The $40,000 Chain Reaction (USA, Episode 12)

[gameboy2000]

QUARTERBACK?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Strategic football play -- the quarterback sneak works for you.











(ding; audience applause)



koopakid17
Gameboy2000


Okay, David, a few things to point out. That link starting N-U-M-B is incomplete. You may give or take the fifth letter in that link -- or the first letter above QUARTERBACK.

Those unsolved links would add $2250 to your score if you can run the rest of the chain. If you do that, we have a tie game and go to a fourth chain to decide the game.

Biggest thing to remember. If Kevin gets a guess at a link and he's right, he's home free and the new champ.

So -- how do you play it?

[gameboy2000]

I'll take a letter above QUARTERBACK.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Champ tries to stay in business...









(ding)

...with a B above QUARTERBACK.

[gameboy2000]

BRICK?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not BRICK. Sorry. Kevin, *another* chance to win if you take a letter.

[koopakid17]

Let me take above Quarterback.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Kevin's taking...









(ding)

...B-R.

[koopakid17]

Not what I thought it was going to be...

Brett? as in Brett Favre?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Okay -- let's see if you've won the game.





















































(dings; audience applause; win music plays)

Judge accepts. You've won the game, Kevin.

Before we conclude matters, Kevin, if you had stopped and just said "Brett", you would've gotten the cuckoo bird and a second guess. When you said "Brett Favre" immediately after saying "Brett", that counted as your second guess.

We normally don't advocate playing the game that way -- but it worked out for Kevin. Let's recap the chain and complete that pesky second link.









And I'm sure a lot of people who are playing from home have been shouting and saying "NUMBER *FOUR*".










(ding) (scattered cheers)

Sounds like we have some folks who saw that film.

"I Am Number Four" is a movie based on the sci-fi novel of the same name. A famous athlete who wore number four during his college and pro football days is Brett Favre. Brett was a gun-slingin' quarterback. If a football team is less than a yard away from a first down or touchdown, they may opt for a quarterback sneak. An ambush is a sneak attack. And a program that focused on pop culture, video games and technology was known as "Attack of the Show!"

That's the chain. David, 'fraid we have to say goodbye. But we say goodbye with a nice piece of change.

$9650 -- plus some fine gifts -- and all this applause from The $40,000 Chain Reaction.

(audience applause)

(board opens as part of the theme plays)

Kevin, again our congratulations. Now it's time to play Missing Link. First, for winning the game...








(ding)

...we spot you four pennies. Shortly, we'll spot you the top and bottom links of this three-link chain -- and the first letter of link in the center. That's the missing link.

Solve it on the first try -- and all four pennies go to the final round with you -- which you could parlay into $40,000. For each additional letter you need, it costs you a penny -- and reduces your potential winnings.

So -- good luck as we play this Missing Link game.








(ding)

This chain starts with LITTLEST and ends with BOYS. Missing link starts with P. For a possible $40,000, what's that missing link?

[koopakid17]

Pet Shop.

[dougmorrisontheair]

That's RIGHT! WOW!







(ding; audience applause)

Littlest Pet Shop, the toy franchise which also spawned a couple of cartoon series. Pet Shop Boys, a 1980s pop duo.

Four cents go to the bank. Come back to see if Kevin can convert them into $40,000 on Chain Reaction. Final chain's next.

(theme plays; audience cheers)

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Doug in pre-recorded audio as theme plays)

If you'd like to be a contestant on The $40,000 Chain Reaction, call toll free 1-800-555-40CR. That's 1-800-555-4027.

(audience applauds)

Been quite a day for Kevin Kolsen, our new champion. He's already has $8250. In just a moment, he could be adding $40,000.

(scattered cheers)

Now, in the final chain, Kevin, we only spot you the top link -- which is...









(ding)

...JUDGING. We also spot you the initial letter of each of the remaining links. You also have seven spare letters to play with as you need them.

Each time you make a wrong guess, it costs you one of the spare letters. But for each right answer you give, the money in the bank multiplies by ten.










(ding)

A quick scan of the money chain shows you how that money can grow -- from four pennies to four dimes and then four dollars. After than, each additional right answer adds another zero to the scoreboard. Go six-for-six and you pocket $40,000.

(audience cheers)

Remember, Kevin, it's vital to come up with the right answer to each link. If you burn a spare letter and it happens to complete the link, we can't credit you with a right answer and you'd be out of the running for the top payoff. But keep playing until you run out of letters and then make one more wrong guess.

Let's bring back your final chain.










(ding)

There it is. You're working from JUDGING. The next link down starts with an A. What's your guess?

[koopakid17]

Answer?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not ANSWER. Good guess. Here comes your first spare letter.









(ding)

A-M.

[koopakid17]

Ambition?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not AMBITION. And more bad news.









(ding)

That Y happens to complete the link. AMY. "Judging Amy" was the title of a legal drama starring Amy Brenneman.

Unfortunately, you're out of the running for $40,000 already. $4000 can be won. So let's go make some money. Under AMY -- there's a T.

[koopakid17]

Tan.

[dougmorrisontheair]

There ya go.









(ding; audience applause)

Amy Tan is a famous author.

Okay, 40¢ in the bank. Let's go for four bucks, Kevin. Under TAN, there's a B.

[koopakid17]

Bed.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Good guess -- but it's not BED. Here comes another letter.









(ding)

B-E.

[koopakid17]

Beach.

[dougmorrisontheair]

You can get a tan at the beach.









(ding; audience applause)

Would that you don't get a sunburn.

Four dollars and four spare letters in hand. Under BEACH, there's a B.

[koopakid17]

Ball.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Good guess -- but not BALL. Here comes another letter.









(ding)

B-L.

[koopakid17]

Blanket.

[dougmorrisontheair]

That's it. BLANKET.









(ding; audience applause)

At the beach, you might want to take along a beach blanket.

Now up to $40. Next link is for $400, Kevin. Under BLANKET, we have an L.

[koopakid17]

Light?

[dougmorrisontheair]

I see what you're doing there. But that's not it. Costs you another letter.










(ding)

L-I.

[koopakid17]

Wow...List?