The $40,000 Chain Reaction (USA, Ep. 22)

[gameboy2000]

I'll take it.

[dougmorrisontheair]

David tries to win it...









...with G-E-N-E.

(ding)

[gameboy2000]

GENEROUS

[dougmorrisontheair]

If it's GENEROUS, you're still the champ, David.














































(buzz)









It's not GENEROUS. And it's back to Frank.

[grapebuy789]

I'll take the next letter Doug.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Let's see if Frank can win it...









(ding)

...with G-E-N-E-T.

[grapebuy789]

GENETIC

[dougmorrisontheair]

If it's GENETIC, we have a new champion.












































(dings; audience applause; win music plays)









We have a new champion.

Frank's third guess on that word proved to be the charm. Let's quickly review the chain.










Ed McMahon was a famous sidekick, or "second banana", to Johnny Carson on their days of "The Tonight Show". You could order a banana split for dessert. Dissociative identity disorder is also known as split personality. Conscientiousness is an example of a personality trait. Traits are genetic. And genetic selection procedures can be conducted before a baby's birth.

That's the chain. David, I'm afraid we must say farewell. But we say farewell with a nice piece of change. It all adds up to $40,250. That money and this applause are all yours, David.

(audience cheers)

(board rotates as part of the theme plays)

Frank, congratulations on a fine win. You're already $6250 to the good -- including the bonus money from earlier. Now, let's set up your missing link game.








(ding)

First, we have to give you four pennies. You'll try to save as many of them as you can.

Save them all -- and all four pennies join you in the final round for a possible $40,000.

*Now* here's the missing link game.







(ding)

Top link is RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS -- we obviously didn't have room for the whole proper noun. The bottom link is MARKET. Missing link starts with an F. Solve it now and you save all four pennies; but anytime you're wrong, it costs you a penny to see the next letter.

But let's see if you can nail it right off the bat.

[grapebuy789]

FLEA

[dougmorrisontheair]

FLEA is right.







(ding; audience applause)

Michael "Flea" Balzary was a founding member of RHCP -- or The Red Hot Chili Peppers. And bargain hunters go to a flea market.

 

Frank's not hunting for bargains. He's hunting for $40,000. He'll start off at four cents -- when you come back.

(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)

David Barkow just left us winning more than $40,000. Frank Sartori, our newly crowned champion, is about to try to complete a $40,000 chain reaction.

Without further delay, let's set up that final chain. Frank, as you know, we start the final chain differently -- in that we spot you just the top link...









(ding)

...which, in this case, is STANDARD. We also spot you the initial letter of each of the remaining links. We also give you seven spare letters to play with as necessary.

Each incorrect guess costs you a spare letter. But each correct guess multiplies the money in the bank by ten.










(ding)

And here's a quick look at our money chain. There you see how that money can grow from four cents to the top prize of $40,000.

(audience cheers)

Remember, Frank, it's vital to give me six right guesses. Anytime you spend a spare letter and it completes the link, we cannot credit you with a right answer -- and that means the $40,000 will be out of reach. But as long as you have at least one letter to spare, keep playing.









(ding)

There's the final chain back. Good luck, Frank. We're all with you now. Next link under STANDARD starts with an N. What's your guess?

---

[NOTE FROM DOUG: Effective this post, no deadline pressure. Thanksgiving's on the horizon in the U.S. with the holiday season to follow.]

[grapebuy789]

NOTATION

[dougmorrisontheair]

Great guess -- but not NOTATION. Here comes your first spare letter.










(ding)

N-O.

[grapebuy789]

NOTE?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Not NOTE. Here comes another letter.









(ding)

N-O-R.

[grapebuy789]

Oh gosh. Is it NORMAL?

[dougmorrisontheair]

You're giving us more than what we need -- which means we credit you with a right answer. It's NORM.









(ding; audience applause)


Something that is considered standard is the norm.

Okay, bank's up to four dimes. You're still in contention for $40,000. Next links for four bucks. Under NORM, there's an M.

[grapebuy789]

MACDONALD

[dougmorrisontheair]

That's it -- MACDONALD.









(ding; audience applause)

Norm MacDonald is a famous comedian, former "Saturday Night Live" cast member and the voice of Yaphit on the new sci-fi series "The Orville".

Bank's now at four dollars. Each solution now adds a zero to that readout. Still five spare letters to help. Under MACDONALD, there's an F.

[grapebuy789]

FARM?

[dougmorrisontheair]

(cuckoo bird)









Little birdie tells us that's a form of the word or words in that link. One chance to capitalize on that guess without losing a spare letter.

[grapebuy789]

FARMS

[dougmorrisontheair]

(buzz)

No, it couldn't be FARMS.

Helpful hint going forward: We have a singular/plural rule here on Chain Reaction. If you pluralize your guess and we express the word or words in the link in singular form, we'd credit you with a correct answer. Conversely, if you give a guess in singular form and we've pluralized it, we'd credit you with a correct answer just as easily.

So with that, I'm afraid it will cost you a letter.









(ding)

And, no surprise, the next letter's an A.

[grapebuy789]

Let's try FARMING.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(cuckoo bird)

There's that bird again. FARMING is roughly a form of the word or words in the link. Free shot at it again.

[grapebuy789]

Gosh this is tough.

FARM LAND?

[dougmorrisontheair]

(buzz)

Sorry -- can't take it. You probably know the next letter.









(ding)

F-A-R.

[grapebuy789]

FARM HOUSE?

[dougmorrisontheair]

(buzz)

Judge is not giving you a second chance on that, I'm afraid. Next letter's coming.









(ding)

F-A-R-M -- and I will clarify at least one more letter follows after the M. So you're still in contention for 40 grand.

[grapebuy789]

This may sound silly, but I'm running out of guesses. I'll say FARM SONG.