Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 34

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A timeline for Season 34 of Wheel of Fortune, which will air in first-run from September 12, 2016 through June 2017.

Note: During the season (September-June), this page is generally updated Monday-Friday around 8:00 PM Eastern, so spoilers may be present for the most recently-aired episode. It is also updated at times from mid-June to mid-September as details of the new season are revealed and taping days are announced.

Second Note: Any below information regarding episodes that have not yet been taped or aired is preliminary and subject to change, with months added as info is released about them. Further, please do not guess and do not add anything to this section past the most recently-aired episode unless it is confirmed.

Known Tapings

 * A week of shows will be taped at Culver City on September 23. Precedent suggests that because the November 22 tapings were for a Secret Santa Family Week, these tapings will be a "standard" Secret Santa week.
 * The theme of the August 26 taping day is currently uncertain, though available info indicates a Disney-centered Family Week.

Season Changes

 * The opening animation is slightly altered so that a graphic showing the theme's week appears over the studio doors.
 * The Crossword category becomes a regular feature, no longer limited to Round 2. For at least the early tapings of this season, it appears three times per week.
 * Crossword Rounds now have "CROSSWORD" written in squares above the category strip when the puzzle is revealed; this changes to "Clue" when the round is in progress.
 * For at least the first two weeks, every instance of the Crossword Round has Pat mentioning that the words can be read in any order, so long as all of the words on the board are read without adding or subtracting anything.
 * The "pop-up" score displays at the top of the screen in Round 3 now zoom onto the screen, as opposed to simply sliding downwards.
 * The $33,000 envelopes are increased to $34,000.
 * Car envelopes in the Bonus Round return to showing the car's logo.
 * The SPIN ID feature is discontinued for the first part of the season due to many local pre-emptions by national election debates and Thursday Night Football. It will return for at least the Secret Santa Sweepstakes.
 * The theme of the week now appears on the scoreboards during the Bonus Round.
 * ½ Cars no longer include specific copy or images of the car in question; instead, an image of the car's make is shown on a blue background.
 * The Wheel is now wrapped in plastic when not in use, most likely to prevent tourists from trying to spin or tamper with it. A sign is placed on a nearby stand and on the Wheel itself, showing the traditional logo and a message reading " DO NOT UNCOVER OR TOUCH THE WHEEL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ".

September 2016

 * September 12 is Teacher's Week, taped July 14; this is also the first taped week of the season. During this week:
 * The post-Round 1 bumper is a famous quotation pertaining to teaching or education, on a blue background with a picture of that person.
 * The Bonus Round car is a Ford Escape worth $30,140, well below the cash minimum.
 * On September 12:
 * Before the $1,000 Toss-Up, Harry Friedman is heard when Pat asks what season it is.
 * The Gift Tag is $1,000 cash from Pilot Pens.
 * Jim is shown on-camera before Round 2.
 * Pat forgets about the Prize Puzzle after Matt solves and begins to round his score of $500 to $1,000 before Harry can be heard correcting him.
 * On September 13:
 * There is a ½ Car win.
 * The third-place contestant has $12,800.
 * Contestant Nick wins two cars: the ½ Car in Round 2, and a Ford Escape in the Bonus Round.
 * On September 14, there is a ½ Car win.
 * On September 15:
 * Contestant Darren lands on a ½ Car tag in Round 3 after the round's other tag has been picked up; oddly, this is not commented on.
 * Round 5 and the Bonus Round are What Are You Doing?
 * On September 16, contestant Kendall mentions that her grandfather was on the show 27 years ago, and that he "won all three episodes".


 * September 19 is National Parks, taped July 28.
 * On September 19:
 * Round 4 is an unusually short answer of VAST MEADOWS, which is even more unusual as Rounds 1-3 do not run overtime, and a fifth round is played.
 * The bonus puzzle UPBEAT PERSONALITY is a rare bonus puzzle under three-and-a-vowel rules to have at least one each of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
 * For only the sixth known time, a contestant calls Q in the Bonus Round. However, it is not in the puzzle.
 * Pat promotes various national parks in the final segment.
 * On September 20, five consecutive wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up, none of which are edited out.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of September 19. This is part of a six-loss streak starting on the 16th.


 * September 26 is Disney Grand Adventures, taped August 25.

October 2016

 * October 3 is Shopping Spree, taped July 15.
 * October 10 is Pacific Northwest, taped July 29.
 * October 17 is Bed & Breakfast, taped August 11.
 * October 24 is Great Escapes, taped August 12.
 * October 31 is College Week, taped September 8.

November 2016

 * November 7 is Veterans Week, taped September 6.
 * November 14 is Wheel Across America, taped September 7.


 * November 21 is America's Game.
 * November 24 is the sixth episode from Shopping Spree.


 * November 28 is Sears Secret Santa Family Week, taped September 22.

December 2016

 * December 26 is America's Game.
 * December 26 and 27 are the sixth episodes from Veterans Week and Great Escapes, respectively.