The $40,000 Chain Reaction (USA, Episode 1)

[tmann3x]

I'll take a chance and take a letter with yes, please.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Back below YES...









(ding)

...and there's more than one word in the link. M-A-R-V -- and then an A.

[tmann3x]

I hope it's Marv Albert.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Hope springs another $250...









(ding; audience applause)

...because you're right.


tmann3x
doctorwho


With that, Tony, you've taken the lead -- and you still have the chain.

[tmann3x]

I would like to take a letter, for myself, over beach.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Back the other way in the chain.










J- (ding) -O.

[tmann3x]

Jock?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Sorry -- not Jock. Evan, over to you.

(And with my previously announced vacay of roughly 48 hours from this forum, Evan, please select a letter below MARV ALBERT or above BEACH by Sunday evening. Regardless of when Evan makes his move, the requested letter won't be revealed until Sunday evening when I get back. Thanks.)

[tmann3x]

Be careful out there, Doug.

[Twentington]

Letter above Beach for myself, please.

[dougmorrisontheair]

J-O- (ding) -N.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(time passes) (buzz buzz)

And that's time. It's back to Tony.

[tmann3x]

I'll give myself a letter with beach.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Staying above BEACH.











J-O-N- (ding) -E.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(time passes) (buzz buzz)

Ohhh -- time's up. Sorry, Tony. Evan, could be a break for you. Which link and who's guessing?

[tmann3x]

My apologies for that delay, Doug.

[Twentington]

Letter above BEACH for myself, please.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(All's forgiven Tony. Evan, as for you...)

Only one problem.










(ding)

It's a five-letter word above BEACH -- and that star represents the last letter of said word. It's up to you to come up with that letter and solve.

[Twentington]

Jones?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Good guess. JONES is right.









(ding; audience applause)

Will talk about the connection between JONES and BEACH when we end the round. And we are *nearing* the end of the round.

tmann3x
Twentington


(Apologies to Evan: I had your handle in "the old place" on previous scoreboard updates. My mistake. Scores are correct.)

With the score tied at $500 each, we have $500 waiting to be won in this round -- $250 for the right solution and the other $250 for completion of the chain.

Evan, will you give that first letter to Tony to guess -- or take it for yourself to try and finish the chain?

[Twentington]

I'll take the first letter for myself, thank you.

[dougmorrisontheair]

All right, for you we have...









(ding)


...the letter B.

[Twentington]

Is it Basketball?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Evan, another good guess. It is BASKETBALL.










(ding; audience applause)

Now you probably want to know how the words link to each other. Let's run down this chain before we recap the scores.

An affirmative response to a question would be yes. "Yes!" is a signature call by Marv Albert, a longtime sportscaster who calls professional basketball games on TNT. "Basketball Jones" is the title of an animated Cheech and Chong short film. Jones Beach can be found near Long Island. And if you catch some rays on the beach, you might end up with a suntan.

That's how the chain goes. And after one completed round, Evan leads Tony $1000 to $500. (audience applause) But now, let's up the ante as we prepare for our second round chain.










(ding)

This chain starts with ANY and it ends with MERCURY. Each link in the chain is worth $500. The player who completes the chain scores an extra $500.

And notice the dollar sign in the fourth link in this chain. That's the money link. Solve that link correctly and you'll score at least $500 *plus* you'll pocket a cash bonus of $250 per letter in that link. That bonus doesn't apply to the score of the game.

Evan, we left off with you. Are you giving or taking a letter below ANY or above MERCURY?

[Twentington]

I'll give a letter above MERCURY, Doug.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Giving it to Tony.









(ding)

And that link starts with a Q.

[tmann3x]

Quicksilver?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Great guess, Tony -- but not right. Evan, back to you.

[Twentington]

Letter below ANY to Tony.

[dougmorrisontheair]

First letter below ANY for Tony...









(ding)

...is a V.