure games from the early 90s) a four-figure dollar amount other than the top dollar amount is present during Round 2.
  • The Prize Puzzle moves to Round 3. Also, presumably to avoid having a contestant win two major prizes in the same round, the Prize wedge is now removed after Round 2.
• On October 18:
  • The scoreboards briefly shut off after the Prize Puzzle is solved. There is also an edit after the wide shot showing all three contestants and Pat, though the displays are still off afterward. They are back on after the trip description, but the winning contestant's round score disappears instead of the usual rotating animation.
  • Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
  • At the end of the show, a Changing Lives segment is shown, honoring Maxwell House's donations to a farmers' market in Denver called the Grow Haus.
• Between October 20 and 31, the show holds a contest sponsored by The Popcorn Factory. Home viewers may tweet each day's bonus puzzle to the show's official Twitter account for a chance to win Halloween snacks and a $100 gift card. This contest is promoted during all six Halloween episodes by a pop-up at the start of the Bonus Round.
• On October 21:
  • The wide shot of the first spin in Round 2 appears to be reshot, as it shows contestant Michael passing the Million-Dollar Wedge only to land on it.
  • Two "null" cycles are not edited out of the Speed-Up.
• October 24-28 and 31 are Halloween. This is also the first taped week of Season 29, recorded on July 14. During this week:
  • The set has fewer Halloween decorations than usual.
  • Two category wipes are used: a jack-o'-lantern on an orange strip (accompanied by a moan) and a witch flying a broomstick on a green strip (accompanied by her cackle). The latter uses a different font during the reveal.
  • A moan accompanies the Mystery Round chord.
  • The "old" round structure from the start of the season is used.
  • The previous season's Wii animation for Halloween Week, with zombie versions of the Pat and Vanna avatars rising from their graves in black-and-white, is used for the pre-Round 2 bumper.
  • The ½ Car tags have "½ Car" in blue text, and offer a $14,999 Ford Fiesta. They also give $500 per consonant, despite not doing so on September 26 and 27 (the first two episodes taped with the ½ Car tags following this week).
• On October 24, there is a ½ Car win.
• Between October 13 and 25, What Are You Doing? is not used for eight consecutive shows. This results in the week of October 17 being the last week until the week of December 16, 2013 that the category is not used.
• On October 26:
  • Wheel Deals is renamed Wheel Deals Wednesdays, and is only promoted on that day.
  • Contestant Brandon sweeps the game but loses $35,000 in the Bonus Round.
• On October 27:
  • There is a $9,100 Jackpot win. Afterward, Pat comments that the off-screen Jackpot display on the Used Letter Board is "out".
  • Against normal practice, the closed captioning uses proper punctuation (commas in CHEYENNE WYOMING and MORTICIA GOMEZ PUGSLEY & WEDNESDAY ADDAMS, and quotation marks in THE RAVEN BY EDGAR ALLAN POE) instead of reflecting how the puzzles are written on the board.
  • Pat jokes at the start of Round 3 that the category Fictional Family has only been used eight times. At the end of the show, he is told that the category actually had been used only eight times to that point (albeit incorrectly, as this was actually the category's tenth appearance).
• On October 28, Before & After appears in Round 3 for the last time.
• On October 31, Round 3 is the last appearance of What's That Song?, and the last use of a "bonus" category. Overall, the category is used only six times.

November 2011

• November 1-4 is Fun & Fit, taped August 31, a rare instance of a theme lasting less than a full week. During these four episodes:
  • The category wipe is a personal watercraft.
  • The ½ Car tags revert to their Kia design, once again offering a Kia Soul. Also, Pat stops describing how they work.
  • The "new" round structure introduced on October 17 is used.
  • Vanna promotes the Mystery Round Prize.
• On November 1:
  • The Wheel is not in the proper position before Round 1, as the yellow contestant's flipper is on the green $300 instead of $2,500. This was most likely due to it not being reset after practice spins.
  • The Wheel Prize is a $5,000 shopping spree at Dick's Sporting Goods, even though the rest of the week's Wheel prizes are trips.
  • A Changing Lives segment is shown, in which Jack Wagner discusses his and his contestant's win during Soap Stars Week in February 2006.
• On November 3:
  • There is a $7,750 Jackpot win.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
• November 7-22 is the first Secret Santa Sweepstakes, taped October 13 and 14. During these episodes:
  • Pat, Vanna, Jim, and the first two contestants of that night's show promote the sweepstakes before the intro.
  • The set is decorated for Christmas.
  • When the puzzle is revealed, the category strips have rows of Christmas lights at the top and bottom. During the rest of the round, the strips are "frozen" on the green cycle.
  • The Wheel Prize is a $5,000 Sears shopping spree. Although the wedge is red, it is still in its normal spot on $350, unlike past episodes with red Prize wedges.
  • Three SPIN IDs are drawn per game: ones corresponding to the second- and third-place contestants are drawn after the Speed-Up, and one corresponding to the top winner after the Bonus Round. The owner of each SPIN ID wins whatever cash and prizes his or her corresponding contestant wins. During the draws, the SPIN ID is shown on gold Christmas decorations on a white background with presents, a Sears card, and the Million-Dollar Wedge underneath, with the home viewer's name written in red letters that zoom in underneath the SPIN ID. All of these are covered up with the "Open to U.S. residents only" graphic when aired on CBC.
  • Most Secret Santa Sweepstakes shows are moved from their originally-scheduled dates. It is known that November 7 was originally scheduled for the 11th (further evidenced by the Round 1 puzzle VETERANS DAY PARADE), November 8 for the 21st, November 9 for the 7th, November 10 for the 17th, November 11 for the 15th, November 15 for the 18th, and November 21 for the 10th. November 22 was not moved.
• On November 7:
  • Contestant Ali takes the Million-Dollar Wedge to the Bonus Round. She wins $30,000 and is only two envelopes away from the $1,000,000.
  • The segment in which Pat reveals the location of the $1,000,000 envelope is done in post-production.
• On November 8:
  • The blue contestant's scoreboard continues to display the $1,000 from the first Toss-Up, and immediately changes to $3,000 after she solves the second Toss-Up.
  • For the only time since May 23, 2005, a "normal" category is followed by a bonus question. The Round 2 puzzle I'LL GET YOU MY PRETTY AND YOUR LITTLE DOG TOO! (Movie Quote) is followed by Pat asking for the movie that provides the quote. The contestant correctly identifies it as The Wizard of Oz.
  • A tribute for special projects director Curtis Stanton is added in after the credits using a picture of Stanton with the caption "In loving memory of Curtis Stanton", which fades in and out.
• On November 9, no wrong letters are called.
• On November 10:
  • There is a $7,500 Jackpot win by a contestant who hits the wedge twice before winning it.
  • Vanna almost touches an H in Round 3 instead of a W.
• On November 11, Pat holds the Bonus Round envelope too low at the end of the round, and it ends up being blocked by the contestant's end-game total. He shows the envelope again after Jim reads the Secret Santa SPIN ID.
• On November 14:
  • Round 4 (TICK-TOCK TICK-TOCK) has only three unique consonants in it.
  • Round 5 (GLOSSY PHOTO) has only one vowel.
• On November 15:
  • There is a Kia win in Round 1.
  • Rounds 1-3 all have an ampersand in their puzzles.
• On November 16:
  • Round 1 is the last appearance of Family until November 20, 2013. For only the second known time since the early 1990s, the puzzle spells out AND.
  • The category strip for Round 4 (an Occupation) accidentally changes to TV Title (the category of the $3,000 Toss-Up) after the round goes into Speed-Up.
• On November 17, after the $2,000 Toss-Up TELEVISION DIRECTOR, Pat asks director Mark Corwin to "have the camera do something", resulting in Pat's face briefly distorting and turning blue while his hair turns bright yellow. Once Jim finishes the Prize plug, the camera shakes and Pat says "Mark Corwin is not only a fine director, but universally beloved", after which the shot cuts to a cue card with that phrase on it. Some extras can be seen in this shot, including a Mystery Wedge, a ½ Kia tag, and the red $300 that replaces the Jackpot in Rounds 2+.
• On November 18:
  • There are two duplicate categories: the $1,000 Toss-Up and Round 1 are Event, while Round 3 and the Bonus Round are Phrase.
  • Four ½ Kia tags are hit, but none are claimed.
• On November 21, the reveal for SPIN IDs is changed again. The state is no longer mentioned, and the viewer's name now appears in larger letters against a ring on either a green, blue, or purple background. According to the show's Facebook page, the state is no longer shown because some people inadvertently omit it when submitting the form.
• On November 22:
  • Contestant Ainsley mentions that she was in Tulane University's marching band when they played during College Week from New Orleans on May 9-13.
  • Contestant Katie takes the Million-Dollar Wedge and Wild Card to the Bonus Round. As was the case on November 7, she wins $30,000 and is only two envelopes away from the $1,000,000.
• Since all 12 shows for the Secret Santa Sweepstakes are aired together, November 23-25 is Wheel Loves New York, taped September 15. This appears to be the first time since the Hershey's Pot of Gold Sweepstakes in 2002 that a theme has run for only three days. During these episodes:
  • The opening consists of the regular logo, followed by New York City footage over a unique opening music bed.
  • The category wipe is a taxi driving across the screen.
• On November 23, the Prize copy includes a trailer for Arthur Christmas.
• On November 24, the Prize includes tickets to Anything Goes.
• Beginning November 25, the cameras no longer cut to the contestants before the transition to the split-screen shot when Pat's Final Spin lands on $5,000.
• November 28 is Alpine Adventures, taped September 16. During this week:
  • The category wipe is a snowman sliding across the screen.
  • The Wii intro from the previous season's Christmas week, with the Pat and Vanna avatars ice-skating to form the logo, is used in the pre-Round 2 bumper.
  • A graphic of a log cabin forms the contestant window in the Bonus Round.
• On November 28:
  • The ½ Car graphic on the scoreboards is the generic blue one.
  • The bonus puzzle GLOBE is the first five-letter bonus puzzle since ICING on February 1, 2008, and the first since November 3, 2009 that is shorter than seven letters. Contestant Gina fails to solve it with only the B missing.
  • The music bed for the "three-and-a-vowel" selection is not stopped until three seconds after the timer begins, resulting in the music for the timer briefly playing over it.
• On November 29:
  • The Prize copy includes a trailer for Hugo.
  • A "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.
• On November 30:
  • Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who started them.
  • There is a Kia win.
  • For only the second known time, Places is used in the Bonus Round.

December 2011

• On December 1 and 2, Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
• On December 1:
  • Nobody solves the $2,000 Toss-Up, PONDEROSA PINES. This is also the only answer to go unsolved twice, as this previously happened on May 29, 2007.
  • The Round 2 puzzle THREE LITTLE KITTENS THEY LOST THEIR MITTENS has the most known instances of a consonant in a single puzzle until October 2013, with 10 T's. Interestingly, they do not award any money, due to T being called on the Million-Dollar Wedge.
• On December 2, Bankrupt is hit five times in the Mystery Round.
• During the week of December 5 (America's Game), some elements are different than the surrounding weeks:
  • The ½ Kia tags are absent on the 5th, as it is from the season premiere week.
  • December 5-8 retain the "old" round structure.
  • In an unprecedented streak, every episode has a Song Lyrics puzzle.
• On December 5:
  • Although the rest of the episodes in the taping session had $7,500 cash as the Prize, this episode has a trip.
  • No vowels are bought in Round 1.
  • As family pairs are competing, Jim refers to the $5,000 vehicle bonus in the Bonus Round as "$2,500 cash for each of you."
• From December 6-16, Vanna announces the Mystery Round Prize.
• On December 8:
  • The Prize copy includes a trailer for The Smurfs.
  • Jim and Vanna both read portions of the Prize Puzzle copy.
  • A Changing Lives segment is shown for a contestant from Kansas City (specifically May 9, 2005, although this is not mentioned).
• On December 9:
  • The Wheel Prize is a $5,000 shopping spree from Beyond the Rack.com.
  • Contestant Tina refers to the $1,000 house minimum as "pity money"; in response to this, "pity thousand" becomes a fandom term for said house minimum.
• December 12 is Sandals Golf Getaway, taped October 27. During this week:
  • The floor is blue, with the Sandals logo on the floor at center stage.
  • A sweepstakes is held. Home viewers may submit the bonus puzzle to the show's website for a chance to win a trip to Sandals Emerald Bay.
  • The opening logo is not used. Instead, Pat and Vanna promote the sweepstakes at the top of the show, followed by a Caribbean-sounding piece of music over golf footage.
  • The category wipe is a golf ball being knocked into a hole, with the category written in a different font on the "green".
  • The Wheel Prize is a trip to Sandals Emerald Bay plus Greg Norman apparel. For the first known time, Pat reads the copy.
  • Vanna reads the pre-Round 2 bumper and Mystery Round bumper.
  • All of the Prize Puzzle trips are to Sandals properties.
  • Jim reads a plug for Sandals Resorts before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
• On December 12:
  • A spin from Round 2 appears to be added in post-production, possibly due to contestant Count placing the Million-Dollar Wedge on his podium with the front side facing up. This dubbed-in spin lands on the purple $600, though after Count solves on his next turn, his flipper is sitting on the green one. Also, the Prize wedge (which was claimed in Round 1) reappears in the spin, and the Million-Dollar Wedge has its reverse facing up.
  • Vanna reads the Prize Puzzle copy.
  • The post-game chat is done from Sandals Emerald Bay.
• On December 13, Vanna plugs the Reef Golf Course at Sandals Emerald Bay before Round 3. Pat, Lesly, and golfer Greg Norman are also seen in the clip.
• On December 14:
  • Vanna reads all but the first line of the Prize Puzzle copy.
  • Contestant John wins by $50.
• On December 15:
  • There is a $7,100 Jackpot win by a contestant who hits the Jackpot wedge three times before claiming it.
  • Greg Norman plugs the Reef Golf Course after Round 2.
  • Clips are shown of Pat, Vanna, and Greg at the golf course at the start of the Pat and Vanna chat before wiping back to the studio.
• On December 16:
  • Contestant Josh appears to say "chips" when solving the Round 2 puzzle CHOCOLATE CHIP SHOT, but this mistake is not realized.
  • At least twice in Round 2, the camera zooms out during a letter call to show the contestant's scoreboard changing, an unusual approach which seems to develop out of nowhere mid-round and is used sporadically for a few episodes afterward.
  • After Josh wins Round 2, his scoreboard displays $21,500, which Pat also says is his total at that point. At the start of Round 3, right after the Prize Puzzle chimes sound, Pat points out that his score is actually $11,500. As a result, the Prize Puzzle wipe does not appear until Pat's explanation is done. The discrepancy is due to the $10,000 Mystery Prize accidentally being added twice.
  • When contestant Cathy picks up a ½ Kia tag in Round 3, the graphic on her scoreboard is the generic blue one from Halloween week, despite the correct graphic being used in Round 1.
• December 19 (Great Escapes) is the first known Christmas week not to have a Christmas theme or decorations, although Christmas-themed puzzles are still used, taped November 11. During this week, the category wipe is a red car driving across the screen and peeling out.
• Between December 19 and 29, clips of the staff wishing viewers a Merry Christmas are shown after Round 1, with second clips after Round 2 on the 28th and 29th. These reveal with a wipe of falling snowflakes. The staff members shown are as follows:
  • December 19, 28, 29: Production department
  • December 20: Promotions and marketing department
  • December 21: Licensing and clearing department
  • December 22: "The crew" (various staff members from all departments)
  • December 23: Contestant coordinators
  • December 26: Control room
  • December 27: Art department
  • December 28: Production and camera/audio crew
  • December 28: Production and post-production
• On December 20, there is a Kia win in Round 1.
• On December 21:
  • The Prize copy includes a trailer for Midnight in Paris.
  • Against precedent, the linking word in Round 2's Before & After (YOU HAD ME AT HELLO DOLLY) is not on its own line, even though it would fit.
• On December 22:
  • There is a $6,450 Jackpot win.
  • Rounds 1 and 3 are Phrase, while the $1,000 Toss-Up and the Bonus Round are Thing.
• On December 23:
  • All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 1.
  • Round 2 is PAT I'D LIKE TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE. While the last two uses of this or a variant thereof were categorized as Phrase, this one is categorized as TV Quote.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of December 19, part of an eight-loss streak.
• December 26 is Best of the Best, taped August 19. During this week:
  • The "old" game structure of the season premiere week is used.
  • The category wipe is a limousine with camera shutters clicking.
  • The floor is once again black.
• On December 26, a Changing Lives segment is shown of the show's staff helping out with Rebuilding Together at Watts Community Center in Los Angeles.

January 2012

• January 2 is California Coast, taped on November 10. During this week:
  • The floor is blue.
  • The category wipe is a red plane flying across the screen.
  • A California State Route 1 highway sign forms the Bonus Round window.
• On January 2 and 3, the ½ Kia tag over the green $500 is crooked.
• On January 3, during the closing chat, Pat shows a clip from the February 13, 1996 episode (erroneously identified as January) where he introduced his daughter Maggie, followed by a clip from the music video of her single "First Kiss". These events are likely done due to the episode airing on Maggie's birthday.
• On January 4, there is a $100,000 loss.
• On January 5, after a "null" cycle is edited out in the Speed-Up, the Final Spin music can be heard playing over itself from a different spot for the rest of the round. The second layer of music was added to mask the jump cut.
• January 9 is America's Game.
• On January 9:
  • There is a Kia win in Round 1.
  • For the last time, the "old" round structure is used. As a result, this is also the last time Before & After is used in Round 3.
• On January 10 and 11, the Wheel Prize is $5,000 cash from Ally Bank.
• On January 10, 12, and 13, Vanna announces the Mystery Round prize.
• On January 11, Pat references a "null" cycle cut out of Round 1 by saying "There's no R, either. What's going on here?" on the first aired turn.
• On January 12:
  • Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
  • The Wheel Prize is a $5,000 shopping spree at HayNeedle.com, although the wedge just has "Shopping Spree" on it rather than the company's logo.
• On January 13:
  • The floor is blue.
  • Contestant Brady mentions that his wife was also on the show.
  • Rounds 3, 4, and 5 are played entirely by the person who began them.
  • Six rounds are played, for the first time since April 21, 2011.
  • Two Final Spins appear to have been edited out, due to one landing on Lose A Turn and the other on Bankrupt.
  • Mark takes both the Wild Card and Million-Dollar Wedge to the Bonus Round, where he wins $30,000.
  • Unusually for a two-word bonus puzzle, the answer GOLDEN BOY is on one row instead of two.
• January 16 is Pure Paradise, taped December 1. During this week:
  • The category wipe is a yellow flower on a purple floral background.
  • The floor is blue.
  • A graphic of a smiling sun with sunglasses forms the contestant window in the Bonus Round.
• On January 16:
  • The Prize Puzzle TONY AWARD WINNING BROADWAY MUSICAL gives a trip to New York with tickets to Rock of Ages, despite it only having ever been nominated for such awards. This is the only instance of a Prize Puzzle's theming being factually incorrect.
  • During the Final Spin, the transition to the overhead shot is cut incorrectly. The shot starts from the Wheel passing an area that was already shown being passed in the wide shot. As a result, part of the music plays twice.
• Between January 6 and 16, seven Bonus Rounds in a row are played for $30,000.
• On January 17, the bonus puzzle is still on the board during the credits.
• On January 18, Around the House makes its first appearance in the Bonus Round since October 2008.
• On January 19:
  • Contestant Felix spins Free Play five times in a row in Round 3, calling all five vowels.
  • When Jim announces the Prize Puzzle trip (to St. Thomas), a map of Jamaica is accidentally shown instead.
  • The Final Spin is likely re-shot following the round, as the wide shot has the Wheel starting where the "official" spin had stopped.
• On January 20:
  • The Round 3 puzzle ACE KING QUEEN JACK uses all four rows, despite being small enough to fit on two. It is also not known why the puzzle does not use an ampersand or AND.
  • Six rounds are played.
  • Contestant Casey finishes second with $20,650.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of January 16, part of a seven-day losing streak through to the 24th.
• For the weeks of January 23-February 6, the floor is black.
• January 23 is Wheel Around the World, taped December 16. During this week:
  • The hosts of international adaptations promote the theme at the top of the show: Hungary, Spain, Turkey, and Vietnam on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; Georgia and Turkey on Tuesday; and Georgia, Hungary, Spain, and Turkey on Thursday.
  • The introductory logo is "Wheel Around the World" written on a globe on a blue background, with "Wheel" in the same font as the two-row logo, and the rest in cursive. It zooms in through the O in "Around".
  • The intro logo is also used for the Prize wedge.
  • The category wipe is a globe.
  • A graphic of a passport getting stamped forms the contestant window in the Bonus Round.
  • The hosts of an international version greet Pat and Vanna after Round 1: on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the hosts of the Spanish version do this, while on Tuesday and Thursday, the hosts of the Panamanian version do so in subtitled Spanish.
  • Clips are shown from an international adaptation during Pat and Vanna's chat: Turkey on Monday, Vietnam on Tuesday, Hungary on Wednesday, Spain on Thursday, and Georgia on Friday.
• On January 23:
  • The hosts of the Turkish version help announce the Prize, a trip to Istanbul.
  • During the Bonus Round, the category strip is "frozen" on the green cycle.
• On January 24:
  • There is a $6,000 Jackpot win.
  • In Round 2, contestant Margie stumbles off the contestant platform after revealing the Bankrupt side of a Mystery Wedge, but her stumble is edited out of the broadcast, and replaced with a brief jump cut to a side view. Because it was most likely displayed during the incident, the Bankrupt graphic is not shown.
  • Contestant Kristen solves the Speed-Up puzzle COFFEE-TABLE BOOK (itself improperly hyphenated) with only the T showing.
  • No wrong letters are called.
• On January 25:
  • There is a Kia win in Round 1.
  • In an interesting coincidence, contestant Precious solves the bonus puzzle PRECIOUS CARGO.
• On January 26:
  • The hosts of the Spanish version help announce the Prize, a trip to Spain.
  • Round 1, THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK, is inexplicably categorized as Place instead of On the Map. Round 4 is also an On the Map puzzle.
• January 30 is Fabulous Food, taped December 15. During this week:
  • The opening is stylized depictions of gourmet chefs in a kitchen, with the words "Fabulous Food" appearing on a plate of turkey with the two-row logo in pink above it. The camera then zooms in through the O in "Fabulous".
  • Vanna announces the Mystery Round prize.
• On January 30:
  • New Orleans-based chef John Besh promotes the week's theme after Round 2.
  • Round 4 is the fourth appearance of Fictional Place this season.
• On January 31, a "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.

February 2012

• On February 1:
  • After Round 1, Vanna is shown at Painters Ice Cream in her hometown of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, sampling a "Vanna Banana" flavor named for her.
  • In Round 2, contestant Sean turns in his Wild Card, but gets buzzed out before calling a letter.
  • After Round 2, chef Tory McPhail of Commander's Palace in New Orleans promotes the week's theme.
• On February 2, the bonus puzzle DAILY WORKOUT is categorized as Thing. The last time it was used (March 30, 2004), it was categorized as Event.
• On February 3:
  • Round 1 is only the fifth known instance of Occupations.
  • There is no shot of the board during an entire turn in which a contestant gives a wrong answer to Round 2.
  • Chef Scott Boswell of Stella! Restaurant in New Orleans promotes the week's theme after Round 2.
  • During the Bonus Round, the category strip is "frozen" on the green cycle.
  • The bonus puzzle PRIDE & JOY is the last instance to date of an ampersand in the Bonus Round.
  • Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
• February 6 is Military Spouses, taped January 12. It was originally scheduled for March 12 with Wheel Goes Country originally scheduled for this week, and it is not known why the latter theme was canceled. During this week:
  • The intro includes military footage before wiping to the studio with the same red-white-and-blue star used as a Speed-Up wipe on America's Game weeks.
  • Pictures of the contestants' spouses are shown during the interview.
  • The category wipe is a series of red-white-and-blue banners which dissolve.
  • The house minimum is $2,000.
  • All contestants also receive a Sony Tablet S. If a contestant finishes with $0, he or she is presented with it after the final round.
  • Jim promotes the Sony Tablet S after the Bonus Round.
• On February 6, 7, and 10, the Wheel Prize is a shopping spree: at HayNeedle.com on the 6th and 10th, and at HomeGoods on the 7th. All three use the "Shopping Spree" wedge design.
• On February 6:
  • Michelle Obama gives a pre-recorded greeting after Pat and Vanna walk out.
  • In Round 1, Rebecca's score is still displayed as $1,100, her score from before her previous turn (where she earned $400), after she solves the puzzle. The $400 is added just after Pat reads her score as $1,100, briefly confusing him. Immediately afterwards, the other players' scores swivel out and Rebecca's score does the "emphasis" animation as usual.
  • There is a Kia win in Round 2.
  • From this point onward, there is no longer applause during most of the Prize Puzzle copy.
• On February 7-10, Michelle Obama promotes joiningforces.gov after Round 1.
• On February 7:
  • For the first time since March 2008, two forms of Title are used in the same episode: Round 1 is Movie Title, and Round 4 is Song Title.
  • After a "null" cycle is edited out in the Speed-Up, the Final Spin music can be heard playing over itself from a different spot for the rest of the round. The second layer of music was added to mask the jump cut.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
• On February 8, for the first time since February 2003, a contestant wins two cars: a Kia in Round 3 and a Ford Explorer in the Bonus Round. Jim does not say "your grand prize total" when promoting the latter.
• On February 9, all three contestants are present during the closing. Pat gives two of them a Sony Tablet S, then surprises the third (Maryanne) by reuniting her with her husband.
• On February 10:
  • The Jackpot display does not appear on-screen when that puzzle is solved.
  • Before Michelle starts Round 2, Pat asks her to name her children, since she did not do so in the interview.
  • There is a Kia win in Round 2.
• February 13 is Sandals Romance Week taped on October 28. During this week:
  • Before the logo, Pat and Vanna promote the sweepstakes.
  • The floor is once again blue with the Sandals logo at center stage.
  • Pictures of the couples are shown during the interviews.
  • The Wheel Prize is a trip to Sandals Emerald Bay. Vanna reads the copy.
  • The category wipe is Cupid shooting an arrow.
  • Vanna promotes the Mystery Round via footage of her at Sandals Emerald Bay.
  • As was the case on the week of December 12, all of the Prize Puzzles are trips to Sandals properties. Also, some of the puzzles themselves appear to be taken straight from Sandals websites and brochures.
  • Two SPIN IDs are drawn after the Bonus Round. Winners receive a trip to Sandals Emerald Bay and $5,000 cash. These are also covered up with the "Open to U.S. residents only" graphic when aired on CBC.
  • Jim promotes Sandals Resorts before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
  • When the week is rerun during the Summer, the opening clip of Pat and Vanna is replaced with a different clip of them promoting only the theme. All other references to the sweepstakes are removed, and the two SPIN ID drawings are replaced with promotional plugs.
• On February 13:
  • The Round 1 puzzle THE BACHELOR AND THE BACHELORETTE is TV Titles, the only instance of any subset of Title being pluralized.
  • An error occurs at the beginning of Round 2: $500 is added to the red team's scoreboard rather than $1,000, and after two vowels are bought, Pat tells them to spin. There is an edit followed by what appears to be a reshoot of the second vowel call, as their display shows the correct score of $750.
  • Vanna reads most of the Prize Puzzle copy.
  • The winning couple (which does not solve the bonus puzzle) is only two spaces from the $1,000,000 envelope.
  • The closing segment is done from Sandals Emerald Bay.
• On February 14, the closing segment begins with Pat and Lesly promoting Sandals Emerald Bay before cutting back to them in the studio.
• On February 15:
  • Vanna reads most of the Prize Puzzle copy.
  • Because of the Sandals plug, the Wheel Deals plug is before Round 3 instead of before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
  • In the final segment, Vanna promotes Sandals' WeddingMoons wedding arrangements.
• On February 17:
  • Husband & Wife (in Round 1) uses an ampersand for the last time.
  • Vanna promotes Sandals Resorts' Junkanoo parties after Round 2.
  • Jim promotes Sandals Resorts again after the Bonus Round.
  • The closing segment is done from Sandals Emerald Bay.
• February 20 is American Landmarks, taped January 26. During this week:
  • The America's Game show is taped first instead of sixth.
  • The category wipe is a dissolving graphic of the Golden Gate Bridge accompanied by a foghorn.
• On February 20:
  • The Round 1 puzzle THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI is inexplicably categorized as Thing instead of On the Map.
  • According to one of the other contestants, a shot of contestant Cassie landing on $3,500 is re-shot due to her not showing enough emotion the first time.
  • The Round 5 puzzle CHECKMATE! is the first puzzle since October 2009 to be shorter than ten letters.
• On February 21:
  • Contestant Ryne spins Free Play five times in a row in Round 1.
  • Contestant Touwana hits Bankrupt five times over the course of four rounds.
• On February 23, after contestant Lou hesitantly solves the $2,000 Toss-Up, the board briefly resumes filling in letters, but stops when her answer is accepted.
• On February 24, the $1,000 Toss-Up LADY LIBERTY is inexplicably categorized as Landmark instead of Fictional Character, as "Lady Liberty" typically refers to the character herself.
• February 27 is Hawaii Week, taped December 2. During this week:
  • The floor is again blue.
  • A Hawaiian-sounding piece of music plays in place of the opening theme, and as a commercial bumper.
  • The category strip features a dashboard hula dancer when it reveals.
  • The Speed-Up wipe is an "explosion" of colorful flowers with a harp sound.
• On February 27, there is a $7,300 Jackpot win.
• On February 29, in an unusual move, every vowel purchase in Round 3 is followed immediately by a shot of all three contestants.

March 2012

• On March 2, the first letter of the SPIN ID does not match the name announced with it.
• March 5 is America's Game. As a result:
  • On March 5, 6, and 9, Vanna announces the Mystery Round prize. All three announcements use the same clip.
  • On March 7 and 8, the floor is blue.
• On March 5:
  • In Round 2, contestant Ashley accidentally calls a vowel on the Wild Card. This is edited out, and she calls L, which is in the puzzle.
  • Ashley wins the Kia in Round 3.
  • Neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
  • Ashley solves the bonus puzzle WIND-UP TOY despite getting no help from her extra letters, making her the eighth contestant to get no help even with a Wild Card (and the first since May 24, 2010), and the first since September 23, 2009 to solve a bonus puzzle despite getting no help from their letters.
• On March 6 and 7, the Wheel Prize is $5,000 cash from Ally Bank.
• On March 6:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up (CUDDLY TEDDY BEAR) is not American-themed.
  • In Round 3, a cycle of three lost turns is edited out despite not being "null". The first lost turn is an incorrect vowel, resulting in a $250 inconsistency in contestant Laura's score. This also affects the final score (but not the outcome) as Laura solves the puzzle without hitting Bankrupt. The cycle was likely cut due to the first three rounds running overtime.
• On March 7:
  • Rounds 1-3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
  • Contestant Andrea finishes second with $24,650.
• On March 8, the winning contestant (who does not solve her bonus puzzle) misses the $1,000,000 by one envelope.
• On March 9, neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
• March 12 is Big Money, taped January 13. During this week:
  • The "Big Money" logo on the center-stage video wall includes the "bank vault" Mystery Round animation introduced in September, but played in reverse to have the vault opening instead of closing.
  • The category strips are a brownish-green, and feature a golden dollar sign when they reveal.
  • The Final Spin wipe is a series of falling dollar bills.
  • Amounts of $65,000, $75,000, and $85,000 are added to the Bonus Wheel. None are hit, and their envelopes are never shown otherwise.
  • This is the last Big Money Week until Season 33, and it is the last that has differences in gameplay until Season 41.
• On March 12, the right-letter ding is accidentally used on the first letter revealed in the Speed-Up.
• On March 13:
  • All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 3.
  • There is a $100,000 loss by a contestant who lost the Million-Dollar Wedge to Bankrupt in Round 2.
• On March 14, the Wheel Prize is a $5,000 shopping spree at HayNeedle.com, using the January 12 wedge design.
• On March 15, no vowels are bought in Round 1.
• On March 16:
  • Against normal practice, Jim's response to Pat's throw before the Jackpot plug ("I'm just having a ball, Pat, thank you for asking!") is not edited out of the CBC airing, most likely due to it setting up the below response.
  • After Jim finishes the Round 1 Prize copy, Pat jokes that Jim "is sitting in a little 2-foot-by-3-foot cubicle alone, but he's having a ball." He is then shown in his booth.
  • Two repeated vowels are bought in Round 1.
  • No vowels are bought in Round 2.
  • After calling a repeated R in Round 3, contestant Taylor grunts loudly, slumps over the railing, and tells contestant Dave "Have fun, man, have fun." Pat then walks over to console Taylor, and tells him jokingly to "man up" after Dave and Dianna comfort him.
  • Unusually for a Speed-Up round, a stock audience groan is dubbed in after an incorrect letter.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
• March 19 is Weekend Getaways, taped February 9. During this week:
  • Vanna promotes the week's theme at the top of the show while standing outdoors. The pre-Round 2 bumper is also shot in various outdoor settings.
  • The category wipe is a loaded station wagon driving across the screen.
• On March 19:
  • The Round 1 puzzle TO DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM is accidentally categorized as Quotation instead of Song Lyrics. This previously happened on October 6, 2008.
  • The right-letter ding is accidentally used for the first letter revealed in the Speed-Up.
• On March 20:
  • There is an $11,050 Jackpot win.
  • The Prize Puzzle copy includes a promo for The Adventures of Tintin.
• On March 21:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up SATURDAY AND SUNDAY is inexplicably categorized as Things instead of Events.
  • The Round 2 puzzle MOIST WARM BANANA BREAD uses all four rows, despite being small enough to fit on two.
  • Vanna does another themed bumper after Round 2.
• On March 22 and 23, in an unusual move, the $1,000 Toss-Ups (GETTING AN EARLY START and SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?) are themed towards the puzzles' respective point in the game (a practice commonly done with Speed-Up puzzles) rather than the week's theme.
• On March 23, Round 2 is the last appearance of Fictional Family.
• March 26 is Exotic Far East, taped February 23. During this week, the Final Spin wipe is a paper fan unfolding and folding.
• On March 26, contestant Mike wins two cars: a Kia in Round 1 and a Honda Accord in the Bonus Round.
• On March 27:
  • After contestant Kristin finds the $10,000 Mystery Wedge, she places it on her arrow with the $1,000 side facing up. She corrects this mistake, though it is edited out, resulting in a jump cut showing the $10,000 side suddenly facing up.
  • After Jeremy wins Round 3, his total is erroneously stated (and shown on his scoreboard) as $14,800, with Pat noting that it may be wrong. This error is because the value of the Prize Puzzle trip from the previous show ($6,900) was added to his total instead of that of the current show ($5,000). Before the $3,000 Toss-Up, Pat notes that Jeremy's score is actually $12,900.
  • Six rounds are played.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
  • At the end of the show, Pat accidentally reveals that there will be a $100,000 win this season, apparently not realizing that said episode (which would air April 26) had been taped, but not yet aired.
• On March 28:
  • Contestant Minnie mentions that her uncle was on the show about 25 years ago.
  • RSTLNE reveals more than half of the bonus puzzle (BASIC REQUIREMENTS).
• On March 29:
  • When contestant Amira hits Lose a Turn in Round 1, her scoreboard does not show the Lose a Turn graphic.
  • The Round 4 puzzle SECRET HEADQUARTERS is one space further to the right than usual.
• On March 30:
  • There is an $11,700 Jackpot win.
  • When contestant Dennis picks up a ½ Kia tag in Round 2, his scoreboard displays $1,000 despite only getting one consonant. This does not affect the game since he does not win the round.
  • Contestant Kym hits Bankrupt five times over the course of three rounds, one of which is from the Mystery Wedge.
  • Contestant Dennis solves all three Toss-Ups, and contestant Sara solves all other main game puzzles.
• Starting March 30, the cameras once again cut back to the contestants if Pat's Final Spin lands on $5,000.

April 2012

• April 2 is Back to the Beach, taped March 8. During this week:
  • The category wipe is a yellow sports car peeling out.
  • The online preview video uses the Wii avatar opening from last season's "World's Best Beaches" week.
• On April 3:
  • The Prize Puzzle copy includes a trailer for Titanic in 3-D.
  • In Round 4, contestant Wendy calls M immediately after calling a wrong letter on Free Play, but before spinning again. Against precedent, she is asked after her next spin if she still wants to call M, instead of being automatically credited with that letter. The ruling is ultimately irrelevant, as she calls M regardless and fills in the entire puzzle by doing so.
  • The original Bonus Round (EXACTLY ALIKE) is thrown out due to Pat accidentally crediting contestant Aysha with a right answer when she said EXACTLY ALIVE. That answer is reused on September 18, 2012.
• On April 4, neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
• On April 5, there is a $7,000 Jackpot win.
• April 9 is Shopping Spree, taped February 24. During this week:
  • The Wheel Prize is a $5,000 shopping spree (from CreditCards.com on Monday, HayNeedle.com on Tuesday, Beyond the Rack on Wednesday, HomeGoods on Thursday, and Dick's Sporting Goods on Friday), all using the same wedge design from January 12.
  • The category strips and Final Spin wipe are the same as on Big Money Week on March 12.
• On April 9, contestant Annette wins the Kia after picking up both tags on her first two spins.
• On April 10:
  • In Round 5 (before Speed-Up), Pat says "We do have N's" despite no prior wrong letters, signifying a "null" cycle was edited out.
  • Contestant Krystal solves the Speed-Up puzzle MOUNTAIN BIKING just ahead of the buzzer. After an obvious edit, Pat tells her that she is right, then the camera cuts to a full shot of the board.
  • RSTLNE reveals more than half of the bonus puzzle (GET TO THE POINT).
• On April 12:
  • There is a $10,800 Jackpot win.
  • The bonus puzzle A FEW LAUGHS is categorized as Phrase. The last time it was used (October 12, 2007), it was categorized as Things.
• On April 13:
  • Bizarrely, Contestant Ashley wins the Prize Puzzle, contestant Mike wins the $10,000 Mystery prize and two Toss-Ups, and contestant Colin does so with no prizes or Jackpot, nor any correct letters on the top dollar value.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
• April 16 is Wheel Across America, taped January 27. During this week:
  • Vanna promotes the theme at the top of the show against a shot of a cityscape.
  • The category wipe is the Wheelmobile one used for "America's Game" weeks.
• On April 16:
  • Contestant Terry loses $20,500 and a ½ Kia tag to Bankrupt in Round 2, while Holly loses $1,900 cash, the Gift Tag, and two ½ Kia tags to Bankrupt in Round 3. Overall, a total of $38,400 (counting the Gift Tag and Kia) is lost to Bankrupt. This is also a rare occurrence where the only Bankrupts in the game claim more than $10,000 each (counting the value of prizes).
  • Before Holly starts Round 3, Pat briefly plugs the Portland tapings, since Holly is from Oregon.
• On April 17:
  • There is a $13,150 Jackpot win.
  • Round 4 is SPEECHWRITER, suggesting that Rounds 1-3 ran overtime.
• On April 18, there is a Kia win.
• On April 19:
  • Though Bankrupt is hit three times, no money or cardboard is ever lost.
  • The bonus puzzle COOKIE JAR is inexplicably categorized as Thing instead of In the Kitchen (the category it was given on its last use, the $2,000 Toss-Up on May 6, 2009).
• On April 20, the lights go out after the Bonus Round. Surprisingly, this is left in.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of April 20, part of a nine-day losing streak starting on the 12th.
• April 23 is America's Game. During this week:
  • Vanna reads the Mystery Round copy.
  • A graphic of the Statue of Liberty is added to the category strip for this and all subsequent "America's Game" weeks.
  • The April 24-27 shows were originally supposed to air on the 25th, 24th, 27th, and 26th, respectively.
• On April 23, the floor is blue for the last time this season.
• On April 24, some broadcasts appear to have muted contestant Kristine saying "damn it" after losing the Bonus Round.
• On April 25:
  • Contestant Whitney loses $21,150 to Bankrupt in Round 2.
  • There is a Kia win in Round 3.
  • The Prize Puzzle copy includes a trailer for Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
  • Pat and Vanna promote Maxwell House and Rebuilding Together in the final segment. From this point onward, Rebuilding Together once again receives a $2,500 donation for every Bonus Round win.
• On April 26:
  • Despite being the sixth episode from Military Spouses Week, the house minimum is $1,000 and the contestants do not receive a Sony Tablet S. The reduction of the house minimum ends up affecting the outcome: contestant Eva wins $1,200 in Round 2, then loses the game by $622.
  • There is a $100,000 win, the first of the season. The puzzle, BACK IN A FLASH, previously resulted in a $100,000 win on May 15, 2006. Unusually, Jim announces the win as "We're giving you a check made out to cash...".
• On April 27:
  • Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
  • Vanna reads part of the Prize Puzzle copy from Sandals Whitehouse European Spa & Village.
• The weeks of April 30-May 21 are taped at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon on March 30-31 and April 2-3, the first time since Season 12 that four consecutive weeks are done from the same locale. They are also the last tapings of Season 29, barring the unaired Lottery Experience promotion. During all of the Portland episodes:
  • The on-screen bug reads "Wheel in Portland".
  • Vanna does the promotional consideration bumpers and Mystery Round copy from various Portland-area landmarks.
• During the weeks of April 30, May 7, and May 21, Vanna promotes the theme at the top of the show, followed by a title card reading "Wheel of Fortune [name of theme week] from Portland" against a cityscape graphic, while the first few bars of the opening theme play. A unique music bed plays under footage of the city, but it changes back to the normal opening theme (cued up at the 0:44 mark instead of picking up from where it left off) as Jim introduces Pat and Vanna.
• April 30 is Going Green, taped April 2. During this week, the category wipe is a garbage truck and the Final Spin wipe is the same as on Big Money Week.
• On April 30:
  • Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
  • All of the cardboard except one ½ Kia tag is removed from the Wheel in Round 1, but all of it is lost to Bankrupt: the Gift Tag, Prize, Wild Card, and other ½ Kia tag from contestant Manny, and the Million-Dollar Wedge from contestant Emily immediately afterward.
  • There is a $100,000 win, resulting in the fourth instance of that amount being won twice in the same month.

May 2012

• On May 1:
  • Most 7:30 Eastern airings are partially pre-empted due to a speech from President Obama on the one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death. The show returns before the $3,000 Toss-Up. The episode is re-broadcast on July 24.
  • Bankrupt is hit five times in Round 1, three of which are consecutive. It is hit three more times in Round 3.
  • Vanna and Portland mayor Sam Adams do a bumper before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
• On May 2:
  • Contestant Adam has his roommate spin the Wheel for him.
  • Vanna and Sam Adams do a bumper after Round 1.
• On May 3:
  • Two of Pat's comments to contestant Jerod in Round 2 reference a "null" cycle that was cut out: first, saying that he will "break the logjam" after calling a correct letter despite only one other wrong letter airing, and later saying "You know, that's been called" when he calls a repeated A on Free Play, suggesting that one of the edited-out turns may have also been an A on Free Play.
  • The unsolved bonus puzzle reveals like one that is solved: the entire answer is put up at once (instead of the letters revealing one at a time in a zig-zag pattern) and the board's border flashes.
• On May 4, the final segment shows footage from an electronics recycling event held by Wheel, Sony, and IMS Electronics Recycling at Washington Square Mall in Tigard, followed by Pat promoting Sony's Ecotrade program.
• May 7 is Portland Week, taped March 30. During this week, the category wipe is a leaping pink deer and the Final Spin wipe is a rose.
• On May 7:
  • Vanna and Sam Adams promote the week's Bonus Round car after the Speed-Up.
  • Vanna does the closing segment from Voodoo Doughnuts before cutting back to the studio, where Pat and Vanna sample various doughnuts, including one decorated to look like the Wheel.
• On May 9, there is a $7,850 Jackpot win.
• On May 10:
  • The Wheel Prize is a $5,000 HomeGoods shopping spree, using the "Shopping Spree" design seen several times this season.
  • For the first and only time, a contestant gives a wrong answer while on Free Play without calling a letter first.
  • There is a very rare occurrence of a contestant solving the Speed-Up without any money.
  • None of the puzzles have S in them.
  • In the final segment, Vanna narrates a short segment about Portland's environmentally-friendly practices.
• On May 11:
  • Vanna does two bumpers: one from Crown Point after Round 1, and one from Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
  • For the entire second spin of Round 2, the camera stays focused on the puzzle board. After the Wheel stops, there is then a cut to Pat saying "$450". The contestant area is never shown, nor is the overhead shot of the Wheel until after the cut to Pat. It is not known what caused the odd editing, but a "null" cycle is unlikely as the puzzle has all of the common consonants.
• May 14 is College Week, taped March 31. During this week:
  • Oregon Basketball's band plays music during the intro and commercial bumpers, and the University of Oregon cheerleading team introduces Pat and Vanna. Unlike the other Portland episodes, there is no cold open before the title card.
  • The show holds a sweepstakes via Twitter. A partially-filled puzzle is shown at the bottom of the screen during the contestant interviews, and viewers may tweet the correct response to the show's Twitter account with the hashtag #WOFCollegeWeek for a chance to win $500. When the week is rerun during the Summer, all references to the sweepstakes are removed.
  • The category wipe is a white banner reading "College Week".
  • The wipe for the Jackpot plug is a graphic of the Oregon Convention Center's front.
  • The Wheel Prize is $5,000 courtesy of Ally Bank.
• On May 14:
  • The category strip disappears briefly in Round 2.
  • In Round 4, contestant Breanna calls a single consonant on $5,000, buys all five vowels, then solves.
  • Rounds 1, 2, and 4 are played entirely by the person who began them.
  • Contestant Caleb finishes in second place with $26,930.
• On May 17:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up EXTRA CREDIT uses only one line.
  • Round 1 is a rare What Are You Doing? puzzle without an "-ING" suffix: in this case, HANDSTANDS SOMERSAULTS AND BACKFLIPS.
  • Contestant Sara finishes with only $8,200.
• On May 18, after contestant Shasta loses her turn in Round 3, the red area's neon housing stays lit while Danielle plays. Although the yellow area's housing is not lit, the scoreboard displays the flashing arrows. The problem is corrected after Danielle loses her turn.
• May 21 is Great Outdoors, taped April 3. During this week, the category wipe is a row of trees, and the Final Spin wipe is a bike route sign.
• Apparently, May 21 was originally scheduled for May 24.
• On May 21, there is a $7,950 Jackpot win.
• On May 22:
  • Rounds 1, 4, and the Bonus Round are Phrase. This is because the original Round 1 was thrown out due to Pat mishearing a letter.
  • The Prize copy includes a trailer for Men in Black 3.
  • There is a jump cut to Pat during the Speed-Up, causing the music to play over itself for the rest of the round. It is not known what was edited out, since the puzzle (AND THE CROWD GOES WILD) does not lack any of the common consonants, and the edit came after only the third turn.
  • In the final segment, Vanna narrates footage of Pittock Mansion.
• On May 24, Vanna does a short bumper about Portland's bike trails before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
• On May 25:
  • The $1,000 and $3,000 Toss-Ups (FISHING TRIP and MOUNT HOOD, respectively) are inexplicably on one line instead of two.
  • In the final segment, Pat and Vanna eat a replica of a $1,000,000 envelope.
• May 28 is Great Adventures, taped February 10. During this week:
  • The category wipe is an ATV.
  • The pre-Round 2 bumper uses the Wii avatar opening from last season's "Gone Fishin'" week.
• On May 28, Pat and Vanna do a Changing Lives segment on contestant Nancy Kenzler, who won $114,650 on December 21, 2007.
• On May 30:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up (AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE) is not explicitly themed.
  • No wrong letters are called.
  • Rounds 2, 3, and 4 (which ends as a Speed-Up) are played entirely by the contestants who began them.

June 2012

• On June 1, Pat and Vanna do their chat from the board. A single blank is on the board as Vanna demonstrates how the monitors work.
• June 4 is Newlyweds, taped March 9. During this week:
  • The category wipe is a pair of doves carrying the strip in their beak. Both during the wipe and Toss-Up rounds, the strips are teal.
  • Newlywed couples play. During the interviews, pictures are shown of their marriages.
  • The Bonus Wheel chime is replaced with chimes playing two measures of Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March".
• On June 5:
  • The wide shot of the first spin of Round 3 is re-shot following the round, evidenced by the Wheel starting in the exact same position as when the round ended. For this shot only, the ½ Kia graphic is missing from the blue team's scoreboard (they claimed a tag in the previous round).
  • The bonus puzzle IN A HURRY is entirely on one line. This appears to be an accident, as Vanna is standing closer to the middle of the board but suddenly backs up when the blanks appear.
• On June 6:
  • No vowels are bought in Round 1.
  • Round 2 is the first instance since February 2008 of Author/Title being used instead of Title/Author.
  • There is a ½ Kia win in Round 3.
• On June 7:
  • The right-letter ding does not sound when the I is revealed in Round 2.
  • Contestants Jessie and Mike finish second with $21,510.
• On June 8:
  • Contestants Nate and Kristen solve the $1,000 Toss-Up BRIDESMAIDS with only the second S showing.
  • Husband & Wife reverts to spelling out AND.
  • The video wall freezes partway through the game, and taping pauses momentarily until it is fixed.
• June 11 is America's Game. During this week, Vanna reads the Mystery Round copy.
• On June 13, the Prize copy includes a trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man.
• On June 14, all three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 2.
• On June 15, the Round 1 puzzle JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! has none of the five most common consonants.

Post-Season

• August 25 is the last television airing to date of an episode with Charlie O'Donnell announcing (a repeat of the October 21, 2010 episode).

The Lottery Experience Games

• Taped April 26 (after the last Season 29 tapings, but before the first of Season 30), these special episodes have several things different than the norm:
  • The puzzles all appear to be deliberately recycled from various episodes from Seasons 24-28. On the first episode, the second Toss-Up MILLIONS AND BILLIONS originally used an ampersand.
  • During the intro, a banner reading "The LOTTERY EXPERIENCE Game" flies onscreen from the bottom and settles above the logo. The logo is also present on the center-stage video wall, but forms differently: the "LOTTERY EXPERIENCE" banner drops in from above the logo, with "The" and "Game" sliding in from the left and right, respectively.
  • The above banner appears in the bottom-left corner for most of the show, moving to the bottom-right for the Prize Puzzle and top-left for the Bonus Round.

    

  • The Wheel Prize is $5,000, using the "$100 bills" Mystery Round intro graphic (although the font is one not known to have been used on the normal show). The wedge is blue with a white border, with "CASH" written horizontally and "$5000" vertically in the Clarendon font. This is the first known time since April 1998 that a Prize wedge uses text instead of a graphic.
  • The Gift Tag is $1,000 cash, represented by a $1,000 bill.
  • Before the Bonus Round, an ad is shown for the Wheel of Fortune lottery game, with Pat and Vanna as convenience store workers who sell a ticket to a female patron before cutting to them and Jim promoting the game. The ad also includes footage of the yellow arrow landing on the Million-Dollar Wedge, placed reverse-up on the pink $300 (which would become the wedge's actual position in Season 31).
  • The Bonus Round car is a $44,115 Chevrolet Camaro convertible, and the cash bonus is increased from $5,000 to $15,000. This is the most expensive car known to be offered since the Bonus Wheel's debut in Season 19.
  • During the Bonus Round, the 10-second timer is shown counting down (in tenths of a second) between RSTLNE and the contestant's letters, displayed in a blue ellipse similar to the kind used for the category strips in Seasons 14-17. Given when this was taped, it is possible that this was an experiment for the use of an onscreen timer beginning in Season 30.
  • Following the Sony Pictures Television logo, a segment is shown of Jim interviewing the winner at the contestant area. The video wall shows the Season 29 logo.
  • As the episodes are not meant for broadcast, many aspects are different from standard episodes:
    • The Jackpot "sponsor" is Wheel itself, using the Season 29 logo. Jim's copy notes that the show is "Celebrating 30 years as America's Game!"
    • The Prize Puzzle and Bonus Round car copy do not include any sort of promotion.
    • There are no promotional consideration plugs, instead going straight from the sign-offs to the credits.
    • The episode is not edited for time in the same fashion as normal episodes, as Wheel spins are not shortened and "null" cycles are not edited out of at least Speed-Up rounds. Despite not being bound by the standard half-hour runtime, Round 4 starts with the Final Spin, although Pat notably does not say that they are running out of time.
    • The audience is still "sweetened" by prerecorded cheers and applause like on normal episodes.
  • Contestants are given copies of their episodes but told not to redistribute them; depsite this, one of them is briefly uploaded to YouTube.
• On one of the episodes in the above taping session (Mary/Eric/Guy):
  • The slate notes the episode is #MDI-1, separating it from the nighttime show's "#S-[number]" designation. It is not certain what "MDI" stands for.
  • Guy accidentally says the answer to the $1,000 Toss-Up (THE GANG'S ALL HERE) without ringing in.
  • Guy picks up the $10,000 Mystery Wedge, but puts it on his arrow with the $1,000 side facing up. Possibly because the episode was not intended to air, Pat does not prompt him to fix this.
  • In Round 3, Eric lands on a ½ Kia tag immediately after the round's other tag is lost to Bankrupt, but he calls a wrong letter on it.
  • During Round 4, Guy accidentally tries to buy a vowel after calling a correct consonant.