Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 23

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A timeline for Season 23 of Wheel of Fortune, which aired in first-run from September 12, 2005 through June 9, 2006.

Season Changes

• For this season, some shows begin with one of three animated intros featuring people hurriedly getting ready to watch Wheel. Each animation ends with the last bar of the introductory fanfare and the title card appearing on a console television, with the show's logo in yellow-bordered maroon over a completely bare bluish-grey Wheel template on a dark blue background. After the audience chants, the "O" in "OF" zooms towards the camera on the TV to reveal the set, without the white light used in Season 22's intro sequence. When Pat and Vanna are introduced and walk onstage, the footage of this is shown on the TV in the animation, with the characters watching, and the animation sequence ends with the characters applauding. These intros are sometimes used by some affiliates in advertising for the show, and are never used during road shows. The intros themselves are as follows:
  • In the first intro, a man is watching the news with his cat sleeping on top of his armchair. He looks at his watch and screams in shock, after which he is seen rushing to the shower and then emerging fully clothed. He looks over his watch again and hurries to make further preparations including a quick vacuuming, then responds to the sound of his doorbell to hesitantly pick up a pizza. After that, he is seen eating with the remote in his hand and a candelabra on the table. When the main title card appears, the cat jumps on the armchair again, wearing an "I'm a Wheel Watcher" T-shirt where the text is in the same font as the logo and the "Wheel Watcher" part is arranged like the "Wheel" and "Fortune" in the traditional logo, with a wheel drawing in the center. The man's living room references the show with an autumn-hued fabric wheel, a picture with letter spaces reading "HOM_ SW__T HOM_", Wheel doilies on the armchair, and a Wheel-styled table. After Pat and Vanna make their entrances, the man does not applaud, but is instead shown still eating.
  • In the second intro, a woman is burdened by the pressure of work, as she appears to be making a phone call and has numerous papers on her desk. A clock styled like the Wheel is shown pointing to a yellow "wedge" reading QUITTIN' TIME, and when she sees this, she finishes her work and quickly hurries home, with a jetpack strapped to her back. When the jetpack runs out of fuel, the woman careens out of control, spinning a Wheel-styled merry-go-round in a playground, using telephone wires as a slingshot, and then bouncing from the awning of a pizzeria into her armchair. A TV remote drops down, and the woman catches it and turns the TV on, clutching her hands together as the show begins. This house features a picture of an old-fashioned bike with the Wheel as one of the wheels, and a Wheel rug.
  • In the third intro, an African-American family is eating dinner when the family dog rolls up its fur on one leg to reveal a watch and, whining, points to it. The dog jumps on the dinner table and "spins" a Wheel-style plate, knocking down various food items and utensils in the process, and points to a cuckoo clock which then sounds. At this, the family hurries to finish their dinner, and rushes through the cleaning of their dinner plates washing them with a hose instead of sink water, and then blow-drying them with a fan which carries them back into the cupboard, then runs into the living room on a skateboard which knocks over various toys including blocks labeled, such as W, O, and F, a Wheel-style top, and a toy car, before hitting a dollhouse. All of them fall onto the couch, and the dog then grabs the remote to turn on the TV, which displays the main title card.
• The "swishing" sound is removed from the introductory fanfare.
• Prize Puzzles now occur daily.
• The video screen on the arch behind Pat is updated to this season's main title design.
• The maingame category strips keep their same basic motif from Season 22 (white text on a blue strip), but the category names are switched from Alternate Gothic to Trade Gothic, and the strip itself is in a brighter shade of blue, with a lighting effect at the top that alternates color between white and yellow.
• The "no more vowels" graphic now slides onscreen from the left, rather than popping into place. Also, its sound effect changes to a chime.
• Cars won in the Bonus Round are now available to Wheel Watchers Club members. Charlie reads the SPIN ID after describing the car.
• The previous segment structure, which had been in use since the retirement of shopping in October 1987, is retired and replaced with the current one. In the new structure, the first commercial break is moved from the end of Round 2 to the end of Round 1; As a result, Rounds 2 and 3 are now each in their own segments; and the commercial break between the Bonus Round and post-game chat is replaced with a short promotional plug.
• During this season and the next, the Jackpot bumper is a graphic of the Jackpot logo over a shot of the set, during which Pat can often be seen doing something amusing.
• The Jackpot amount display changes from Impact to Trade Gothic.
• The consolation for contestants who finish with $0, and the house minimum for a round, are both increased to $1,000. During episodes with two-person teams, both are $2,000.
• The Wheel is altered again:
  • The pegs are changed to thinner, silver-colored ones which make spins noticeably quieter.
  • The flashing turn indicators that flash next to the scoreboards on the contestant area are fixed after being off in seasons 20-22.
  • The Prize wedge moves to Round 1.
  • The second Bankrupt now remains on the Wheel for Rounds 4 and beyond.

    

    A third-era Mystery Wedge.

  • The Mystery Wedges are re-colored: the circles change from black to red, the question marks change from yellow to black, and the numbers are darkened. Also, the Bankrupt on the reverse changes to the same color scheme. The color scheme is kept until season 31, although there are a few minor tweaks, especially with the upgrade to High-Definition the following season.
  • Some episodes this season have a third Gift Tag over the yellow $400 near Lose a Turn.
  • The Prize wedge and Gift Tags are now removed from the Wheel after Round 3.
• The "$3,000 bonus" categories begin occurring much less frequently.
• The Mystery Round intro's animation wipe is removed.
• The Mystery Round starts offering $10,000 cash, typically without a sponsor unlike the times this was done in Season 22. For at least this season, Charlie uses a line themed to the week whenever this is offered.
• The final part of the post-commercial Bonus Round intro spiel is shortened to "...or [a phrase varying from episode to episode] (with) up to $100,000 (cash)!", and the post-commercial Bonus Wheel animation is retired. Additionally, footage of previous Bonus Round wins is shown as Charlie says this.
• The Season 21 Bonus Round category strip and letter graphics use their Season 22 road show disappearing effect on Culver City shows, which remains until their retirement on October 24.
• The Bonus Wheel is now seen during the closing. Previously, it (like the W-H-E-E-L envelope holder before it) was removed before the post-game chat and remained offstage for the credits.
• This season sets a record for the most top prize wins, with six instances of the $100,000 being won. This is later broken in Season 39.
• Charlie no longer mentions $1,000 spending cash during Prize Puzzle copies, although it continues to be offered.

September 2005

• For the first few weeks of the season only:
  • When the Season 22 Wheel graphic animation appears in the Prize Puzzle plugs a second time, the color scheme is slightly different from the original: the yellow wedges gain an orange tint to them, the green wedges are switched to a different shade of that color (so as to match the green wedges on the actual Wheel), and the light blue wedges appear turquoise.
  • The Final Spin graphic wipe replaces its low-pitched "whooshing" sound effect with the "swishing" sound from the Season 22 title sequence.
  • Before the final commercial break, a montage of past Bonus Round wins appears with Charlie saying "Stay tuned: The $100,000 Bonus Round is coming up." Then the sequence switches to footage of that week's car being driven, at which point Charlie proceeds with "If [contestant's name] wins this [car], a lucky Wheel Watchers Club member will win one too! Have your SPIN ID ready: it could win you a spin in this [car]!"
• The week of September 12 is Wheel Around the World. During this week, except on Monday, Pat and Vanna show clips of an international version during the closing chat: Vietnam on Tuesday, Australia on Wednesday, Malaysia on Thursday, and Belgium on Friday. Additionally, the Prize is a trip to the country in question each day.
• On September 12:
  • The Round 1 Before & After puzzle, LUXURY BOX OF KLEENEX, is the only known puzzle to have three X's in it.
  • TV Title debuts in Round 2, although Pat does not directly acknowledge it as a new category.
  • In Round 3, contestant Gloria asks to buy a repeated O only three turns after Pat tells the contestants that all of the vowels have been bought, and ends up losing her turn. This affects the outcome.
• On September 13, the Round 2 puzzle BEIN' GREEN BY KERMIT THE FROG is the first of only five known instances of Song/Artist using a song that was not a single and the only known time a song is attributed to a fictional character.
• On September 15, Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
• On September 16, the second-place contestant has $22,148.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of September 12, part of a ten-loss streak (counting the three losses that ended Season 22).
• September 19 is Tiki Time. During this week, the Mystery Round prize is $10,000 cash.
• On September 19:
  • The intro to the opening version of "Happy Wheels" is removed, except for the final bar. However, a few later episodes still use the full intro, which is retired for good by October 24.
  • There are two sets of duplicate categories: the $1,000 Toss-Up and the Bonus Round are Phrase, while Rounds 1 and 3 are Thing(s).
  • Kurt Warner makes a guest appearance after the Round 1 puzzle GAME-WINNING TOUCHDOWN PASS.
  • Movie Title debuts as the $3,000 Toss-Up; once again, Pat does not acknowledge it as a new category.
• Between September 20 and 27, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
• On September 21, contestant Shawn sweeps the game and wins $25,000 in the Bonus Round. A sweep with a Bonus Round win does not happen again until September 11, 2008.
• On September 22:
  • Seven rounds are played. This does not happen again until October 9, 2015.
  • Rounds 5 and 7 are Phrase, while Round 6 and the Bonus Round are Thing(s).
• September 26 is the first of three Wheel Watchers Club weeks in the season. During these weeks, one of the Gift Tags awards 10,000 Wheel Watchers Club Points/Sony Rewards Points and $1,000 cash.
• During the week of September 26:
  • The inner frame of the puzzle board is pink.
  • Both times it appears, the Season 22 Wheel animation in the Prize Puzzle plugs uses its original color scheme.
  • The Mystery Prize is a $13,710 Chevrolet Aveo.
  • The Final Spin graphic wipe uses its original sound effect.
• On September 26, the bonus puzzle A GULF is one of the last examples of a puzzle with a redundant A at the beginning, a trend which started in Season 19.
• On September 27, the three more consonants and a vowel do not appear on the Bonus Round chyron, and the chyron itself disappears as soon as the timer starts.
• On September 28:
  • The $3,000 Toss-Up and Bonus Round are Fun & Games.
  • Contestant Larry solves the bonus puzzle KICKBOXING with only the I's, N, and G revealed.
• On September 29:
  • Footage from Round 1 later appears in the 2006 film Man of the Year.
  • There is a $10,750 Jackpot win.

October 2005

• For the entire month, one of the Gift Tags awards $1,000 cash courtesy of AstraZeneca, and a $1,000 donation is made to breastcancer.org in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month every time it is hit. Pat mentions this whenever the Gift Tag is hit.
• October 3 is Safari So Good. During this week, the Mystery Round Prize is $10,000 cash.
• On October 3, during the closing chat, Pat and Vanna show off the AstraZeneca Gift Tag.
• On October 4:
  • No vowels are bought in Round 4.
  • A graphic effect (added in post-production) is introduced that shows home viewers what is on the other side of a Mystery Wedge if it is landed on. (The Mystery Wedges were not hit on the 3rd.) Pat and Vanna discuss this during their closing chat.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of October 3.
• October 10 is Live Like a Star. During this week:
  • The Mystery Round Prize is $10,000 cash, modeled by footage of Vanna shopping.
  • The animated intros are done on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday only. On Monday and Thursday, Kurt Warner does a cold open instead.
• On October 12:
  • The category strip disappears near the end of Round 3.
  • Contestant Bob solves the bonus puzzle CORKBOARD before the timer can start.
• On October 13:
  • Song Title debuts as the $1,000 Toss-Up. As was the case with Movie Title and TV Title, Pat makes no mention of it being a new category.
  • In Round 1, Pat Sajak forgets to ask contestant Leslie if she wants to use her Free Spin until after contestant Pat begins to spin; he stops the Wheel and resets it before asking Leslie, who does opt to use her Free Spin.
  • Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them, except for the aforementioned use of Free Spin.
• During the weeks of October 17 and 24, the animated intros are not used. A new title sequence debuts based around the new logo introduced at the beginning of this season. An animation starting at the bottom of the Wheel with three lights (cyan, pink, and blue, from top to bottom) around it pans upward as the lights turn on from bottom to top, the completely bare Wheel template tilts into view, and the maroon wordmark zooms into place. The contestants are now shown on-camera after Pat and Vanna walk out, but before the camera turns to the audience.
• The week of October 17 (Escape!) is composed of sixth episodes. In an unusual move, the closing chats of October 18-20 feature clips from international versions of Wheel (specifically, Brazil, Turkey, and Ecuador); even more unusually, this does not occur on October 17 depsite it being the sixth episode of Wheel Around the World.
• On October 17:
  • The Round 3 puzzle BRAD PITT & ANGELINA JOLIE AS MR. & MRS. SMITH is the third of three known instances of Stars & Roles, and the fifth of only six known puzzles to have more than one ampersand.
  • Round 4 is People and the Bonus Round is Person.
  • Vanna reads the first line of the Bonus Round Prize copy.
• On October 19, there appear to be multiple edits during Round 3, as Pat does not announce the dollar amount ($400) on the third spin, and the dings do not sound when the N's are revealed two turns later.
• On October 20, in an unusual move, the crane is used to shoot Round 2 when it is solved. The shot starts at the blue contestant's back, then pans and rotates to a bird's-eye view of the contestant area.
• On October 21:
  • As it is the sixth episode of Wheel Watchers Club week, the inner frame of the puzzle board is pink.
  • Contestant Renee solves the bonus puzzle SKUNK despite getting no help from her extra letters.
• October 24 is College Road Trip Week, the first college week from Culver City. During this week:
  • Because of the above, no marching band or cheerleading squad is present, and the contestants do not introduce themselves while walking onstage. Instead, there is a cold open where each contestant says the name of his or her college mascot, and then all three say "Wheel's on!" During the opening, some of the college mascots are seen behind the Wheel with the contestants, while others walk onstage with Pat and Vanna.
  • All of the Prizes are sponsored by Capital One.
  • The Mystery Round prize is a $10,000 Capital One credit card. The copy features the mascots running while carrying a banner with that company's then-slogan "What's in your wallet?"
• On October 24:

  

  • The Jackpot wedge is changed to a silver wedge with a red outlined triangle, red star, and silver "Jackpot" text in Futura Extra Bold.
  • The amount in the Jackpot display is switched to Alternate Gothic.
  • The previous pre-commercial "Bonus Round coming up" spiel is reinstated.
  • College Life debuts in Round 3.
  • The Bonus Round category strip and letter graphics are changed to match the Season 23 main-game category strips and corresponding font scheme; also, the disappearing effect is changed so that they blur out of sight. A few later episodes use the Season 21 Bonus Round graphics.
  • The bonus puzzle ROOM & BOARD is a rare instance of an ampersand in the Bonus Round.
  • Contestant Lauren ties the one-round record of $54,000 in the Speed-Up. She sets a new main-game winnings record of $66,350, although she fails to solve the bonus puzzle.
• On October 25:
  • Rock On! debuts in Round 3. Charlie is shown on-camera introducing the category in a deep "rock DJ" voice.
  • The bonus puzzle BIG GULP is incorrectly categorized as On the Menu, something which Pat comments on by saying "Oh yeah, that's quite a menu there" after the puzzle goes unsolved. This may have been one of the reasons behind renaming the category to Food & Drink in Season 24.
• On October 26:
  • No vowels are bought in Round 1.
  • The "only vowels remain" beeps sound twice in Round 1.
• On October 27:
  • The Round 2 Slogan puzzle I'M LOVIN' IT (McDonald's) is shorter than ten letters.
  • There is a $6,400 Jackpot win.
• October 31 is NBA Week. During this week:
  • The NBA players are Richard Jefferson, Bill Walton, and Luke Walton on Monday; Emeka Okafor, Richard Hamilton, and Ben Gordon on Tuesday; Becky Hammon, Ray Allen, and Mike Bibby on Wednesday; Carmelo Anthony, Baron Davis, and Kenny Smith on Thursday; and Amar'e Stoudemire, Robert Horry, and Bobby Simmons on Friday.
  • During the intro, Charlie says "Here's tonight's Wheel of Fortune starting lineup..." after which each star introduces himself or herself via video footage on a green and blue star background. Charlie then continues, "It's NBA Week on..." before the chant.
  • The total winnings of the week are matched and donated to charity for Hurricane Katrina relief, with a minimum of $100,000.
  • During the interviews, the NBA players' names appear in white text on a blue strip, accompanied by the NBA logo (or WNBA logo).
  • The highest-scoring contestant of the week wins a VIP trip to the 2006 All-Star Game in Houston. This package includes airfare, hotel accommodations, and VIP Access to all NBA All-Star Events. Also included are apparel from Reebok, a Spalding basketball package including hoops and balls, as well as autographed NBA memorabilia and a DirecTV System with NBA League Pass.
  • The Gift Tag is $1,000 credit to the NBA Store, and it is shaped like a trading card.
  • After Round 1, there is a bumper in which each player promotes his or her charity.
  • Before the $3,000 Toss-Up, there is a bumper in which Pat and Vanna promote the upcoming New Orleans episodes.
  • The Bonus Round contestant window wipe is a basketball hoop.
  • Except on Friday, Charlie introduces the next day's players after the Bonus Round.
• Between October 31-November 25, the Mystery Round Prize is $10,000 cash.
• On October 31:
  • Two of the NBA players are Bill Walton and his son Luke; this is the only known time that family members have competed against each other.
  • The Season 22 pre-commercial outro Bonus Wheel animation is reinstated.
  • The full answer to the $1,000 Toss-Up SLAM DUNK CONTEST does not appear on the board and the border does not flash.
  • The Prize is a trip to the 2006 NBA rookie photo shoot for Topps trading cards, along with signed NBA merchandise and trading cards.
  • Bill Walton and contestant Pat only spin twice in the entire game, calling a wrong letter each in Rounds 1 and 3; they also fail to claim $24,000 in the Speed-Up. However, they solve the $2,000 and $3,000 Toss-Ups.
  • Luke Walton and contestant Stacey solve the bonus puzzle UNSUNG HERO despite getting no help from their extra letters.

November 2005

• On November 1:
  • Lisa Leslie of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks reads part of the Prize copy.
  • For the first time, a "null" cycle is edited out of the Speed-Up, and is masked by a brief jump-cut to Pat; this would otherwise not become standard procedure until Season 28.
  • The bonus puzzle FOUL TROUBLE is a rare instance of one being themed to the week.
  • Emeka Okafor and contestant Devin solve the above bonus puzzle despite getting no help from their extra letters. This is the only known instance of this happening on consecutive episodes.
• On November 2, the Prize is a PlayStation 2 with autographed copies of NBA 06, autographed team merchandise, and a visit with Ray Allen for a motion-capture recording session for upcoming NBA games.
• The weeks of November 7 and 14 are taped at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina forces the crew to evacuate, canceling a third week (Family Week) which would have been taped there. The teams scheduled for the third week eventually appear in May 2006.
• During the New Orleans episodes:
  • There is a cold open in which Pat and Vanna state that the episodes were taped before Hurricane Katrina; they also ask viewers to donate to the American Red Cross through the show's website, with Wheel matching the first $100,000 in donations. A bumper asking for donations also appears before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
  • Steve Kaplan's road show intro music is remixed.
  • Charlie's intro is "And now, come celebrate New Orleans with the stars of America's Game: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!"
  • The cars do not appear on stage until the Bonus Round.
• November 7 is Fabulous Food. During this week:
  • Pat and Vanna sample food provided by a chef from a New Orleans restaurant during the closing chat: Brennen's on Monday, Antoine's on Tuesday, Bayona on Wednesday, Muriel's Jackson Square on Thursday, and K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen (which closed in 2020) on Friday.
  • All of the Bonus Rounds except for Tuesday's (HALIBUT) are themed to the week.
• On November 7:
  • The Prize is a private party at the New Orleans School of Cooking.
  • A bird's-eye view of the contestant area is used on the third spin of Round 3.
  • Same Name and Before & After are used in the same game for the last time. Interestingly, both categories were also used on the previous show.
• On November 8:
  • In the Kitchen debuts as the $2,000 Toss-Up. As with the other new categories this season, Pat does not mention it as such.
  • Before Round 2, Pat holds up one of the cue cards used by stagehands to indicate which contestant begins each round.
• On November 9, Round 2 and the Bonus Round are On the Menu.
• On November 10, the Prize Puzzle chimes do not sound after the Round 2 puzzle is revealed.
• On November 11:
  • After the opening chat, there is a shot of Paul Prudhomme (chef at the aforementioned K-Paul's) holding up a plate and saying, "It's Fabulous Food week on Wheel of Fortune. Spin this!"
  • Round 1 (FRUITY UMBRELLA DRINKS) is categorized as Things instead of On the Menu, likely due to that category being used in Round 3.
• November 14 is Celebrate New Orleans. During this week, Rockin' Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters appear as a house band.
• On November 14:
  • The Prize is tickets to the CMA Awards and a chance to meet Brooks & Dunn.
  • There is a $100,000 win.
• On November 15:
  • Contestant Ben hits $2,500 three times in a row in Round 1.
  • Ben does not solve the bonus puzzle, and is only one envelope away from the $100,000.
• On November 16:
  • Pat and the scoreboard operators accidentally accept a wrong answer from contestant Kristi on the $1,000 Toss-Up, although the board does not reveal the answer. Because of this, Pat hushes the audience and asks the board operators to resume revealing letters, after which contestant Diane rings in with the right answer.
  • There is a rare instance of a contestant with a hyphenated name tag (Te-Ali).
  • There is a $7,400 Jackpot win.
  • The second-place contestant has $21,476.
• On November 17:
  • After the Round 2 puzzle MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF MONKEYS, Pat references an incident "at least fifteen years ago" where a contestant incorrectly solved the same puzzle as MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF VIKINGS.
  • Contestant Norman mentions during his interview that he "dream[s] of Vanna White". In response to this, after recapping the scores at the end of the game, Pat has Vanna come to the contestant area and hug him.
• Round 1 is edited out on November 16, and the $1,000 Toss-Up is edited out on the 17th. Both puzzles were removed because their answers were deemed insensitive to Hurricane Katrina victims. In place of the rounds, viewers see clips of Pat and Vanna asking viewers to donate to relief funds, then announcing who won the round. When the episodes are rerun in Summer 2006, the Toss-Up is restored (its answer being THE LOUISIANA SUPERDOME), but Round 1 of the November 16 show is replaced with another clip of Pat and Vanna thanking those who donated.
• On November 20, the show officially launches its YouTube channel. Among other videos, the channel features clips of memorable moments from the current season, promos for weekly themes and road shows, "behind the scenes" clips, and notable instances of contestants solving puzzles.
• November 21 is Teen Best Friends Week, and the first in Culver City since Season 20. During this week:
  • The inner frame of the puzzle board is yellow.
  • Pictures of the best friends appear as the post-Round 1 bumper.
• On November 21:
  • Nine wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up.
  • There is a $100,000 win, resulting in the first instance of that amount being won twice in the same month.
  • Ariel and Denise's winning total does not appear onscreen after they win the Bonus Round.
• On November 22, the bonus puzzle KEY CHAIN uses only one line.
• On November 23, the $2,000 Toss Up (CUTTING BOARD) is categorized as Around the House instead of In the Kitchen.
• On November 24, Vanna wears a sleeveless top and pants.
• On November 25:
  • The Prize is $5,000 credit to ticketsnow.com.
  • No vowels are bought in Round 1.
• During the week of November 28 (Holiday Shopping):
  • The animated intros are not used.
  • After Round 1, there is a plug for the upcoming Sony Winner Wonderland sweepstakes.
  • The Mystery Round Prize is $10,000 credit to pricegrabber.com.
• On November 28:
  • The Prize copy includes a trailer for Pride & Prejudice.
  • Contestant Valerie solves the bonus puzzle FOLK TALE despite getting no help from her extra letters.
• On November 29, for only the second time, a Prize Puzzle offers two items (a trip to New York City and a gift certificate to Michael C. Fina).

December 2005

• On December 1:
  • There is a rare instance of a contestant with an apostrophe in their name (Lee'Or).
  • The Prize is a trip to San Francisco and a shopping spree at Sharper Image.
  • Contestant Janessa solves the Round 4 puzzle HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS with only the T and S's revealed.
• On December 2:
  • The Prize includes tickets to a Billy Joel concert in New York and a copy of his box set My Lives, sponsored by Circuit City. Portions of his song "Pressure" play during the copy.
  • Best Seller makes its only appearance in the Bonus Round. The puzzle, JOY OF COOKING, is not solved.
• December 5 is 5-Star Resorts. During this week:
  • The animated intros are done on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. From this point through the end of the season, the intro sequence introduced on October 17 is used whenever the animated intros are not.
  • The Prize wedges have the name of the week on them, a practice which also showed up several times in Season 22.
  • The shot of the Final Spin starts with a tight close-up of the Wheel, which then zooms out as Pat spins it.
• On December 5:
  • Several shots of the board in Rounds 1-3 are done from behind the contestants' backs, including one that transitions to flyover shot with the crane when Round 1 is solved.
  • From this point through the rest of the season, the Mystery Round offers only $10,000 cash.
  • Contestant Jeff solves the Round 4 puzzle MADISON WISCONSIN with only the S's and N's revealed.
• On December 6, no vowels are bought in Round 4.
• On December 7:
  • Round 4 is TV Title, and the Bonus Round is Title; this is the last time that category is used there.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
• On December 8, there is a $7,350 Jackpot win.
• On December 9:
  • During the interviews, contestant Diane shows that she has the Wheel painted on one of her fingernails.
  • Rock On! is used as a Prize Puzzle for the first of only four times (Round 1).
  • After Round 1 is solved, Pat mentions that the Rock On! category is new (as it was the category's first taped, but not aired, appearance), and then has Charlie say "Rock On!" a second time. Despite this, Charlie does not announce the category for the rest of at least Seasons 23 and 24.
• From December 12 until the end of the season, the animated intros are used on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday only.
• December 12 is Sony Winner Wonderland. During this week:
  • The show holds the Sony Winner Wonderland Sweepstakes. Home viewers may collect game pieces from Circuit City stores or the show's website. If an episode's bonus puzzle matches the answer on a game piece, the home viewer may send in the piece for a chance to win a $25,000 prize.
  • The Prizes are Sony electronics packages.
  • The Jackpot Round is sponsored by Eggland's Best Eggs. In the sponsor plug, Charlie misreads "omega-3s" as "omega three ess" instead of "omega threes".
  • The inner frame of the puzzle board is purple.
  • The Final Spin graphic wipe returns to using its original sound effect, which remains until the end of the season.
• On December 13, there is an $11,350 Jackpot win.
• On December 14, the $3,000 Toss-Up ICE FISHING uses only one line.
• On December 15:
  • There is a $6,750 Jackpot win.
  • Nobody solves the $3,000 Toss-Up, BUDDY MOVIE.
• On December 16, in an unusual move, the Final Spin bells sound only one turn into Round 5.
• The week of December 19, 'Tis the Season, is the second holiday-themed week that has a name other than Happy Holidays. During this week, selections from various Christmas albums are used as bumpers, with Charlie naming the album at the end of the credits: Brian Wilson's What I Really Want for Christmas on Monday; MercyMe's The Christmas Sessions on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; and Jane Monheit's The Season on Wednesday.
• On December 19:
  • The SPIN ID rules are amended so that winners who have an active Sony Card also receive $50,000 cash.
  • The High Rollers chimes do not sound after Round 1's Next Line Please puzzle.
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up, Round 4, and the Bonus Round are Phrase. This may suggest that one of the former two is a replacement.
• On December 20:
  • The $2,000 Toss-Up SQUAW VALLEY is the only known instance of a puzzle using a slur (at least at a time when the word was already widely known to be a slur); it should be noted both places in California bearing this name were renamed in 2022 for this very reason. It is not known if the show ever received any negative attention toward this puzzle.
  • In an unusual but not technically incorrect move, Round 3 (THE SMELL OF COOKIES BAKING IN THE OVEN) is categorized as Around the House.
  • The $3,000 Toss-up MAD MAGAZINE uses only one line.
  • During the closing chat, in reference to discussion of "Up on the Housetop" from the previous day's chat, Pat and Vanna look at a Christmas songbook to verify the lyric "up on the housetop reindeer pause".
• On December 21, the "wrong letter" buzzer accidentally sounds instead of the "time's up" buzzer at the end of the Bonus Round timer.
• On December 22:
  • The Prize includes a box set of Rod Stewart's Great American Songbook albums and live concert DVD.
  • There is a $7,200 Jackpot win.
• On December 23, Rhyme Time appears in the Bonus Round for the sixth of only nine times; the puzzle HODGEPODGE is a rare instance of that category being used for a singular word and the only Bonus Round in that category to be used twice, as it was previously used on November 9, 2000.
• December 26 is Let It Snow.
• On December 26:
  • After the Round 3 Slogan puzzle THE WORLD'S ONLINE MARKETPLACE, the correct answer of eBay appears on the category strip in mixed case, likely due to the lowercase E at the beginning of the name. This is a rare instance of any form of the category strip using mixed case instead of all-caps.
  • During the closing chat, Pat and Vanna show off a signed strip of the comic Flight Deck (dated August 8) which mentions Vanna.
• On December 27:
  • Contestant Stephanie adds an A to the fully-revealed Round 1 puzzle WIDE-BRIMMED STRAW HAT, but it still credited with a correct response. This does not affect the outcome, as she still would have won even if had she been ruled wrong.
  • There is an $8,300 Jackpot win.
• On December 29, Pat mentions that 200 finalists from the previous season's You Could Be on Wheel of Fortune Sweepstakes are in the audience, at which point the audience is shown on camera.
• On December 30, Josh solves the bonus puzzle HOMEBODY with only the M and E revealed, after which Pat pretends to frisk him.

January 2006

• January 2 is Guilty Pleasures.
• During the weeks of January 2 and 9, there is a bumper after Round 1 where Charlie and Vanna promote the Hollywood Walk of Fame Sweepstakes. The promo includes clips of the phrases FIVE LUCKY WINNERS, VIP AFTER-PARTY!, and HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME SWEEPSTAKES appearing on the puzzle board. Interestingly, this ad is accompanied by the Seasons 15-17 remix of "Changing Keys".
• On January 2, in the closing segment, Vanna eats some Vanna Banana ice cream from Painter's Ice Cream in her hometown of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; she also shows a picture of her and Niko with the shop's owner.
• On January 3, the $2,000 Toss-Up SNOOPY'S DOGHOUSE is the first instance of Fictional Place being used in a Toss-Up.
• On January 4:
  • The $2,000 Toss-Up and Bonus Round are Living Thing.
  • Contestant Nancy solves the bonus puzzle HEIFER despite getting no help from her extra letters.
  • During the post-game chat, Pat brings out a Free Spin token and asks why it is not called "Free Turn" since it can be turned in to buy a vowel as well.
• On January 5:
  • For the first time, a Gift Tag is $500 credit (in this case, Mrs. Fields) and $500 cash. Pat and Vanna show the Gift Tag and discuss this during the closing chat.
  • Contestant Aleks wins despite losing $20,600 to a Bankrupt in Round 4.
• On January 6, Round 1 (a Slogan puzzle of IT'S THE COLA {Pepsi}) uses only one line.
• January 9 is Hollywood Walk of Fame, the first movie-themed week that is neither called Wheel Goes to the Movies nor aired in May. This week is intended to anticipate Vanna getting her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During this week:
  • In addition to the usual movie-themed set decorations, this week also features an instrumental of the song "Hooray for Hollywood" as the music cue for when Pat and Vanna walk out.
  • It is also the Hollywood Walk of Fame Sweepstakes. Home viewers may submit each show's bonus puzzle online, with five viewers winning a chance to accompany Vanna as she gets her Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Vanna and Charlie promote this after Round 2 over a shot of the puzzle board reading HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME SWEEPSTAKES.
• On January 9, On the Menu appears in the Bonus Round for the last time.
• On January 10:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up RAZZLE-DAZZLE is a rare instance of a puzzle with four Z's in it.
  • The Prize Puzzle (THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE) is categorized as Movie Title instead of Title, suggesting that the show has not yet begun using just Title for works or titles that exist in more than one medium.
  • During the closing chat, Pat and Vanna show a clip of contestant Larry from September 28 winning an Audi in the Bonus Round, followed by a clip of Vanna meeting the Wheel Watchers Club home viewer who also won that car.
  • When the show is rerun in the Summer, the closing chat is replaced with a clip of Vanna getting her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• On January 11:
  • Six rounds are played.
  • The $2,000 Toss-Up and Round 6 are Occupation.
• On January 12:
  • In an unusual but not necessarily incorrect move, the Prize Puzzle GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM offers a trip to the Caribbean.
  • The bonus puzzle FRY COOK uses only one line.
• On January 13, the $3,000 Toss-Up ANIMAL ACTORS is categorized as Living Things instead of Show Biz.
• January 16 is Two Tickets to Paradise, a week of sixth episodes.
• On January 17:
  • As it is the sixth episode of College Week, three college students play.
  • Despite the rest of the week offering a $10,000 Capital One credit card,
  • All three contestants ring in on but do not solve the $2,000 Toss-Up BAGGAGE HANDLER.
  • There is a $6,950 Jackpot win.
• On January 18:
  • Round 3 (THE OFFICIAL SCRABBLE PLAYERS DICTIONARY) is inexplicably categorized as Title instead of Best Seller.
  • The bonus puzzle BEAR HUG uses only one line.
• On January 19:
  • There is a $10,450 Jackpot win.
  • The third- and second-place contestants have $18,800 and $20,450, respectively.
• On January 20:
  • For the first time, a sixth episode (specifically, from the Las Vegas Week of January 30) airs before the rest of its corresponding week.
  • After contestant Glenda solves Round 3 on an un-flipped Mystery Wedge, Pat flips it over to show that it concealed the $10,000.
  • Glenda solves the bonus puzzle HOUSEFLY despite getting no help from her extra letters.
• All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of January 16, part of an eight-day winning streak through to the 25th.
• January 23 is the last NFL Players Week until Season 41, and the first of four weeks this season taped at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale. During this week:
  • Charlie's intro is "Celebrating 10 years of NFL Players Week on..."
  • The NFL players are: Marshall Faulk, Deion Branch, and Roy Williams on Monday; Franco Harris, Gale Sayers, and Bob Griese on Tuesday; Santana Moss, Jonathan Vilma, and Reggie Wayne on Wednesday; Rashean Mathis, Jason Elam, and Deuce McAllister on Thursday; and Derrick Brooks, Warrick Dunn, and Jason Taylor on Friday.
  • During the interviews, the NFL players' names and teams appear in mixed-case on a category strip with a small graphic of a football helmet.
  • After Round 1, there is a bumper where the NFL players name their charities.
  • The highest scoring contestant of the week wins a VIP trip to Super Bowl XL in Detroit and a VIP party with NFL players. Also included are a Reebok gift certificate, Sirius satellite radio, and autographed merchandise by Players, Inc.
  • After Round 1, there is a bumper where each football player names his charity.
  • Vanna announces the Mystery Round prize from a football stadium.
  • The set includes rows of bleachers behind Pat to seat additional audience members.
  • The NFL Players' name tags are once again football shaped.
• On January 23:
  • The $3,000 Toss-Up ARMY SERGEANT is categorized as Person instead of Occupation.
  • The winning team's post-Bonus Round total does not appear onscreen.
• On January 24:
  • The Prize is a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet sportscaster James Brown.
  • Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the main game.
  • There is a $100,000 win.
• On January 25:
  • The Prize is $4,000 credit to merchandise from nfl.com.
  • The slide whistle does not sound on a Bankrupt in Round 1.
  • The Jackpot display accidentally appears for a few frames at the beginning of the Final Spin wipe.
• On January 23 and 25, the bonus puzzles are themed to the week (FLAG ON THE PLAY and OLD RIVALRY respectively).
• On January 26, the Prize is a trip to the Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere with a trading card photograph session, although Charlie's copy does not specify where this event occurs.
• On January 27:
  • The Prize is a party with an NFL player and 30 friends, sponsored by Diet Pepsi.
  • In the final segment, Charlie reveals the highest scoring team of the week (contestant Babette and Bob Griese).
• January 30 is Viva Las Vegas. During this week:
  • The slot machine backdrop from the February 2005 Vegas shows is used in place of the video wall.
  • Unlike the week of December 12, Charlie pronounces "omega-3s" correctly when reading the Jackpot promo for Eggland's Best Eggs.
• On January 30:
  • In the Kitchen appears in the Bonus Round for the first time.
  • 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 January 31:
  • Six rounds are played.
  • The bonus puzzle I'M FLEXIBLE uses only one line.

February 2006

• On February 1, the $3,000 Toss-Up NEW BRUNSWICK uses only one line.
• On February 3, contestant Tom solves the bonus puzzle A BRIGHT FUTURE despite getting no help from his extra letters.
• The weeks of February 6-20 are taped at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During these weeks, the floor is blue with "Fort Lauderdale" in script in the center, accompanied by that city's shield.
• February 6 is Sweethearts Week, and the first one that does not air on the week closest to Valentine's Day. During this week:
  • Pictures of the couples are shown as bumpers.
  • The Wheel of Fortune bug in the lower-left hand corner has red hearts behind it.
• On February 6, there is a $100,000 win.
• On February 8:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is categorized as Title, establishing the practice of using only Title (instead of Movie, TV, or Song Title) when a work or title exists in more than one medium.
  • The Prize is a trip to a Barry Manilow concert in Las Vegas, including a plug for his album The Greatest Songs of the Fifties.
  • The $3,000 Toss-Up STAND BY ME uses only one line.
• On February 9, there is a $9,300 Jackpot win.
• On February 10, the Round 3 puzzle WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR BY THE BEATLES is the second of five known instances of Song/Artist using a song that was not a single.
• February 13 is Fun in the Sun.
• On February 13, no vowels are bought in Round 3.
• On February 14, Song/Artist (or in this case, Artist/Song) appears in Round 4 for the last time.
• On February 15, for only the second known time, a contestant declines to look at the Bonus Round envelope after losing.
• On February 16:
  • The Speed-Up Round (NO PAIN NO GAIN) has only three unique consonants.
  • Contestant Amber solves the above puzzle with only the N's showing.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.
• On February 17, nobody solves the $1,000 Toss-Up RISE AND SHINE.
• During the week of February 20 (Welcome Aboard):
  • The title card shows a drawing of a ship, with the Final Spin chimes used to represent its bells.
  • Vanna announces the Mystery Round Prize from the deck of a cruise ship.
• On February 20, Vanna wears a sleeveless shirt and pants.
• On February 21:
  • The second-place contestant has $26,598.
  • Classic TV makes its fifth and final appearance in the Bonus Round.
  • Contestant Cathy solves the bonus puzzle MIAMI VICE before the timer can start.
• On February 23:
  • For the only time, Proper Name(s) is used for a mode of transportation (THE NINA THE PINTA AND THE SANTA MARIA).
  • There is an $8,300 Jackpot win.
• On February 24:
  • Vanna wears a sleeveless top and pants.
  • There is a $7,550 Jackpot win.
  • Four consecutive turns are lost with only the F's missing in the Speed-Up puzzle SAIL OFF INTO THE SUNSET.
• February 27 is Soap Stars Week, sponsored by SOAPnet. During this week:
  • All teams are composed of a contestant and soap opera star. The stars are Kristoff St. John, Lorenzo Lamas, and Kamar de los Reyes on Monday; Ty Treadway, Lisa Rinna, and Jack Wagner on Tuesday; Susan Flannery, Peter Bergman, and Deidre Hall on Wednesday; Michelle Stafford, Corbin Bernsen, and Alison Sweeney on Thursday; and Galen Gering, Rebecca Herbst, and Ricky Paull Goldin on Friday.
  • The opening features the two-row logo on a purple swirled background. Charlie's intro is, "Tonight, on Wheel of Fortune Soap Stars Week…" followed by a clip of each star's soap (with the name of the soap in white on a purple banner) and a description of both the star and his/her character as the star walks onstage. A unique piece of opening music is used, composed by Michael Andreas.
  • The soap stars' nametags have golden letters and outlines.
  • The Prize wedge (sponsored by SOAPnet) is on the yellow $400 two wedges counterclockwise from Lose a Turn. This is probably done to prevent the red wedge from being next to the red $800. As a result, there are only two Gift Tags on the Wheel this week. In addition, unconventional Prizes are offered on Monday-Wednesday:
    • Monday: an elliptical machine, Sony high-definition television, and spa treatment sponsored by the SOAPnet reality show I Wanna Be a Soap Star.
    • Tuesday: a trip to Los Angeles to attend a VIP taping of Soap Talk, meet-and-greet with Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway, and shopping spree at Belle Gray. Lisa and Ty read the copy via pre-recorded footage.
    • Wednesay: A trip to the 2006 Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony and Sony digital camera.
    • On Thursday and Friday, the Prizes are conventional trips, but still sponsored by SOAPnet.
  • The contestant window in the Bonus Round is a gray television set.
  • Home viewers may submit each day's bonus puzzle to the show's website. The grand prize is a trip to New York City with a tour of the One Life to Live set, along with other prize packages from soapnet.com. Charlie promotes this after Round 3 over footage of the prizes, combined with shots of the board reading ONE LIFE TO LIVE and SOAPNET.COM respectively.
• On February 27, there is a rare instance of a team solving the Speed-Up without any money.
• On February 28, there is a $100,000 win, resulting in the second instance of that amount being won twice in the same month. This also results in Christine and Jack setting a one-day winnings record with $142,550. This is the highest winning total between the retirement of the Friday Finals format in Season 16 and the introduction of the Million-Dollar wedge in Season 26.
• On February 27 and 28, the Jackpot wedge and second Bankrupt are accidentally placed on the orange $800 and green $500, one wedge clockwise from their usual positions. This does not affect the outcome on either episode.

March 2006

• On March 1:
  • Alongside clips of the stars' soaps, a clip of Pat on a 1983 episode of Days of Our Lives is shown during the intro.
  • As Deidre Hall is playing for Mariposa Middle School, she mentions that the school's then-principal is in the audience, after which he is shown on camera.
  • Deidre and contestant Allen solve the Speed-Up puzzle BROWN LEATHER RECLINER on the buzzer, leading to multiple obvious edits while their answer is checked. This results in a quick cut to Pat, and then a full shot of the puzzle board revealing the answer (as opposed to the normal Speed-Up split-screen), followed by a jump cut to Pat suddenly being at their arrow to congratulate them.
• On March 2:
  • There is an $8,000 Jackpot win.
  • There is a tie, which is broken by a fourth Toss-Up.
• On March 3, Round 4 (PINOCCHIO) is shorter than ten letters, suggesting that Rounds 1-3 ran overtime.
• During the weeks of March 6-20, in an unusual move, Radisson sponsors the Mystery Round cash prize.
• March 6 is Weekend Getaways. During this week:
  • The animated intros are not used.
  • After Round 1, Vanna does a bumper from a landmark.
• On March 7, during the closing chat, Pat and Vanna compete to see who can pour ketchup faster. A clip of this was seen in Season 40.
• On March 8, contestant Kerry solves the bonus puzzle TAHITI before the timer can start.
• On March 9, the buzzer does not sound on a wrong letter in Round 4.
• On March 10, contestant David solves Round 2 for only the Prize.
• March 13 is Spring Break.
• On March 13, Vanna is not in place when the $2,000 Toss-Up is revealed, causing Pat to joke around for a few seconds before she steps into place. After the puzzle is solved, Pat jokingly chides her, at which point Charlie can be heard laughing.
• On March 14, there is a $100,000 loss.
• On March 16, contestant Lara asks to buy an I in Round 2 despite having only $50 and the Gift Tag, and her call is disregarded.
• On March 17, the $2,000 Toss-Up THE PENTAGON uses only one line.
• March 20 is the second Wheel Watchers Club week. During this week, one of the Gift Tags is two round-trip airline tickets courtesy of Orbitz.
• On March 20, the $1,000 Toss-Up and Round 3 are Thing(s), suggesting one of the two may have been thrown out and replaced.
• On both March 17 and 20:
  • Two contestants in a row solve their bonus puzzles before the timer can start.
  • Vanna reads the first line of the Bonus Round prize copy.
• On March 23, Rhyme Time makes its seventh of nine appearances in the Bonus Round.
• March 27 is World Class Spas. During this week, several shots of the board are done from behind the contestants' backs.
• On March 27:
  • The Round 3 Who Is It? puzzle O ROMEO ROMEO! WHEREFORE ART THOU ROMEO? (Juliet) is the only puzzle to have both an exclamation point and a question mark in it.
  • Six rounds are played.
• On March 28:
  • The Round 1 puzzle CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY is categorized as Thing instead of Place.
  • Winning contestant Mark is the husband of January 12's winning contestant Jen.
• On March 29, in an unusual move, when contestant Carolyn fills in all but one letter of the bonus puzzle HOUSEHOLD CHORES, Pat has her say the answer immediately instead of jokingly asking her to wait. As a result, she solves before the timer can start.
• On March 30, as winning contestant Ceita is a rapper, Pat and Vanna have him freestyle during the closing chat.
• On March 31, the $2,000 Toss-Up is APRIL FOOLS' DAY.

April 2006

• April 3 is Armed Forces Week. During this week:
  • Charlie's intro is "Tonight, we salute our men and women in uniform on..." followed by a group of soldiers doing the title chant in front of a Jeep. The graphic accompanying this intro is a series of red and white lines on a blue starry background, forming a circle around the text "Wheel of Fortune Armed Forces Week" written in a circle, surrounding a star with the United States flag inside it. After this, "Maximum Drive" plays over a montage of military activities, the only time that opening theme is used at a Culver City taping.
  • The video screen on the arch behind Pat uses the March 2004 remake of the Season 17 logo.
• On April 3:
  • There is a $7,200 Jackpot win.
  • Contestant Vincent finishes second with $21,863.
• On April 4:
  • The Prize is a trip to Nashville, Tennessee, tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame, copy of Alabama's Livin' Lovin' Rockin' Rollin': The 25th Anniversary Collection box set, and guitar signed by members of the band. The copy is accompanied by a clip of Alabama's song "Mountain Music".
  • During the closing chat, Pat and Vanna show footage from the tapings done aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower when it was docked in Norfolk, Virginia in 1995.
• On April 6:
  • There is a $10,500 Jackpot win that comes with only vowels remaining.
  • Unusually, the Final Spin is done only one turn into Round 4.
• On April 7, after contestant Helen solves Round 3 despite flipping the Bankrupt Mystery Wedge earlier in the round, Pat spins the Wheel around to show that the other Mystery Wedge concealed the $10,000.
• April 10 is By the Sea.
• On April 11:
  • The Gift Tag is $1,000 cash courtesy of Hawaiian Tropic.
  • There appears to be an edit when contestant Barb solves the Round 2 puzzle CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS, as the puzzle-solve cue sounds over a shot of Pat walking over to congratulate her before abruptly cutting back to the puzzle board. This is likely due to her tripping over the second word before starting over and repeating herself, and having to have her answer verified by the judges.
  • Round 4 is a rare instance of Star & Role using a description of the character instead of their actual name (GEENA DAVIS AS THE PRESIDENT); while abnormal for the category, this is not inaccurate.
  • Barb turns in her Free Spin right as the Final Spin bells sound. Pat does not seem to notice this at first, as Barb calls S before the judges tell him that it is actually the next contestant's turn. This does not affect the outcome.
  • The dings accidentally sound when the S's are revealed in the Speed-Up.
  • Six consecutive wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up.
  • There is a rare instance of a contestant solving the Speed-Up without any money.
  • Barb solves the bonus puzzle BOLIVIA with only the L and A showing.
• On April 12, the category strip disappears partway through Round 2.
• On April 14:
  • After contestant Matt fails to identify the company for Round 2's Slogan puzzle YOU CAN DO IT WE CAN HELP, Pat has contestant Traci provide the correct answer of The Home Depot.
  • Contestant Jamie finishes second with $24,320.
  • Round 5 and the Bonus Round are Around the House.
  • After Matt correctly solves the bonus puzzle DOOR HINGE, Pat asks him to say it again and his answer is not accepted for about two seconds. This is likely due to his accent.
  • Vanna reads the first line of the Bonus Round prize copy (Jeep Wrangler).
• April 17 is The Royal Treatment.
• On April 17:
  • Contestant Susan mentions that her mother was on the show 20 years ago.
  • In Round 1, contestant Heath accidentally spins after calling the last consonant, but Pat stops the Wheel and asks him to buy a vowel or solve.
  • The $3,000 Toss-Up ST. PETERSBURG uses only one line.
• On April 18:
  • The Prize is a Sony high-definition television, DVD player, and DVD set of the first season of the Showtime series Huff, followed by an ad for the show.
  • The Gift Tag is $500 credit to See's Candies and $500 cash.
  • Vanna forgets to touch the first R in Round 3, but she corrects this just as the shot cuts away from the puzzle board.
  • Contestant Chris solves the bonus puzzle A GOOD FIT with only the A and T showing.
• On April 19:
  • There is a $10,800 Jackpot win.
  • The bonus puzzle BRIEF ME uses only one line.
• On both April 18 and 19, in an unusual move, Round 4 goes to Speed-Up after only one spin.
• On April 21, the $3,000 Toss-Up is EARTH DAY, which occurs the very next day; this puzzle also uses only one line.
• April 24 is Dream Car.
• On April 24, after solving the Round 3 Who Is It? puzzle AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE VIEWERS LOVE TO HATE, contestant Danielle correctly identifies that the puzzle describes Simon Cowell before the High Rollers chimes sound.
• On April 25:
  • Rock On! is used as a Prize Puzzle (Round 1) for the second of four times.
  • The bonus puzzle GOOFY & PLUTO is a rare instance of an ampersand in the Bonus Round.
• On April 27, in a move that could be seen as inaccurate, the Round 1 Prize Puzzle DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY offers a trip to Jamaica.
• On April 28:
  • Due to his original tie creating a moiré effect, Pat takes it off after Round 1 and then puts on a new tie before Round 3.
  • Six rounds are played.
  • There is a $100,000 loss.

May 2006

• The weeks of May 1-15 are taped at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
• May 1 is Great Outdoors. During this week:
  • The opening graphic is a CGI render of a campsite near a mountain and lake, with a Jeep; the shot zooms in on the Jeep's spare tire cover, which features the traditional logo on it and a license plate reading "Wheel of Fortune Great Outdoors Denver". This license plate graphic is also used during bumpers and as the Speed-Up wipe.
  • Pat reads the copy over footage of a cardboard cutout of him at a trailhead. He says "I can talk without my lips even moving. $10,000 in our Mystery Round!" on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and "I come alive in the outdoors. And now the Mystery Round, a chance to win $10,000 cash!" on Tuesday and Thursday.
  • Unusually, the ad for the promotional sponsor before Round 2 (HeadOn) is shown twice.
• On May 3, the Prize copy features a trailer for Over the Hedge.
• On May 4:
  • There is a $12,600 Jackpot win.
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up is Song Title and Round 3 is Title.
• May 8 is Mom & Me. During this week, the audience does the opening chant.
• On May 8, Pat and Vanna mention during the closing chat that there is a woman named Vana White who lives in Denver, and then introduce her.
• On May 9, the Prize is $6,000 credit to hsn.com.
• On May 11, the Prize is a $5,000 gift certificate to Michael C. Fina.
• On May 12, in keeping with the Mother's Day theme of the week, the closing features a montage of family photos and videos related to Vanna's motherhood, as well various clips of her announcing her two pregnancies and of moments where her children (Niko and Giovanna) appeared on-air. It ends with Niko and Giovanna, on the generic set, wishing her a happy Mother's Day.
• May 15 is College Week, and the Text Me to Paradise Sweepstakes. During this week:
  • The University of Colorado marching band plays music during the intro and bumpers, and their cheerleading squad introduces Pat and Vanna.
  • All of the Prize Puzzle trips are worth only $4,000, accounting for the least expensive trips (but not least expensive overall prize) offered there.
  • It is the Text Me to Paradise Sweepstakes. Home viewers may text the Bonus Round answer to a special number for a chance to win prizes; both the puzzle and the number to which text messages may be sent are shown at the end of the Bonus Round. The grand prize is a one-week trip for four to Hawaii. The week is promoted by bumpers showing all 15 college contestants in front of the puzzle board, which reads "TEXT ME TO PARADISE" on the top two rows.
  • The opening graphic is the traditional logo inside a class ring.
• On May 15:
  • The University of Colorado cheerleading squad and their mascot, Chip the Buffalo, are seen at the front of the audience during the first spin of Round 2.
  • Pat acknowledges the marching band, their directors, the cheerleading squad, and the mascot before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
  • There is a $100,000 win.
• On May 16:
  • Contestant Kristie loses $22,450 (counting the Prize and $10,000 Wedge) to a wrong answer in Round 1.
  • All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 3.
  • Later in Round 3, the monitors containing the first two C's in the Same Name puzzle RECYCLING & SOFT CHEWY CENTER blow their fuses, resulting in a pause in recording for about 20 minutes while they are repaired. While there is no discernible sign of an edit, another contestant from the same taping session recalls that the reveal of the C's was re-shot.
• On May 18:
  • The Prize copy includes a trailer for The Da Vinci Code.
  • Contestant Casey calls a K with only the X and V missing from the Round 1 puzzle EXCLUSIVE NIGHTCLUB, resulting in a substantial reaction from both Pat and the audience. A clip of this round later goes viral on YouTube.
  • Round 4 (SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA) is a rare instance of On the Map using a descriptive term.
  • Round 4 has a rare instance of a contestant (Casey) losing their turn with only vowels remaining in the Speed-Up.
  • Casey loses $17,050 in the aforementioned Rounds 1 and 4, and ends up finishing with $0.
• On May 19, contestant Lizzie says during her interview that she wanted to be "the next Vanna White". In response to this, Vanna joins her at the contestant area during the final score recaps.
• May 22 is Family Week. During this week:
  • All of the families are ones originally planned for the canceled New Orleans tapings. Pat acknowledges the circumstances before the $1,000 Toss-Up and confirms that they were brought to Los Angeles courtesy of Southwest Airlines.
  • Because of the above, the set decorations and several puzzles are themed to New Orleans in some fashion.
  • Charlie promotes Southwest Airlines between the Bonus Round and closing chat.
• On May 23, Vanna wears a sleeveless top and pants.
• On May 24, the Round 4 puzzle THE NEVILLE BROTHERS is the second known instance of Family naming a family by last name instead of by its individual members.
• On May 25, both contestants on the red team are named Thomas.
• On May 26:
  • The $2,000 Toss-Up and Bonus Round are Fun & Games.
  • In what may be a unique move, contestant Marie of the blue team uses a walker during the Bonus Round.
• May 29 is Wheel Across America. During this week, the animated intros are not used; instead, Vanna promotes the week's theme at the top of the show.
• On May 30, the Round 1 puzzle TURKEY DINNER WITH ALL THE FIXINGS is on the second through fourth rows of the board.

June 2006

• On June 1, Round 4 is the last appearance of On the Menu.
• On June 2:
  • Round 3 is the only the fourth appearance of Who Are They?
  • Nobody solves the $3,000 Toss-Up NAMBY-PAMBY.
• June 5 is the third Wheel Watchers Club week, composed of sixth episodes.
• June 2 and 5 feature a very rare occurrence of Song/Artist appearing on two consecutive shows.