Scrabble - Champion/Joan, Jonnelle/Mark (Sept. 7, 1989)

Originally uploaded by Christopher Ryan. NBC game show hosted by Chuck Woolery.

[@richardhernandez4490]

14:26: Times up bell: Thank you Chuck. LOL

[@samsticka]

Lots of kids in the audience that day.

[@QXZ_Productions]

13:56 to 14:11: After seeing how the computer filled in that particular word, I wonder if the contestants were thinking to themselves, "nope, I'm not going there..."

[@Tubewings]

I mentioned it in a prior episode, but them buzzing in during the main Crossword is probably a leftover from the days of the Spelling format, because before that, they didn't have to buzz in before guessing a word.

[@andyrose5616]

There still wasn’t any particular need for it in the spelling format. It was only necessary for Speedword. I think Chuck is right - the producers just thought it was more exciting to always precede the answer with a sound effect.

[@Tubewings]

@@andyrose5616 I think for Spelling, it was a bit necessary because that way, they were making sure that they weren't simply placing the letter in the word if they had any left over from the draw.

[@wschmrdr]

Chuck used to tell them to hit the buzzer in the 1987 explanation. It seems like a way of legally declaring that you are guessing the puzzle, as opposed to making a smart remark.

[@lisapidgeon2102]

Hello, I competed in Scrabble the Game show in (I'm not exactly sure) 1987/1988, and although I can't remember much, I believe I won around 7500 dollars and missed the word "silo." If there is any way you are able to recover this episode it would be greatly appreciated. My gameshow name will show as Lisa and I am not sure who my opponent was. Thanks, Lisa

[@MrHirenP]

Silo is only four letters, I don’t think they ever put up four-letter words

[@richardhernandez4490]

12:46: Really Jonnelle?! SMH.

[@wschmrdr]

She probably had never heard of it (she was only 18 then), and a wrong guess is better than no guess at all. To be fair, until Survivor came along, I had never heard of a machete, either.