Lucky Numbers (ABC; Episode 32)

[dougmorrisontheair]

We're starting a new game of Lucky Numbers.

bighornbattle returns with one game and $3900 in cash. We're seeking George Custers's next opponent.

Regular waiting rules are now in effect. Please see www.DougMorris.net/lucky for more details.

With that, let's play the qualifying question. The player closest to the right answer, high or low, gets to play against George.

Before the show, one of our production assistants played FunHouse, a pinball game that debuted in the 1990s, in the collective video game "Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection". How many points did our staffer score in 60 seconds? Please respond in increments of 10 points and make sure your answer is higher than 1,000,000.

Please PM dougmorrisontheair (that's me) in 24 hours from now.

[bighornbattle]

The champ is here.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Everyone's in. Let's see the score.

(ding)

That's -- 1,492,660 points. Tricky without the commas. Anyhoo -- who's the closest?


1,100,000 nelson21


It's Nels. Lucky Numbers -- coming up in a smidge.

[dougmorrisontheair]

-

Staff announcer: If it happened in Bermuda today, it happens on "Bermuda Tonight".

---

(opening theme plays)

Bill Kennedy: It's time to play -- Lucky Numbers.

Ladies and gentlemen -- Doug Morris.

(audience cheers)

Thank you, Bill Kennedy and helloooooo, everybody. Welcome to Lucky Numbers.

Our contestants test their luck with the numbers -- by rolling these unpredictable dice to uncover words, names, and common expressions. The sooner they can identify them correctly, the more money they will win.

At the end of the game, the winning contestant rolls for lots of cash and amazing prizes in our main event.

(audience cheers)

We have a new champion looking to rebound after a bad beat in the main event

Please make welcome our challenger, Nels Snesrud -- and our champion, with total winnings of $3900 in cash, George Custer.

(audience cheers)

Nels, warmest of welcomes to the dice table. Please tell us about yourself.

[nelson21]

Im from Eden Prairie Minnesota I'm a cashier at target in my spare time I like to bowl and make bracelets

[dougmorrisontheair]

Nice to have you here from Minnesota. And George, welcome back. Remind us what you do when you're not rolling dice for money here on Lucky Numbers.

[bighornbattle]

Well, I am a mahjong player for fun for over 10 years, do word finds, listen to news themes across the USA, listen to 80s music, watch game shows, and love to sing.

[dougmorrisontheair]

All right. Well perhaps you'll have something to sing about today.

Good luck to you both. Nels, you're challenging. You'll start us shortly after we load in this puzzle.

(chime sfx)

Now we've got twelve lucky numbers up there. Behind the numbers is the identity of a person, place, thing, or other common expression.

While the numbers are in no particular order, the letters that are behind the numbers are always in their correct spots.

The sooner you can solve, the more money you can win. Each puzzle's starting value in this first round is $1500. We take away $100 for each letter revealed.

Nels, please be our guest -- and roll away.

(audience cheers as...) (Nels rolls)

Starting with a roll of a 5.

Now in this game, this means you may take the 5 off the board -- or you may select any numbers that total 5.

So how do you play the combination of 5?

[nelson21]

One and four

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

And you're starting with a W and an L

Nels, at this moment, you may take a guess for $1300, roll again, or pass the dice to George.

The roll of a 4 is unlucky -- meaning it cannot be played.

And anytime a player makes any mistake -- whether it's a wrong guess of the puzzle or an unlucky roll -- that means the opposition gets control of the game and picks up a free letter courtesy of the highest remaining number that's on the board.

So, Nels, armed with that intel, guess for $1300, roll again, or pass?

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Bump for Nels; we also need you on OAR)

[nelson21]

Roll

[dougmorrisontheair]

Nels says, "I'm not rollin' a four"

(audience cheers as...) (Nels rolls)

And that's not a four -- that's a six.

How do you play the 6?

[nelson21]

6

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

I just realized that was the only way to play the 6 -- and now 6 and 4 are unlucky rolls.

So -- you may guess for $1200, Nels, or roll again.

[nelson21]

Roll

[dougmorrisontheair]

Nels says, "I'm not rollin' a 4 or a 6."

(audience cheers as...) (Nels rolls)

It's a 9.

[nelson21]

7 and 2

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

And there's an I and an O. Nels, the unlucky rolls are starting to pile up -- 2, 4, 6, and 7.

Guess for a grand, roll again, or pass?

[dougmorrisontheair]

(time passes) (buzz)

Oh, that's time. 'Fraid that counts as a mistake.

So that means George is in the game.

George, this also means we reveal the letter behind the highest remaining number of 12.

(ding)

It's an N. George, the unlucky rolls remain 2, 4, 6, and 7.

Guess for $900, roll again, or pass the dice back to Nels?

[bighornbattle]

WILLIE NELSON.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ASB win cue plays; audience applause)

That's it.

Nels, plenty of time for a comeback. George -- as for you -- when did this become Trigun?

(scattered laughter from crowd)

Nine hundred double dollars.

(chimes; audience cheers)

There should only be one dollar sign up there. While we fix that, George, you get first crack at this follow-up question for $500 more. Remember, if you miss, Nels get a chance to capitalize and take the five bills.

So, George, for $500...

Complete this statement: Country music legend Willie Nelson made his motion picture debut in the 1979 movie "The Electric..."

[bighornbattle]

I believe the answer is The Electric Horseman.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Horseman is right.

(audience cheers)

And we've got the right amount on the tote board this time. $1400, George.

Nels starts the next puzzle -- and we've got a $750 follow-up question sometime. So the game is young on Lucky Numbers. We'll see you back here in a bit.

(commercial cue plays; audience applauds)

[dougmorrisontheair]

(HR87 theme plays)


A source for many of the puzzles and questions we use on Lucky Numbers is the 22-volume World Book Encyclopedia -- which includes the index volume and research guide.

Our contestants always receive great welcoming gifts. Bill, please tell us about one of them.

(scattered laughter from crew)

Bill: A weekend stay for two at the historic Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs. Wonderful dining at Melvyn's, featuring the finest continental cuisine and piano bar. An elegant vacation in Palm Springs furnished by Ingleside Inn.

Bill: We'll be back with more of Lucky Numbers -- after this message.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ASB cue plays; audience applauds)

And we're back with more of Lucky Numbers.

George is leading $1400 to nothing. Nels, you'll start off this next puzzle and here it comes.

(chime sfx)

And for the first time, we have a hyphen in the solution to this puzzle. So please keep that in mind. Nels, roll away, please.


(audience cheers as...) (Nels rolls)

And you're starting with the roll of an 8. How do you play the 8?

[nelson21]

1 and 7

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

Starting with an R and a G.

All rolls are lucky -- so we're not going to allow you to pass the dice.

You may guess, Nels, for $1300 or roll again.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Bump for Nels)

[nelson21]

Roll