Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Seasons 13-20

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A timeline for Seasons 13-20 of the nighttime Wheel of Fortune which will likely never be complete, as many episodes do not circulate or have not been aired by Game Show Network.

Season 13 (1995-96)
Season Changes :
 * The show moves to its current taping location, Stage 11 at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City.
 * From now until about October 2004, the audience is no longer "sweetened" by an applause machine.
 * The category chyrons change to white letters in Clearface on a tan background, essentially becoming "strips". They now reveal with a miniature graphic of the Wheel, which rolls from left to right. Also, the "decade" categories now use numbers (e.g., "The 60's") instead of spelling out the number.
 * The cash total chyrons also change to the Clearface font, except for the value of the Bonus Round prize, which is now black on a golden "plaque".
 * Likely by this point, non-"bonus" categories with bonus questions switch to using the High Rollers chimes, and now have the questions asked by Pat instead of Charlie.
 * The intro is abridged to "It's America's Game: Wheel of Fortune! The world's most popular game show! And now from the Sony Studios, here they are: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!" The opening logo is almost the same, but is no longer angled facing frontward and the Wheel is now spinning clockwise. As before, the U's bottom is flat, and the "O" in "of" is a normal-looking O instead of Wheel-shaped, like the two-row logo. When the logo breaks, the letters fly towards the sides as they zoom forward, and the wedges all separate as they zoom forward while the center zooms back. It also transitions to different graphics related to the show, including pictures of Pat, Vanna, the $25,000 sign, and the Round 4 Wheel spinning, all shown in the letters of "WHEEL", with the "America's Game" slogan and so-called "options" of "Spin the Wheel", "Buy a Vowel", and "Solve the Puzzle" vertically scrolling upwards in the background; followed by a fly-over shot of Sony Pictures Studios just before Pat and Vanna are introduced. The "swoosh" sound is heard as lasers fly around each letter, and also applies to the 1992 Tyco home game plug, which is updated to reflect the new theme, graphics, and sound effects. The opening theme is shortened to end with the puzzle-solve cue that debuted in October 1994.
 * Charlie closing spiel is changed to "This is Charlie O'Donnell speaking. Wheel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin.", the only closing spiel where he signs off with his name. The first half of the spiel is played over the "Created by Merv Griffin" credit and the second half is played over the copyright/title screen (complete with drumroll). The Columbia TriStar Television logo and theme are played as he says "Produced by Columbia TriStar Television." The King World logo and music play as usual with spiel. Weekend repeats of this season use the closing starting the following season (i.e. copyright date, "Created by Merv Griffin" credit, King World logo, and CTT logo/music).
 * The $1,000 wedge changes to sparkly green.
 * Free Spin moves to the purple $200 (clockwise from Lose A Turn), where it stays through the second week of Season 14. Previously, it did not have a fixed location.
 * The blue podium is noticeably darker in color than in previous seasons.
 * The W's on the "burst" contestant backdrops appear to have far less glitter than in previous seasons.
 * For the closing credits, the first few credits from Executive Producer to Associate Director are shown as chyron before scrolling to reveal the remaining credits. Pat and Vanna's wardrobe credits are accompanied with their appropriate logos.
 * The W-H-E-E-L envelope holder now uses the lower-pitched chime for the rest of its tenure, regardless of the locale.
 * Tiger Electronics releases a handheld electronic LCD game during this time, complete with additional cartridges that contain more puzzles. The game is marketed on the backs of boxes of Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal, as well as in a TV campaign featuring kids frustrated by their parents' constant playing of the game. For more information, see Video games.
 * Wheel and Jeopardy! become official sponsors for the 1996 Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. The shows sell Olympic T-shirts for $19.95 and sweatshirts for $29.95, both with $4.95 shipping and handling; however, viewers can order both for $19.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling for a $10 savings. Jeopardy! viewers can order their Olympic clothing by calling 1-800-USA-7300, while Wheel viewers can order their Olympic clothing by calling 1-800-WHEEL-96, and orders from either or both shows can be mailed to OLYMPIC T-SHIRT/SWEATSHIRT; 5959 Triumph St.; Commerce, California; 90040. California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, and New York State residents must add sales tax to their orders.
 * On an episode sometime this season, a contestant is believed to have won the four prizes (Round 2 and 4 Prizes, Surprise, and the $10,000 Wedge) in Round 4.
 * On another episode sometime this season, a contestant wins the game with only the Round 2 Prize and Surprise, both of which are claimed in Round 3.

September 1995 : (season begins September 4)
 * For at least the first week of the season, the road-show board is used.
 * September 4 is Teen Week, the last time that the season begins with one. This is also the last Teen Week in which the players are not paired with a best friend or relative.
 * On September 4:
 * Three males play.
 * All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 1.
 * Later in Round 1, seven consecutive wrong letters (including a vowel) are called; altogether, 10 wrong letters are called in the round.
 * The Double Play token debuts. For this day only, it is on the purple $200 for Round 2 (since Free Spin was claimed), then moves to the tan $200 for Rounds 3+. A post-production shot of the latter position is used when Pat describes the token at the start of Round 2.
 * The Round 2 Prize is a $2,000 gift certificate for a stereo system at Service Merchandise, whose wedge has "CERTIFICATE". It is claimed, but not won.
 * After contestant Jay loses the $10,000 Wedge (still blank on the reverse) to Bankrupt, he removes it from his arrow and tries to keep Pat from retrieving it, to which Pat replies "I don't want to have to fight you for this. It's only a piece of cardboard!" Jay then hands the wedge to Pat.
 * The Round 3 puzzle PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE BEEP (Phrase) sets what may be a record for the most instances of one vowel in the same puzzle, with 10 E's. This puzzle is known to have been used on at least two other occasions (October 21, 2009 and March 15, 2013).
 * The winning contestant has only $2,450 before the Bonus Round.
 * On September 5:
 * Double Play takes its normal position on the blue $300 for Round 2, and the pink $200 for Rounds 3+.
 * Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt. PuzzleBoardOctober95.png
 * On September 21:
 * Three females play.
 * The Round 4 Prize and $10,000 Wedge are removed before Round 5, which begins as a Speed-Up.
 * Rounds 2, 3, and 4 are played entirely by the person who began them.
 * Ten wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up (counting a repeated N), five of which are consecutive.
 * Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
 * By September 21, the "home base" puzzle board returns, with a new frame which looks like a cross between the original 1981 and "spiky" Season 12 ones.
 * On an episode between mid-September and early October (Shannon/Stewart/Greg), after the puzzle board changes:
 * Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
 * JEOPARDY PREMIERES is the Round 1 puzzle (The 60's).
 * The Round 2 Prize is a historic document signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, with an appraised value of $3,500.
 * Round 2 is the first known appearance of Who Is It? Interestingly, it uses three "clues" like a Where Are We? puzzle (YOUNG OPIE TEEN RICHIE ADULT DIRECTOR).
 * In Round 4 (during Speed-Up), Greg asks to solve before calling a letter, then changes his mind and calls O.
 * Shannon solves the bonus puzzle TAKE A BOW despite getting no help from her extra letters.
 * On September 26, contestant Ann retires with $56,761.

October 1995 :
 * Around this point, the $10,000 Wedge now has a shiny gold $10,000 design on the back. If claimed, it is now placed on the contestant's arrow with this design face-up.
 * On October 20:
 * Round 1 is the first known appearance of Who Said It? Interestingly, the category is used again (also in Round 1) the next day.
 * The Round 3 puzzle MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS ARMSTRONG is the first known use of a period.
 * The audience does not applaud after a correct letter (I) in Round 5.
 * The right-letter ding is accidentally used on the only turn of the Speed-Up.
 * Neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
 * On October 23:
 * No vowels are bought in Round 1.
 * Contestant John accidentally asks to buy a Y in Round 2, but quickly changes to I. Pat tells him he has lost his turn, and the $250 is still deducted.
 * Round 3's puzzle A COVEY OF QUAIL is a very rare main-game puzzle with none of the five most common consonants.
 * Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt. His second attempt hits $5,000.
 * On October 24:
 * Against normal practice at the time, Charlie reads copy for the Round 4 Prize.
 * Contestant Steve retires with $87,416.
 * On October 26, the puzzle JULIE ANDREWS STARS IN VICTOR/VICTORIA is the first of only three known uses of a slash. This is also the last known appearance of Person/Title.
 * On October 27, Rounds 2 and 4 are Before & After.
 * As of October 27, "bonus" questions are still offered to the other two contestants if the contestant who solved the puzzle does not give a correct response.

November 1995 :
 * The weeks of November 6 and 13 are taped at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle. In preparation of these shows, the top of the Space Needle is painted to resemble the Round 4 template. This is likely seen in the intro.
 * It is not known if the Seattle episodes still displayed two-line bonus puzzles on the top two rows instead of the middle two, as had been done on road shows since 1990.
 * The diamond contestant backdrops are used for the last time.
 * On a Seattle episode, Pat uses the Surprise wedge to swat a fly on the Wheel.
 * November 13 is College Week.
 * November 20 is Celebrity Week, apparently originally scheduled to be Country Music Week. During this week, all contestants receive a house minimum of $5,000 and the Bonus Round is played for $25,000.
 * On November 20:
 * Ed Asner sweeps the game and wins the Bonus Round, his letters filling in the bonus puzzle SLEIGH entirely.
 * Before the Bonus Round, Pat mentions that he lost against Ed on an episode of Celebrity Jeopardy! about two years earlier.
 * During the weeks of November 27 and December 4, Johnny Gilbert fills in for Charlie. This is the only time until shortly before his death that someone fills in for him.
 * During the week of November 27, Pat and Vanna's post-game discussion is about her decision to cut her hair. At least two episodes feature various computer-generated images of what Vanna would look like in different hairstyles.
 * On November 29, Pat jokes that Wheel "isn't like Jeopardy!, where if you finish in second place with $10,000, you get a lounge chair!", to which Johnny deadpans "But it's a $10,000 lounge chair."

December 1995 :
 * On December 1, Pat cuts off a lock of Vanna's hair to ensure that she doesn't "chicken out", then distributes strands to audience members during the credits.
 * As of December 1, the award for correct "bonus" answers is still $500.
 * On December 4, Pat walks out solo at the top of the show and introduces Vanna while joking about her fear of her new haircut. The puzzle-solve cue plays as she walks out.
 * On December 11:
 * Charlie returns.
 * During Round 2, contestant Todd tries to buy a vowel despite having only $200. He manages to call a vowel before Pat realizes the error and the "purchase" is voided.
 * On December 15, contestant Pamela sweeps the game and wins a $35,000 art collection in the Bonus Round.
 * By December 15, the rules for "bonus" answers are changed: if a contestant does not correctly answer the "bonus" question, it is no longer offered to the other two contestants. Also, the value is increased to $1,000.
 * In relation to the above, $1,000 Slogan likely debuts around this point, and definitely by February 9.
 * December 18 is Family Week, played identically to the ones in 1992-94.
 * As of December 22, the opening spiel is still the same as it was at the beginning of this season.
 * Reruns air during the week of December 25.

January 1996 :
 * On an episode sometime during the week of January 1, Pat messes up the "Just before the show we drew numbers to see who would start the game" spiel, leading the red contestant to do it for him.
 * On January 2:
 * The Surprise is a $10,500 sculpture.
 * Contestant Pamela wins a 3-day total of $132,150 despite not making it to the Bonus Round on her third appearance. She also wins the Surprise on all of her appearances, which is the only known instance of this happening during the wedge's lifespan.
 * By January 4, the opening spiel changes "here they are" to "here are the stars of our show".
 * January 8 is Best Friends Week.
 * On January 25:
 * Six rounds are played.
 * Double Play is accidentally placed on the pink $300 in Round 3. It returns to its normal position in Round 4.
 * Contestant Kate solves the bonus puzzle WHISPER despite getting no help from her extra letters.

February 1996 :
 * On February 1, the Surprise is an $11,630 Sony home entertainment system.
 * February 5 is Sweethearts Week, with the Friday Finals. During this week, the contestant window in the Bonus Round is heart-shaped.
 * During two episodes of Sweethearts Week, Peter Argyropolous and Deborah Cohen set a new winnings record of $146,529, the highest known winnings total until the introduction of the Million-Dollar wedge. It is believed that they use Double Play on the $10,000 Wedge during their first episode.
 * On February 9:
 * Peter loses his nametag in Round 2, and it is recovered before Round 3.
 * Peter and Deborah sweep the game and win his-and-hers Ford Mustangs in the Bonus Round.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of February 5, part of a winning streak comprising at least eight days.
 * The weeks of February 12 and 19 are taped outdoors, in front of the Waikoloa Village in Hawaii. During these weeks:
 * A unique piece of lap steel guitar music plays in the intro, followed by a timpani roll under Charlie's introduction. WheelOfFlowers4.jpg
 * A set of flowers is planted to resemble the Wheel, an arrangement shown during intros and commercial bumpers. Interestingly, the layout is the same as the 1987-95 turntable.
 * The contestant backdrops are a set of three surfboards.
 * A lap steel guitar rendition of the original "Changing Keys" melody is used as a bumper and fee plug bed.
 * For obvious reasons, a $25,000 graphic is used instead of the sign.
 * By this point, road shows display two-line bonus puzzles normally.
 * On one of the Hawaii episodes, Pat jokes that he has a twin in the audience, after which the camera cuts to him waving from the audience with his tongue hanging out. This clip has been seen on several retrospectives.
 * On February 12, contestant Bridget uses the Double Play on Lose a Turn in Round 2, to which Pat comments, "Two times zero is zero".
 * On February 13, Pat shows off his newborn daughter, Maggie, in the final segment.
 * By February 16, Fill In the Blank's question marks are already revealed when the blank puzzle is shown (in this case, Round 3), as opposed to Vanna turning them like any other punctuation mark.
 * On February 16, in the final segment, Vanna shows off footage of a helicopter tour she took of Hawaii.
 * February 19 is Family Week. During this week:
 * There is a commercial break between Rounds 1 and 2, with $3,500 in Round 2 and $5,000 in Round 3. As a result, Free Spin is on the pink $200 in Round 2, and some games end after only three rounds.
 * The bumpers consist of "Family Week in Hawaii" in gold letters over footage of Hawaii.
 * On February 19:
 * In Round 1, Pat accidentally asks the red team if they want to spin again, even though the only remaining letters are vowels.
 * Vanna forgets to turn the first O in the Round 1 puzzle A MOTHER'S INTUITION after it is solved, but fixes it while the camera is on Pat and the red team.
 * As of February 27, Who Is It? still uses three "clues".

March 1996 :
 * Sometime this month, a contestant turns in Double Play and tries to buy a vowel with it. Pat stops him and tells him that he now has to spin.
 * On March 4, for the first known time, Author/Title is used instead of Title/Author.
 * On March 7, a contestant solves the Speed-Up puzzle BORN FREE with only the B showing. This is mentioned in the next episode's interviews.
 * On March 14:
 * Round 1 is a Before & After of WHEEL OF FORTUNE COOKIE.
 * Contestant John loses $16,950 and the $10,000 Wedge to Bankrupt in Round 3.
 * On March 18, the Round 4 puzzle is PUZZLE SOLVER.
 * By March 20, Person/Title is almost certainly retired, as the Round 2 puzzle FARRAH FAWCETT IN CHARLIE'S ANGELS is categorized as The 70's.
 * On March 22:
 * Rounds 1 and 4 are Event.
 * Contestant Rick retires with $43,941.
 * Between March 18 and 25, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
 * On March 26:
 * For the last known time, two "bonus" questions are played: Round 2 is Clue, and Round 4 is a Place of NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT followed by Pat asking which Ivy League university is based there. The contestant provides the right answer of Yale.
 * The bonus puzzle I DO is a rare instance of both a three-letter bonus puzzle and one without RSTLNE. It is solved with only the D showing.
 * On March 27, Round 3 is the only appearance of Composer/Song; the answer is RAVEL'S BOLERO. It is likely that Show/Song's only appearance came in one of the weeks immediately prior.
 * On March 29, the Round 3 puzzle VICE PRESIDENT UNDER GEORGE BUSH is categorized as Clue, suggesting that Who Is It? may still use three clues at this point.

April 1996 :
 * On April 1:
 * Round 1 is APRIL FOOL'S DAY.
 * Rounds 3, 5, and the Bonus Round are Phrase.
 * At the end of the show, Pat jokes that this is the last show.
 * On April 2:
 * A contestant solves the Round 3 puzzle DICK & JERRY VAN DYKE with only the R's revealed.
 * The Round 4 Prize is a motorcycle worth over $10,000.
 * By April 5, and likely much earlier, Where Are We? reverts to using only three clues.
 * Reruns air during the week of April 8.
 * On April 15, contestant Vicky sweeps the game and wins a $24,000 amethyst and diamond bracelet in the Bonus Round. She also solves the bonus puzzle GULF despite getting no help from her extra letters.
 * On April 16:
 * Rounds 4 and 5 are Thing.
 * Vicky retires with $132,060.
 * The $10,500 sculpture from January 2 is the Round 4 Prize. It is not picked up.
 * On April 18, Round 2 is the last known appearance of $1,000 Slogan under its original name.
 * The weeks of April 22 and 29 are Olympics-themed weeks taped at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. During these weeks: 1996_Torch_Backdrops.png
 * The contestant backdrops are shaped like Olympic torches.
 * There is a video wall at center stage, with "ATLANTA" in illuminated letters at the top.
 * Since the $25,000 sign is not present, a graphic is used onscreen if someone wins it.
 * The "Atlanta 1996" Olympic logo is on the floor near center stage.
 * The Friday Finals format is used, and the same round structure as the Hawaii Family Week episodes.
 * The intro segment begins with Pat and Vanna chroma-keyed in front of an overhead shot of Atlanta with an American flag border. Pat says "From the site of the 1996 Olympic Games...", then Vanna says "...it's Wheel of Fortune from Atlanta!" Afterward, a piece from John Williams' Summon the Heroes plays over a montage of Olympics-themed graphics, ending with a shot of the Olympic flame/torch with the 1995-97 logo in the upper-right corner flipping over to reveal "OLYMPIC KICKOFF WEEK". This is followed by a shot of the Fox Theater and a timpani roll under Charlie's introduction of "From the fabulous Fox Theater, here are the stars of our show: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!"
 * Summon the Heroes pieces are also used as bumpers.
 * For the first time, the Prize wedges feature the logos of the companies providing the prizes.
 * One of the Bonus Round prizes during at least the week of April 22 is a historic document signed by Robert E. Lee worth $15,000.
 * Between April 22 and 24, the outer frame of the Wheel is misaligned by about half the distance between two pegs, which is most noticeable when a contestant hits one of the Bankrupts on the $10,000 wedge on the 24th. The frame is finally fixed before Round 3 on the 24th.
 * On April 22, Rounds 1 and 3 are Phrase. The latter, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO SUSAN SARANDON, inexplicably uses that category rather than the more logical Quotation.
 * On April 23:
 * Round 2 is FREE SPIN LOSE A TURN & BANKRUPT.
 * Contestant Jessica sweeps the game and wins a Ford Taurus in the Bonus Round.
 * On April 24:
 * The slide whistle does not sound on a Bankrupt in Round 2.
 * Contestant Matt solves the bonus puzzle PISTACHIO just after the buzzer, after which Pat informs him that they will have to stop tape to check. In the final segment, Pat tells him that he beat the buzzer by 1/16th of a second, and he and Vanna sign off after Charlie describes the trip to Greece that Matt won. Strangely, the full answer is never revealed on-camera, although Pat says it; it was likely revealed during the commercial break or in an edited-out portion, as the O can be seen in the background.
 * The credits contain a typo: "A portion of the show was edited not effecting the outcome of the game."
 * During the credits, Matt is onstage with Pat and what appear to be his parents and wife. There is also a shot of him revealing a Superman tattoo to Pat earlier in the game.
 * From around this point until the end of Season 24, some episodes with Bonus Round wins feature a slow-motion replay of the contestant's reaction or other moments near the end of the credits.
 * On April 26, Rounds 2, 4, and the Bonus Round are Thing.
 * On April 29, contestant David sweeps the game and wins $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
 * On April 30, Round 2 is a non-sequitur answer of POODLE SKIRTS PENNY LOAFERS ELVIS DRAFTED (The 50's).

May 1996 :
 * On May 1:
 * Rounds 1 and 4 are Thing.
 * Round 2 is the first known instance of Song/Artist being used instead of Artist/Song. The category continues to alternate between the two before settling on Song/Artist in 2008.
 * On May 3, the Round 2 puzzle WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS (Quotation) is followed by a bonus question asking what it is the first line of. The contestant does not provide the right answer of Declaration of Independence.
 * Between May 6 and 31, the Olympic torch backdrops are used in Culver City.
 * May 6-24 are the Olympic Games Sweepstakes, with each Round 2 puzzle having red-and-blue letters that spell out an Olympics-related word. This is the last time that differently-colored letters are used as part of a contest. These games also use the round structure of the Hawaii and Atlanta episodes. The show also airs a special promo for this contest.
 * On May 6, Rounds 2, 4, and the Bonus Round are Thing.
 * On May 7:
 * There are two sets of duplicate categories: Phrase in Rounds 1 and 3, Things in Round 2, and Thing in the Bonus Round.
 * Contestant Carl sweeps the game and wins Amtrak tickets with $15,000 cash in the Bonus Round.
 * On May 8:
 * The A in the bonus puzzle THE KING AND I is accidentally lit and revealed, despite Carl calling I as his vowel. He solves, and Pat notes that he won "fair and square" (most likely because the letter choices of H K G I made it obvious that he already knew the answer).
 * Carl retires with $84,455, despite failing to claim $16,250 in Round 3.
 * On May 10, contestant Deelight uses the Double Play on $5,000 in Round 3, but she does not solve the puzzle and it is unknown what letter she called.
 * On May 13:
 * Round 3 is the sixth and last known instance of a "bonus" category (specifically, Fill In the Blank) being used in a Speed-Up.
 * Contestant Easter solves the bonus puzzle FROG despite getting no help from their extra letters. This previously happened with the same puzzle on September 7, 1992.
 * On May 20, contestant Geri sweeps the game but loses $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
 * Between May 13 and 20, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing(s).
 * On May 21:
 * The Round 3 puzzle is FINAL JEOPARDY.
 * Geri uses the Double Play on Bankrupt in Round 4.
 * On May 22, the Round 2 Prize is a $2,500 Service Merchandise gift certificate.
 * On May 24, contestant Kari wins by $50.
 * May 27 is Olympic Games Salute Week, which may have used the Friday Finals.

June 1996 :
 * On June 3, the "burst" contestant backdrops return.
 * On June 7, the "unofficial" end of the season, the $25,000 sign is used for the last time.

July 1996 : (season ends July 19)
 * In an unusual scheduling (perhaps as a lead-in to the Games themselves), the week of July 15 consists of new shows. Also taped at the Fox Theater, this week has former Olympic stars playing for charity. It is also the second instance since 1983 of new episodes airing outside the usual September-May/June cycle, and the last time until 2009.
 * July 22-26 is a special Baskin-Robbins "Watch to Win" contest, likely edited into that week's repeats. In conjunction with this, the company's Flavor of the Month is "Wheel of Fortune Choco-Letter Crunch".

Season 14 (1996-97)
Season Changes :
 * The three-day champion rule is replaced by the Friday Finals. Each contestant plays for one day on Monday-Thursday, and the week's three highest winners (including contestants who did not proceed to the Bonus Round) compete on Friday. If the winner of the Friday episode wins the Bonus Round, he or she also receives an extra prize.
 * The last of Merv Griffin's music cues seem to be retired around this point.
 * The $25,000 sign is retired. When the cash is won, a $25,000 graphic now "flips" into place on the screen.
 * Prize values are now in a green serif font.
 * "Changing Keys" is no longer used as the commercial outro cue, with the exception of going into commercial after the Bonus Round prizes are described to the winning contestant.
 * The "bonus" category award is increased to $2,000, resulting in $1,000 Slogan being renamed Slogan.
 * Some fee plugs are now pre-recorded by the company.
 * Charlie's spiel is slightly changed to "From the Sony Studios, it's America's Game — Wheel of Fortune! And now here are the stars of our show, Pat Sajak and Vanna White!"
 * The theme is altered yet again, with the first few bars removed from the opening portion. The intro is changed to an animation of Sony Pictures Studios, which zooms in through the studio doors. In the background, a yellow version of the two-row logo can be seen on a black rectangle. On top is the Columbia TriStar logo, in between "COLUMBIA" on the left and "TRISTAR" on the right. A few seconds into the intro, the circular concrete transforms into a Wheel graphic, which contains no Bankrupt or Lose A Turn spaces, and is similar to the one seen here. Four gold squares with the two-row logo on the reverse zoom around to show Pat, Vanna, and a CGI version of the now-retired $25,000 sign, using the previous season's graphics as a backdrop. The graphic then zooms up to the fourth square as Pat and Vanna walk out. During the "Wheel! Of! Fortune!" chant, the logo is seen in a purple background.
 * A video screen is added at center stage, near where Pat and Vanna walk out. It features that particular week's theme until the close, where it is replaced by the show's logo. Occasionally, it will show a close-up of the Wheel in mid-spin. This lasts until at least the following season.
 * For the first few months of the season, some shots of the board use much different camera angles than usual, most notably a low-level angled shot of the puzzle board from stage right, from which the board can not be read clearly. Some of these shots appear to be achieved with hand-held cameras.
 * The Wheel is altered slightly. Beyond the template changes on September 16:
 * Double Play is retired.
 * The $10,000 Wedge moves to Round 2.
 * The second Wheel Prize is generally retired; some episodes use one instead of Surprise, without any obvious pattern. If one is used, Charlie reads the copy at the start of the round, as had been the case before Season 12. Season_14_Surprise_Wedge.png
 * The "3" on $3,500 changes to the same font used for the normal cash wedges.
 * Surprise is changed to its final design: plain black text (in the same font) with each letter outlined in a thin silver holographic film on a sparkly deep pink background.
 * For this season only, when Charlie plugs the $25,000 cash prize leading into the commercial break before the Bonus Round, Vanna (or sometimes Pat) is shown holding a sparkly green battery-operated envelope with flashing numerals. Occasionally, the normal envelope is used instead.
 * Repeated categories in the main game become noticeably less frequent.
 * By this point, the house minimum is increased to $500.
 * For this season, a www.sony.com URL appears between the credits and the copyright date in the same font as the credits.
 * Several episodes this season feature cold opens.
 * Until mid-January, some weeks randomize the backdrops to fit that week's theme.
 * Until about early March, the Bonus Round envelopes are sometimes sparkly green on the inside. There does not seem to be a pattern as to when the green ones are used.

September 1996 : (season begins September 2)
 * The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize for the week of September 2 is a Lloyd Flanders wicker outdoor furniture package.
 * On September 2:
 * The show begins with Pat and Vanna walking out without theme music playing, and conversing with each other briefly before the intro segment. PastelCategoryStrip.jpg
 * The category strips are changed to a bold but narrow white font on a multicolored pastel rectangle. This design is only used until December. The post-Bonus Round total is white Times New Roman numbers on the same pastel background, with the entire graphic flashing for at least the first three weeks.
 * After contestant Jim buys the I in Round 1, the trilon does not light up for several seconds; Pat tells Vanna to turn it anyway, and it lights up shortly after it is turned.
 * Jim fills in the entire Round 1 puzzle TEMPTING OFFER by himself.
 * In Round 2, contestant Rich asks to solve, then changes his mind and asks to spin, only to buy a U instead.
 * Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the person who began them, although the Free Spin is used in Round 2.
 * For the only known time, a contestant does not call any letters in the entire game: contestant Valerie only spins once, landing on Lose A Turn, and she does not play in the Speed-Up.
 * Between September 2 and 13:
 * The $10,000 prize is placed over the "regular" Bankrupt for Round 2, leaving no other Bankrupts on the template for that round.
 * The Prize wedges feature dark green Clarendon text on a glittery greenish-brown background.Season_14_Prize_Wedge.png
 * On September 3, Headline debuts in Round 2. Until Season 18, it uses a folded-up newspaper as its category wipe instead of the "rolling Wheel" one.
 * On September 4:
 * Janet Russo (the champion on June 6-7) appears for her third episode. No mention is made of her return.
 * All three players win at least $10,000. This is the first known instance of this happening.
 * On September 6, I'LL GIVE THE WHEEL A FINAL SPIN is the Round 2 puzzle.
 * Between September 2 and 9, six bonus puzzles in a row are Thing.
 * The video wall is not used on the week of September 9.
 * The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize for the week of September 9 is a Sony home theater system package.
 * On September 9:
 * Show Biz debuts in Round 2. Until Season 16, it uses a drawing of crossed spotlights as its category wipe instead of the "rolling Wheel" one.
 * Six rounds are played.
 * The bonus puzzle, OWL, is the last known instance of a three-letter bonus puzzle.
 * On September 12:
 * The camera closest to the blue contestant is noticeably cockeyed, an error which remains for at least the next month.
 * One of contestant Tim's spins in Round 2 is obviously dubbed in, as the shot displays the blue arrow instead of the red one.
 * Pat mistakes the Speed-Up bells for the "only vowels remain" beeps. He then tells the red contestant to spin again but is quickly corrected from offstage.
 * At the end of the show, Pat and Vanna discuss the upcoming Jackpot round. Pat holds the Jackpot wedge upside-down, announcing that "beginning next week we have our Topkcaj..." before Vanna grabs the wedge and turns it right-side-up.
 * On September 13, in a departure from the usual practice of using longer puzzles in middle rounds, Round 3 is QUINTUPLETS.
 * The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize for the week of September 16 is an Academy Broadway camping package.
 * On September 16:
 * Pat no longer mentions the top dollar value until Round 4.
 * The Prize wedges no longer have glitter.
 * The music cue for the first Wheel prize (a trip to Hawaii) is the lap steel version of the original "Changing Keys" from the previous season's Hawaii episodes. Jackpot96.jpg
 * Classic TV debuts in Round 2. Until Season 18, it uses a console TV as its category wipe instead of the "rolling Wheel" one.
 * The Wheel is overhauled: Yellow_1000_Wedge.png
 * A template based on the one formerly used only in Round 3 is now used throughout the entire game (albeit with only one Bankrupt in Rounds 1 and 2), and the minimum value is increased to $250. These changes result in the retirement of $150, $200, $750, and $1,500. The space which holds the second Bankrupt in Rounds 3+ (between the red $600 and green $500) is now an orange-yellow $300. All of the top dollar figures in each round now occupy the spot originally occupied only by $1,000. In addition, $600 returns to being present in Rounds 1-2 for the first time since October 1987.
 * In the template formerly used in Round 3, the peach $900 becomes orange, the red $300 becomes green, the blue $250 becomes orange-yellow, the yellow $900 becomes red, the pink $200 is increased to $250, the orange $400 becomes yellow, the orange-yellow $200 is increased to an orange $250, the red $500 becomes green, the pink $600 becomes red, the blue $200 is increased to a pink $250, the red $600 (formerly between $1,000 and $300) becomes purple, the pink $300 becomes orange, the orange-yellow $700 becomes green, the blue $450 becomes pink, the purple $150 is increased to $350, $250 and $500 between Lose a Turn and Bankrupt swap colors, and the blue $400 becomes yellow. In addition, all of the yellow wedges become brighter, and blue is not used until Season 24.
 * The Jackpot wedge debuts in Round 3. Initially placed over the orange $300, it starts out as a shiny red color with "Jackpot" written on it in Cooper Black with gold letters. Initially, the Jackpot total is displayed in the upper-left hand corner, in black numbers on a pastel background. For the first week (or at least the first day), the numbers do not scroll as the Jackpot increases. If the Jackpot is won, a red-and-blue fireworks graphic appears on the upper-left corner of the screen and turns into a group of small sparkly stars which go from top to bottom.
 * Free Spin moves to the green $300 (the former place of $3500 in round 3), where it stays until it is retired.
 * Lose A Turn is now very light yellow, nearly white.
 * The Prize moves to $350.
 * Surprise moves to the yellow $400 two wedges counterclockwise from Lose A Turn. If a Round 3 Prize is used instead, it takes the same spot.
 * The Wheel's center is now teal. NarrowFontBankrupt.png
 * From September 16 to at least the 26th, the second Bankrupt is "off-model", using Clarendon instead of the normal Bankrupt font. As a result, it resembles a Prize wedge with the Bankrupt color scheme. This may have had to do with the fact that Bankrupt was never an individual add-on wedge before and that most of the add-on wedges at the time used the Clarendon font.
 * On September 19, Round 1 and the Bonus Round are Thing, while Round 4 is Things.
 * During the week of September 23:
 * The video wall is not used.
 * The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize is a fantasy golf package including a trip to Kingsmill Resort.
 * By September 23, two graphical changes are made:
 * The opening is slowed down and altered to remove the CGI $25,000 sign. Although there are still four squares present, the zoom now happens on the third one.
 * The Jackpot amount starts scrolling upward.
 * On September 23, Round 1 is Things, while Round 5 and the Bonus Round are Thing.
 * On September 25:
 * After contestant Lynn solves the Round 2 puzzle, her score goes from $2,000 to $1,750 and back to $2,000 again.
 * In the post-game chat, Vanna and Pat discuss Pat's disclaimer about "Person does not always mean proper name", and Pat mentions that the show now has a Proper Name category, likely indicating that it debuts within the week.
 * As of September 25:
 * Charlie's closing spiel is still the same as it was at the beginning of Season 13.
 * The winner's post-Bonus Round total still flashes.
 * On September 26, the Jackpot is won for the first time, by a contestant who solves GREEN EGGS AND HAM BY DR. SEUSS with only the G's revealed.
 * On September 27, contestant Tammy retires with $54,064 despite losing both Bonus Rounds (and thus losing out on the golf package). This is the highest known total for an undefeated champion who lost all of their Bonus Rounds.
 * Possibly by September 27, and definitely by October 2, the off-model Bankrupt is fixed.
 * On September 30, there is a $12,350 Jackpot win.
 * Beginning September 30, a closed-captioning promotional plug is added after Round 2. It is usually read by Vanna.

October 1996 :
 * By October 2:
 * The credits end with the copyright tag followed by "Created by Merv Griffin", then the King World and Columbia TriStar Television logos (with no spiels for any of these). This remains until mid-Season 20.
 * Charlie no longer signs off after the credits.
 * The show's closing theme now plays over the King World logo.
 * The end-game total graphic no longer flashes.
 * On October 2, after the Round 2 puzzle MATCHMAKER MATCHMAKER MAKE ME A MATCH (Quotation), contestant Mark Anthony is asked for the musical that provides the quotation. He does not provide the right answer of Fiddler on the Roof.
 * The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize for the week of October 7 is a ski package that includes Hart skis and a trip to Vermont.
 * On October 7:
 * The "burst" contestant backdrops are used for the first of only a handful of times this season.
 * After the Round 2 puzzle JOHNNY'S TONIGHT SHOW FAREWELL (Show Biz), Susan is given a multiple-choice question asking for the year it took place (1991, 1992, or 1993), and chooses the right answer of 1992. This is first of only three known instances of a "bonus" question being multiple-choice, with the second not occurring until 2003.
 * There is an $8,650 Jackpot win.
 * Contestant Susan finishes in second place with $22,650, the highest known second-place total at this point. Interestingly, all of it is won in the aforementioned Round 2.
 * On October 11, Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt.
 * As of October 11:
 * The practice of editing out Final Spins that land on anything other than a cash amount has not yet begun.
 * The camera by the blue contestant is still cockeyed.
 * On October 14, the Jackpot display is erroneously $20 above the actual total from the second spin through the end of the round.
 * For the week of October 21, the bonus prizes (other than the $25,000) are a car and three trips: Tahiti, Bora Bora, and the Orient.
 * On October 21, after the Round 2 puzzle AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN MERELY PLAYERS (Quotation), Pat asks the contestant for the play that provides the quotation. The contestant does not provide the correct response of As You Like It.
 * On October 23, there is a Jackpot win.
 * On October 24:
 * There is a $6,450 Jackpot win.
 * Same Name uses three "names" for the last known time.
 * Sometime between October 23 and 31, as part of Pumpkin Masters week, Pat and Vanna carve their likenesses onto pumpkins. They show the pumpkins off on the 31st.
 * The Friday Finals Bonus Round winner's extra prize for the week of October 28 is a fantasy golf package including Fila clubs and trips to Virginia and Arizona.
 * By October 29, the cockeyed camera is fixed.
 * On October 29:
 * The title card is preceded by a cold open in which Pat states, "Boy, if you didn't watch Wheel yesterday, here's what you missed." followed by footage of him and contestant Linda jumping up and down. After the footage, Pat is seen jumping up and down while saying "Could happen again tonight. You never know."
 * There is a $15,550 Jackpot win.
 * On October 30, there is a Jackpot win.
 * On October 31:
 * Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
 * Contestant Brad solves the Round 2 Fill In the Blank puzzle SMARTY ? BELL-BOTTOM ? ANTS IN YOUR ? by saying "pants" in place of each question mark. He is credited with a correct answer and given the $2,000 bonus for correctly filling in the blank.
 * When the Bonus Round envelope is selected, evil laughter is heard instead of the traditional chime.
 * As of October 31, the Jackpot display still looks the same as it did on September 16.

November 1996 :
 * On November 1, contestant Darlene retires with $119,351. She sweeps the game and wins $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
 * November 4 is Best Friends Week.
 * The weeks of November 11 and 18 are taped at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
 * November 18 is College Week. A marching band plays "Changing Keys" live, but with the original melody instead of the altered melody of the "big band" remix.
 * Oddly, there is no extra prize if the winner of the Friday Finals wins the Bonus Round.
 * Pat has laryngitis for this week, and speaks with a hoarse voice throughout.
 * From this point onward, unless noted otherwise, any College Weeks have the contestants introduce themselves while walking from center stage, followed by a local college's cheerleading squad (and often the mascot) introducing Pat and Vanna.
 * By November 18, the Jackpot display changes to a red semicircle with "Jackpot" in gold letters along the curved part, and the total in white numbers underneath.
 * On November 21:
 * The category strip disappears briefly during Round 2.
 * Pat and Vanna trade places during the Bonus Round so that he can rest his voice. While doing so, he turns the M in the bonus puzzle SYNONYM so hard that it rattles loudly.
 * On November 22, Pat uses hand gestures throughout Round 4 (pointing to the contestants when it is their turn, hitting the railing with his fist for wrong letters and a Bankrupt, and a series of gestures for the Final Spin spiel) until the Speed-Up begins.

December 1996 :
 * December 2 is Escape to Hawaii Week. As with the week of November 18, there is no extra prize if the Bonus Round is won on the Friday Finals.
 * As of December 2, the Jackpot wedge still looks the same as it did on September 16.
 * On December 3:
 * In Round 1, contestant Brad's arrow is still flashing after contestant Andrew takes his turn.
 * The pastel Jackpot display appears for a split-second at the start of Round 3 before the curved display appears.
 * The numbers on the Jackpot display are noticeably thinner.
 * As of December 3, Proper Name has appeared in the Bonus Round at least twice; this is based on the fact that a Proper Name of MOZART with the pastel category strips was seen as a retro Bonus Round in Season 30, and said puzzle is more likely to have come before December 3 than after.
 * December 9 is Beverly Hills Week, taped in Culver City. Jackpot_with_Black.png
 * By December 9, the Jackpot wedge is redesigned with JACKPOT written in a semicircle at the top of the wedge and written again vertically down the middle of the wedge. The letters are now yellow in a thinner, sans-serif font, and the top of the wedge is black.
 * For the week of December 9, the "burst" contestant backdrops are used.
 * Four of the Beverly Hills episodes, one of which is the Friday Finals, have Jackpot wins.
 * On December 10, Vanna shows behind-the-scenes footage of her CD Santa's Last Ride. In the clip, she sings "Making Toys" with Tony Danza.
 * On December 12, at the end of the show, Vanna sings "Holiday Time" from the above CD to several children, including her son.
 * On December 13, contestant Greg retires with $140,685.
 * December 16 is Family Week. Once again, there is no extra prize if the Bonus Round is won on the Friday Finals.
 * On December 16:
 * The category strips are changed to a heavier white font on a blue oval which spans about two-thirds the width of the screen. They continue to use the unique wipes for Show Biz, Headline, and Classic TV, and the "rolling Wheel" wipe for all other categories. Jackpot97.jpg
 * The top of the Jackpot wedge becomes the same color as Prize wedges.
 * The "burst" contestant backdrops are used.
 * On December 18:
 * No vowels are bought in Round 1.
 * The Round 1 puzzle, JINGLE-BELL ROCK, is improperly hyphenated.
 * Charlie reads the closed captioning plug.
 * Just before the credits, Charlie plugs the video game adaptations for Sega Saturn and Panasonic 3DO, saying that they are coming soon. Although originally planned for an October 1 release, these games are never released.
 * The bare Round 1 template is seen, complete with yellow $1,000, as the Wheel spins during the credits.
 * December 23 is the first Happy Holidays Week, which is the name of the Christmas week episodes for the next several years. Starting this season, various Christmas songs are used as bumpers. As with the previous week, there is no extra prize if the Bonus Round is won on the Friday Finals.
 * On December 25, a rock version of "Jingle Bells" plays over the closing credits.
 * On at least December 27, the top of the Jackpot wedge is again black. EditedCategoryStrips96.png
 * Reruns air during the week of December 30.

January 1997 :
 * On January 3, which is a rerun of the October 11 episode, the replacement category strip in Round 2 uses a wider and larger font than usual from the first letter reveal onward. TitleAuthorWideFont.jpg
 * January 6 is Wheel into 1997 week. As before, there is no extra prize if the Bonus Round is won on the Friday Finals.
 * On January 6:
 * The Wheel is tightened.
 * In Round 2, a contestant forgets to pick up the Free Spin after hitting it. Three spins later, Pat walks over to the other side of the Wheel, removes the Free Spin, and gives it to her.
 * With only one known exception, the Wheel no longer spins automatically during the opening and credits. According to Pat, the automation was removed because he "thought it was a bad idea to demonstrate that we had the ability to automatically spin the Wheel".
 * On January 9: Reversed$10000Wedge1-9-97.png
 * The buzzer does not sound on an incorrect letter (E) near the end of Round 1.
 * Oddly, the original Jackpot wedge is used; it is not known if this was the case all week.
 * Shane accidentally asks for a "brother" in Round 2. Pat has him try again, and he calls B.
 * The $10,000 Wedge is accidentally placed upside-down in the same round. Shane lands on the left edge of it (meaning he would have landed on Bankrupt under normal circumstances) and calls C. Only $1,000 is added to his score at first, but it is "corrected" after his next turn, as Pat tells him he has $12,400; however, he does not solve. Pat acknowledges the mistake before the start of Round 3, and jokes about it for the rest of the game.
 * The Fill In the Blank in the above round does not use a hanging indent for the last word of ? CITIES ? BROTHER ? -ENGINE AIRPLANE, even though such an arrangement could have fit on the board.
 * The numbers on the Jackpot display are thinner, and the display itself is much smaller.
 * The Wheel spins during the credits, but not the opening.
 * On January 10, the "burst" backdrops are used for the last time. After they are removed, the backdrops are continually randomized to fit each week's theme.
 * January 13 is Alpine Ski Adventure week. As before, there is no extra prize if the Bonus Round is won on the Friday Finals.
 * On January 13:
 * Before the title card, Pat and Vanna are shown talking, and Vanna announces that she is pregnant (with her first daughter, Giavonna). As was the case when she was pregnant with Nicholas, she often wears suits for the next several months of taping.
 * The category strips' font is changed to a narrower one, while the oval itself becomes thinner and shorter, matching the length of the category name; once again, the wipes do not change. This style is kept through Season 17.
 * The lap steel guitar rendition of "Changing Keys" is used as a music bed for the Surprise (a trip to Hawaii).
 * The Jackpot wedge reverts to the red design with greenish-brown top.
 * The end-game total graphic changes to a green oval with white numbers in the same font as the category strips. This style is also kept through Season 17.
 * On January 16:
 * The second Bankrupt is accidentally placed on the Wheel for Round 1, but is not hit. This error is also seen in the closing automation.
 * During Round 5, the yellow contestant's flipper briefly stops on $250, but can barely be seen flipping over to $400 just before he calls a letter. Although he is initially credited with $250 per letter, his score is corrected immediately after the round goes into Speed-Up. The difference in score causes him to win.
 * The week's theme is seen on the video wall in the closing instead of the show's logo.
 * January 20 is the first NFL Players Week, featuring contestants playing for an NFL player in the audience.
 * This and all subsequent weeks with celebrity/civilian teams have the contestants receive their winnings in cash and prizes as normal, while a cash amount equal to the contestant's winnings (with a minimum of $10,000) is donated to a charity of the celebrity's choice.
 * During at least this NFL week, bleachers are set up onstage to increase the audience size.
 * Except for Season 19, the rerun of NFL Players Week is always the last of the Summer reruns, most likely to coincide with the upcoming NFL season.

February 1997 :
 * February 3 is Sweethearts Week.
 * On February 3:
 * Rounds 1 and 4 are Phrase; the latter, LOVE HANDLES, is inexplicably in that category instead of Things.
 * In Round 1, the husband of the red team (Jeff) starts to call C, but his wife (Annie) cuts him off and calls M. Pat asks Harry which letter should be accepted, and Harry says that he heard M, which is not in the puzzle. Strangely, the buzzer does not sound during this turn.
 * The Round 2 Prize, a Caribbean cruise, has the Princess Cruises logo in white at the top of the wedge followed by "Caribbean" in what is otherwise the normal Prize wedge design.
 * On February 7:
 * The mechanical "home base" puzzle board is used for the last time.
 * The Jackpot is increased to start at $10,000 on Friday Finals episodes.
 * The weeks of February 10 and 17 are taped at the Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion (now Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion) in Phoenix. Unusually for a road show, neither week is rerun during the Summer. During both weeks:
 * The video wall is framed by two zig-zag shaped signs, which spell out "PHOENIX" and "ARIZONA" in illuminated white letters.
 * The prizes are not shown onstage, so Charlie promotes them over video footage after the last round. Prize_West.jpg
 * The Prize wedges use an Old West-style font, with no glitter. 1997_Arizona_W-H-E-E-L_Holder.png
 * The W-H-E-E-L envelope holder becomes turquoise and red, with a pattern on it resembling a Navajo weaving.
 * During the week of February 10:
 * Vanna introduces the episodes with "From the Valley of the Sun, it's Wheel of Fortune from Phoenix!" A unique piece of music plays over video footage of Phoenix, followed by a timpani roll under Charlie's intro.
 * After Round 3, there is a bumper consisting of the traditional logo with a cactus on either side. "Phoenix" is written above it, and "Week" below it, both on red rectangles. S-2647 Slate.png
 * On February 11 (taped January 24):
 * No vowels are bought in Round 1.
 * Oddly, the second shot of the board in Round 3 uses the thicker oval category strip from December and January.
 * In Round 4, the Final Spin bells sound just as the yellow contestant begins his second spin. Pat does not seem to notice the bells, as after a wrong letter, he starts to prompt the blue contestant before doing the Final Spin.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of February 10.
 * February 17 is Family Week. During this week, Vanna opens the show with "From Phoenix, Arizona, it's Family Week on Wheel of Fortune!" A country music-styled cue plays over local footage, followed by a timpani roll under Charlie's intro.
 * On February 18, during the contestant interviews, footage is shown of Vanna surprising the blue team with the news that they have been selected for the show.
 * On February 21: PuzzleBoardForSale.jpg
 * Round 1's puzzle IRISH & JET SETTER is the last instance of Vanna revealing punctuation on the puzzle board.
 * The trilon-based puzzle board is used for the last time. The last official puzzle on it is the bonus puzzle POUND SIGN, but at the end of the episode, Vanna reveals FOR SALE on the board.
 * On February 24: PuzzleBoardNew.jpgWOF_Bonus.jpg
 * Charlie's intro is just "Ladies and gentlemen: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!" (which becomes the official intro in Season 19) with no chant, music, or animation. Pat and Vanna walk out, discuss the new electronic puzzle board, and show time-lapse footage of the old board being dismantled before walking to their respective places. After the contestant interviews, a curtain reveals the new board while the puzzle-solve cue plays.
 * The gray parallelogram nametags are replaced by the current white-on-blue, oval-shaped nametags.
 * On the puzzle board, blank spaces and punctuation are now revealed automatically as Pat announces the category. Puzzle solutions are also revealed automatically after the round ends. If a bonus puzzle is not solved, the solution is revealed slowly.
 * The first puzzle on the new board is VALENCIA SPAIN, and Vanna's first letter on this board is S.
 * The $10,000 Wedge is on $350, and the Round 2 Prize is on $700. Also, in Round 4, Surprise is moved to the $400 between $250 and $550. Given that several other episodes between now and late March have the Prize, Surprise, and/or $10,000 Prize on different wedges than usual, this appears to be a short-lived experiment with wedge placement.
 * The W-H-E-E-L envelope holder changes to gold lights (similar in style to the puzzle board's frame) and green letters.
 * At the end of the episode, Vanna uses the bonus puzzle to demonstrate how the new board works.
 * For the last known time, the Wheel spins automatically during the credits.
 * Sometime after February 24, the second Bankrupt is now removed before rounds that begin as a Speed-Up.
 * By February 24, Final Spins that land on anything other than a cash amount are now always edited out; before this point, it is believed that such Final Spins had been edited out occasionally if the episode ran extremely long.
 * Presumably at the same time, and definitely by April 29, "null" cycles (i.e., player control goes a complete cycle without affecting score, the puzzle, or cardboard in possession) are now edited out sporadically. This is likely an experiment, as the first three rounds do not run abnormally long in some of these games. If such a cycle occurs in the Jackpot round, the Jackpot total is adjusted in post-production to exclude the value of the edited-out spins (often resulting in the value display being in a different font than usual) unless the Jackpot is won, in which case the cycle is left intact. If the first three rounds run overtime, cycles that do affect score or cardboard in possession may be cut as well.
 * Probably by February 24, and definitely by early 1998, the Used Letter Board is replaced by a monitor which also displays the category name, the timer for Speed-Ups and the Bonus Round, and the Jackpot total during that round.

March 1997 :
 * On March 3, the puzzle board is changed slightly: the font is made slightly thinner, and the borders between each monitor change from all-black to black with a thin green line.
 * On March 4:
 * Surprise is on $350, the $10,000 Wedge on the red $600, and the Prize on the orange $300. The Prize is won, so the Jackpot ends up in its correct place for Round 3.
 * Rosie O'Donnell makes a cameo after TALK SHOW HOST ROSIE O'DONNELL is the Round 2 puzzle. She then helps Vanna touch letters in Round 3.
 * Neither Thing nor Phrase is used.
 * Round 3 and the Bonus Round are Event.
 * As of March 4, Pat still reminds contestants that "We're playing for cash."
 * On March 7:
 * For the last known time, the prize envelopes are green on the inside. The green envelopes were likely retired as they were too hard to read.
 * Howard Stern makes a guest appearance at the end of the show to promote his film Private Parts.
 * At a taping session on March 13, Raymond Taylor makes an unauthorized appearance in the studio audience and is forced to leave. He refuses and is physically ejected from the stage. Taylor is later banned from Sony Pictures Studios.
 * March 17 is the first Spring Break Week.
 * By March 20, nearly eight years after the daytime show dropped the shopping rounds and nearly a decade after nighttime stopped using them, Pat stops reminding contestants that "We're playing for cash."
 * On March 20, the the $10,000 Wedge is on $350, and the Prize is on $700.
 * On March 21:
 * The $10,000 Wedge is on the red $900, and the Round 2 Prize is on the yellow $400 between $550 and $250.
 * Surprise is not used; instead, a Prize is added in Round 3.
 * Round 3's puzzle, MIKE CONNORS AS MANNIX, is categorized as Classic TV instead of Star & Role. Given that this is done at least two more times before the end of the season, it is possible that Star & Role was temporarily put on hiatus.
 * The buzzer does not sound on a wrong letter (D) near the end of Round 3.
 * Reruns air during the week of March 24.
 * March 31 is the first European Vacation week, a tradition which occurs once a season (or a variation of it, such as European Holiday or EuroTour) until Season 19.

April 1997 :
 * On April 1, Pat and Vanna play for charity as part of an April Fools' Day gag, with Alex Trebek as host and Pat's wife, Lesly Sajak, touching the letters. Conversely, Pat hosts that day's Jeopardy!, whose first round features Wheel-themed categories (including Before & After, which quickly becomes a recurring category identical to its Wheel counterpart; and Say "Jack", a pun on Pat's last name, where all the correct responses contain the word "Jack"). On this episode:
 * The European Vacation set is retained.
 * Charlie begins the intro as normal, but Johnny Gilbert announces the last line, "And now, here is your host: Alex Trebek!" Alex then introduces Lesly.
 * Alex mentions that he had previously guest-hosted for a week in 1980, a fact he also stated during a 1991 episode of To Tell the Truth on which Charlie was a substitute announcer (although his guest-hosting gig apparently came two weeks after Charlie left daytime).
 * After Alex's opening dialogue with Lesly, Johnny introduces Pat and Vanna using Jeopardy!'s "Now entering the studio..." intro while that show's opening theme plays. As they are introduced, their names appear onscreen in the style of the category strips.
 * Rounds 1 and 4 are Phrase.
 * Round 1's answer is PAT I'D LIKE TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE.
 * Pat and Vanna solve Round 2, VANNA MAKES HER WHEEL DEBUT, together. It is followed by a clip of her first official episode on December 13, 1982. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.jpg
 * Round 3 is SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS, in the joke category of "Really Long Title" and hyphenated twice to fit on the board. It is also given a "bonus" question asking for the musical it came from, and Pat gives the correct answer of Mary Poppins.
 * Alex's Final Spin moves only five wedges.
 * The Speed-Up round has Pat and Vanna's images inside boxes, rather than a zoomed-in version of the usual shot.
 * The Y in the Round 4 puzzle IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS refuses to reveal when Lesly touches it, and is only revealed when Vanna solves it immediately after.
 * Pat and Vanna play the Bonus Round together and win $25,000. Their combined winnings are split 50/50 between their two charities.
 * The bonus puzzle, TRADING PLACES, is believed to be the first bonus puzzle under three-and-a-vowel rules that has at least one each of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
 * No credit is given for Alex's wardrobe, although ones are given for Vanna, Pat, and Lesly.
 * Likely by April 2, the Prize, Surprise, and $10,000 Wedge permanently return to their normal placement.
 * April 14 is the first Puerto Rico week, a tradition that continues until Season 17.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of April 14.
 * April 28 is the first Wheel Across America week. This theme is later called America Travel, and renamed again to Road Trip in Season 28.
 * On either April 28 or 29:
 * In Round 2, contestant Tracey fills in the entire puzzle BILLIE JO BOBBIE JO & BETTY JO (Classic TV) by herself. It is then followed by a trivia question asking for the hometown of those characters, and she does not provide the right answer of Hooterville.
 * Despite solving the first three puzzles for a combined $17,750, Tracey finishes in second place.
 * On April 30:
 * Pat erroneously says "We'll be back." after Round 4 is solved, but quickly realizes his mistake and begins congratulating the contestants on their winnings.
 * As a joke related to the above gaffe, Pat has the winning contestant announce the values of the remaining bonus prizes.

May 1997 :
 * On May 1:
 * Contestant Jonathan spins $3,500 three times in Round 3, but loses $18,550 to Bankrupt.
 * The Jackpot reaches $20,900, but it is not won.
 * On May 2, Surprise is not used; instead, an $8,500 framed document signed by Elvis Presley is offered in Round 3.
 * May 5 is a special week where celebrities and their mothers play together. During this week, "Special thanks to all our moms" and "Happy Mother's Day" are added to the credits.
 * On May 5: Season_14_Sponsored_Jackpot_Wedge.png
 * The Jackpot round begins to have sponsors whose logos are also displayed on the Jackpot wedge, replacing the curved horizontal "Jackpot" text; in addition, sponsor plugs are used. The first is Pizza Hut.
 * Following the sponsor plugs, Charlie announces "And we've added this prize to the Wheel..." for all Round 3 Prizes. This lasts until the end of Season 22.
 * There are fixed music bumpers leading into the commercial breaks after Rounds 2 and 3, a change which remains for the rest of the season.
 * On May 6, Kathy Ireland and her mother solve the bonus puzzle BUTTON UP despite getting no help from their extra letters.
 * On May 8:
 * Twice in Round 1, Bonnie Hunt's mother accidentally calls a vowel after spinning.
 * In Round 2, Bonnie starts to spin again before Vanna can reveal the letter that was called. Bonnie then stops the Wheel in mid-spin, causing her and Pat to joke around for several seconds before he tells her to "spin the damn Wheel."
 * Round 3 (BARBARA BILLINGSLEY AS JUNE CLEAVER) is categorized as Classic TV instead of Star & Role.
 * Steve Burton and his mother fail to solve the bonus puzzle EMOTION with only the M and I missing.
 * The weeks of May 12 and 19 are taped at the San Diego Convention Center. Neither is rerun during the Summer.
 * May 19 is College Week.
 * May 26 is New York Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On an episode from the week of May 26:
 * Six rounds are played; interestingly, Phrase is not used.
 * Round 4 (RAYMOND BURR AS PERRY MASON) is categorized as Classic TV instead of Star & Role.
 * The first I in the Round 6 puzzle HAIR STYLIST refuses to reveal for several seconds, and Vanna ends up hitting the monitor with her fist. Pat and Vanna mention this in their chat, and it is replayed during the credits.
 * Vanna also has difficulty revealing the L and C in the bonus puzzle POLICY. After the contestant fails to solve, the remaining letters fill in much more slowly than usual.
 * On May 27, a contestant accidentally asks for a "grow" (part of the puzzle answer) in one round. Pat has the contestant try again, and she calls G.
 * On an episode sometime between May 26 and the end of the season (known to have been rerun on May 30, 1998):
 * Round 2 is the first of two known instances of Where Are We? using only one clue (THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT, with the answer being New Mexico).
 * There is a $7,400 Jackpot win.
 * The bonus puzzle JULY is inexplicably categorized as Thing instead of the more logical Event.

June 1997 : (season ends June 13)
 * June 2 is Far Away Places Week.
 * By the week of June 2, Karen Griffith and Steve Schwartz become co-producers.
 * On June 6, Surprise is not used; instead, a $10,388 trip to Egypt is offered in Round 3.

Season 15 (1997-98)
Season Changes :
 * The opening graphic of Sony Pictures Studios is changed slightly, as is Charlie's opening narration: The intro no longer involves the circular Wheel graphic, and Charlie's opening is slightly altered to: "From the Sony Pictures Studios, it's America's Game!" On a light blue starry background, a new logo similar to the traditional logo appears, but with the Wheel inside, and no dots on the sides. Each word pops up during the opening chant. The background and logo then wipe away sideways to reveal a cut to the studio.
 * "Changing Keys" is rearranged again, this time by Steve Kaplan. It has a similar melody to the "big band" version, but a slower tempo and electric guitar solo.
 * The puzzle-solve cue is updated.
 * Throughout this season, Pat sometimes introduces the Jackpot round with "Put down that/those [random object(s)], Charlie, it's time for our Jackpot round!" Wheelgraphic.jpg
 * The base of the Wheel is now blue with four long, golden spikes. The top light layer is replaced with a new layer similar to the old one, but with smaller bulbs, one of which simply flashes during the chase pattern as the Wheel spins; this is seen from the front.
 * Some episodes have an ad for Game Show Network during the credits, a practice which remains through Season 18.
 * The credits and www.sony.com URL are done in Times New Roman, which remains until the end of Season 17.
 * On weekend repeats of this season from 1998-99, a www.wheelofortune.com URL replaces the aforementioned Sony URL.

September 1997 : (season begins September 1)
 * For the first few weeks, the Jackpot Round's sponsor is Bravo.
 * On one of the Ohio State Fair episodes, a Speed-Up round is discarded due to the wrong letter lighting up.
 * The weeks of September 1 and 8 are taped at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus, Ohio. For these weeks:
 * There is a commercial break between Rounds 1 and 2 (this change becomes permanent in Season 23), resulting in some three-round games. Oddly, at least September 1 and 5 continue to use $3,500 as the top dollar in Round 3, instead of using $1,000/$3,500/$5,000 as the Hawaii and Olympics episodes did in Season 13.
 * For the first known time since the Radio City Music Hall episodes in 1988, the audience does the "Wheel! Of! Fortune!" chant instead of the pre-recorded chant.
 * September 1 is Family Week. Oddly, Surprise is not used this week.
 * On September 1:
 * Pat walks out on his own and jokes that Vanna is late because she had to tend to her second child. She then drives onstage in a Hummer, which she says will be awarded as an extra if the winner of the Friday Finals wins the Bonus Round.
 * After Round 2, Charlie announces the prize that will be awarded to the winner of the Friday Finals: a trip for 10 to Hawaii.
 * Because Round 3 begins as a Speed-Up, the Jackpot is not used, and $3,500 remains the top value. First_S15_W-H-E-E-L_Prop.png
 * The W-H-E-E-L envelope holder is slightly altered to align the letters evenly.
 * John Sweeney, then-president of the AFL-CIO, makes a guest appearance in the final segment.
 * On September 5:
 * Both $3,500 and the Jackpot are used for Round 3. The game ends after a full Round 3, making this and September 1 the second and third known games in which $5,000 is not used.
 * For reasons unknown, the Jackpot wedge does not feature a sponsor logo, instead using the design first seen on December 16, 1996.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of September 1.
 * The week of September 8 is Bravo's Wheel & Win Sweepstakes. Game cards with puzzles matching those used on Wheel that week are eligible for prizes of up to $1,000,000.
 * ​A promo for the sweepstakes takes place in a restaurant where a man, apparently with Wheel on his mind, sees his table letter "H" light up. He looks down at his plate to see his food styled like the Wheel on the show. His thoughts gets the best of him as he spins his table and shouts "Is there an H, Pat?" The scene cuts to the then-current Wheel layout, albeit filled with Universal Studios wedges. Interestingly, this Wheel also has a wedge worth One Million Dollars (not to be confused with the eventual Million-Dollar Wedge's reverse) placed where the Jackpot wedge would be in Round 3.
 * On September 8, the Round 1 puzzle ED & TRIXIE NORTON (Fictional Characters) is followed by a trivia question asking for Ed's career on The Honeymooners. The contestant provides the correct answer of underground sewer worker.
 * On September 9, the Round 1 puzzle AMUSEMENT-PARK FUN HOUSE is improperly hyphenated.
 * By September 9, Star & Role is once again an active category.
 * On September 10, contestant Angie sweeps the game but loses a trip to Tahiti in the Bonus Round.
 * By September 10, Who Is It? now uses only one sentence like Clue; this likely changed much earlier.
 * On September 11:
 * After contestant Sandy lands on $250 in Round 1, she says "Damn!" because she is looking at the wrong arrow and thinks she has landed on Bankrupt. Pat then corrects her and quips that "a little editing there and no one will know." She asks to solve, but Pat tells her to call a letter first; after doing so, she asks again to solve, and Pat says "We wish the hell you would!"
 * Round 2 is the second of two known instances of Where Are We? using only one clue (ORVILLE & WILBUR WRIGHT'S OHIO HOMETOWN, with the answer being Dayton).
 * For the first known time, a cycle of three lost turns is edited out despite not being "null"; the first lost turn is an incorrect A from Sandy in Round 2, evidenced by her score instantly changing from $2,500 to $2,250. Pat later references this by telling her that A had already been called despite no prior lost turns being aired.
 * Round 4 is a very short answer of BAKE SALE, very likely due to the episode running overtime.
 * As of September 11, the Jackpot wedge still looks the same as it did on May 5.
 * September 13 is the debut of Wheel 2000, a special children's version hosted by David Sidoni. Further information on this show, including its own timeline, can be found on its article.
 * Pat and Vanna are known to have discussed this version at the end of at least one episode this season.
 * On September 15: Wheel_of_Fortune_Envelope_Holder.jpg
 * The W-H-E-E-L envelope holder is altered for the final time: there are no lights except the letters, resulting in a comparatively bare-bones prop.
 * Vanna shows off her newborn daughter, Giavonna.
 * On September 16:
 * Round 1's puzzle MAPLE & GOLD LEAF is a very rare main-game puzzle with none of the five most common consonants.
 * Round 1 begins with a "null" cycle that is edited out, as evidenced by the wide shot of the first spin heading for the red $900 only for the closeup to show it landing on the orange-yellow $300. Pat references the cycle by saying "We do have some L's." despite it being only the first aired turn of the game.
 * The top winner finishes with only $3,750.
 * By September 29, the Jackpot wedge is updated with a new logo encased in a semicircle. It is now light blue, and sponsored by NordicTrack.Jackpot_Nordic_Track.JPG
 * On September 29:
 * Six rounds are played.
 * There are two sets of repeated categories: Phrase in Round 3 and the Bonus Round, Occupation in Rounds 4 and 6. This is the first known duplication of the latter category.
 * On an episode early this season, contestant Ben solves the bonus puzzle PIGGY BANK just after the buzzer. Pat does not open the envelope; he explains that the answer will be checked during the commercial break, joking that because Ben is also an attorney, they don't want anybody coming after Wheel. It is verified by the post-game chat that the buzzer beat him, after which Vanna opens the envelope.

October 1997 :
 * By October 6, the "bonus" category solve cue is changed to the final part of the opening.
 * On October 6:
 * Prize wedges begin using unique designs, typically with a graphic related to the prize.
 * There is a $7,650 Jackpot win.
 * October 20 is Broadway Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On October 23:
 * When Round 2 is solved, the fanfare for correctly answering a "bonus" question is accidentally used instead of the puzzle-solve cue.
 * Contestant Millicent sweeps the game but loses a Lexus in the Bonus Round.
 * October 27 is Halloween Week, which begins the tradition of highly ornate Halloween sets. During this week, the set is decorated with animatronic gargoyles, smoke and lightning effects, and fake tombstones. This also begins the tradition of Halloween sounds replacing the chime when a Bonus Round envelope is selected.
 * On October 31, there is an unclaimed Jackpot of over $22,000, very likely a record.

November 1997 :
 * November 3 is Celebrity Week, with the same round structure as the season premiere and no Friday Finals.
 * By November 3, the Jackpot wedge is re-colored sparkly red, otherwise retaining the design introduced by September 29.
 * On November 4, there is a $7,950 Jackpot win.
 * On November 5, Alicia Witt is one of the celebrities. Clips are shown of her appearance during the Teen Week of September 3, 1990.
 * On November 6, William Shatner leaves after Round 2, due to scheduling conflicts caused by technical difficulties that make the taping run much longer than usual. Julie Pinson takes his place for the rest of the game.
 * The weeks of November 10 and 17 are taped at The Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre (part of Denver Center for the Performing Arts) in Denver. Jackpot99.jpg
 * By November 10, the Jackpot wedge now features lights around its semicircle.
 * November 17 is College Week. During this week, the University of Colorado marching band plays the original "Changing Keys" during the intro. The band also plays music going into and out of commercial.
 * On November 20:
 * The "bonus category" solve cue is used in Round 2 instead of the normal one; this is perhaps due to the below.
 * The Round 2 puzzle of ALPHA BETA GAMMA & DELTA (Things) is followed by a trivia question, asking for the last letter of the Greek alphabet. The contestant does not provide the correct answer of Omega.
 * For the first known time, a contestant solves incorrectly on the Jackpot wedge.
 * On November 21, Surprise is not used, so a Round 3 Prize is added.
 * November 24 is Best Friends Week. The fourth Jackpot wedge is used during this week, suggesting that it was taped before the Jackpot wedge's redesign that debuted around September 29.
 * On November 24:
 * One team includes the show's only known deaf contestant, whose teammate doubles as a sign language translator. Clips of their interview are later used in the ceremonial 3,000th and 4,000th episodes.
 * The Round 2 puzzle TAXI'S ALEX TONY & REVEREND JIM (Classic TV) is followed by a trivia question asking who played Alex. Given the available footage, it is not known whether the correct answer of Judd Hirsch was given.

December 1997 :
 * On an episode sometime this month:
 * Oddly, two of the contestants are named Bob.
 * One of the Bobs spins over the Final Spin bells. He is allowed to complete his turn, after which Pat does the Final Spin.
 * Pat's Final Spin lands on Bankrupt but is not edited out, the only known instance of this happening since the practice of editing out bad Final Spins began in February.
 * On December 5:
 * Two consecutive spins by Bruce in Round 1 are stopped in mid-spin by Pat, due to the Wheel slipping out of his hands.
 * The Round 2 Prize is accidentally placed on $450; neither it nor $350 is ever hit.
 * As the Round 2 puzzle is solved, a stagehand can be seen walking behind the puzzle board.
 * Surprise is not used; instead, a second Prize (a $7,100 Fred Joalier gift certificate which can be used to buy a diamond pendant and earrings) is added in Round 3.
 * December 8 is Puerto Rico Week. During this week, the floor is blue.
 * On December 9:
 * The Wheel's outer frame is misaligned throughout the first two rounds. It is fixed before Round 3.
 * Round 5 is a very short answer of CAMELOT. There is an edit at the beginning of the round, as contestant Barbara's opening spin can just barely be seen heading for the Round 2 Prize, but the close-up shows her landing on the green $300. It is likely that a "null" cycle was edited out.
 * Six rounds are played.
 * Contestant Barbara fills in the bonus puzzle GARAGE completely.
 * December 22 is Happy Holidays Week, and the Surprise wedge is changed to have the word written out horizontally with a gift box below. When the Surprise is claimed and won, the box is opened to reveal a card that says "I've won [name of prize]. Tell me about it, Charlie!" which then segues into the prize description. The concept is very similar to the Prize Box on Wheel 2000, which at this point is still in first-run.
 * Reruns air during the week of December 29.

January 1998 :
 * January 19 is NFL Players Week. During this week, the contestants' and NFL players' nametags are shaped like footballs.
 * On January 27, six rounds are played.

February 1998 :
 * The weeks of February 2 and 9 are taped at the Las Vegas Hilton.
 * February 2 is Family Week.
 * On an episode sometime this week, a then-unknown Zak Bagans is a contestant teamed with his sister Meredith; they win $1,000.
 * On February 2, The Oak Ridge Boys make a cameo after their name is a puzzle.
 * On February 4, the Round 2 Prize has "VIDEO" in white Clarendon text on a magenta background, as opposed to a graphic. It is also placed on the orange $300, but it is won, so the placement of the Jackpot wedge is not affected.
 * On February 7, Wheel 2000 airs its last first-run episode.
 * Sometime during the week of February 9, a contestant accumulates $45,000 in a Speed-Up but does not win it. This would have tied the one-round record had it been claimed.
 * On February 9, 10, or 11, contestant Derek Rose wins a $105,000+ custom-built Shelby Cobra in the Bonus Round. This is the only six-figure bonus prize until the introduction of the $100,000 cash prize in October 2001.
 * On February 12:
 * The blue contestant, whose real name is Quentin, is referred to as Q throughout the show.
 * The Before & After puzzle BEFORE & AFTER-DINNER DRINK is the second known instance of the category also being part of the answer.
 * February 16-27 is the Come Spin and Win Sweepstakes, sponsored by Sears. Each week has a special "Play to Win" puzzle after Round 3, to which more letters are added throughout the week, and home viewers can submit the answer for a chance to win $1,000,000 in cash or $500 Sears gift certificates. The puzzles are FOUR SCORE AND SEVEN YEARS AGO and SHOW ME THE MONEY.
 * Viewers can find game pieces in TV Guide, at Sears stores nationwide, or in their Sunday paper. Each night, more letters will be added to the puzzle.
 * For answers, viewers may send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: "Play to Win" Sweepstakes Answers-Week (number), P.O. Box 9136, Bridgeport, New Jersey 08014 and must be received by March 6. Washington and Vermont residents may omit postage.
 * For entries, viewers may either submit their entries at a Sears store by February 28, or mail by March 13 to "PLAY TO WIN" SWEEPSTAKES, P.O. Box 9005, Bridgeport, New Jersey 08014.
 * By February 18, a transition is added between the shot of the $5,000 space and the shot of the Round 4 puzzle; the wedge now "zooms" out of the Wheel and turns on its side to form the edge of the picture.
 * On February 26:
 * All three of contestant Tammy's spins in Round 4 land on the red $900.
 * No vowels are bought in Round 4.

March 1998 :
 * On March 18 (taped February 13), Matthew Fenwick, a then-wanted criminal on two counts of child molestation, appears as a contestant. He is arrested on the 20th after one of his alleged victims sees him on the show, then sentenced to 6½ years in prison on October 7.
 * Reruns air during the week of March 30. This is the last time that reruns air mid-season.

April 1998 :
 * On April 7, Fill In the Number debuts.
 * On an episode between now and April 2002, a comma is used for the only known time: specifically, the Fill In the Number puzzle ##,### LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.
 * On another episode believed to be from the same timespan, the puzzle # AND ## BLACKBIRDS BAKED IN A PIE is one of only two known Fill In the Number puzzles to have two different numbers in it.
 * On April 13, the time limit in the Speed-Up round is reduced from 5 seconds to 3.
 * April 27 is AM-FM Week, with radio personality/civilian teams. During this week, the radio personalities' nametags feature a large silver star.
 * On April 27, the Round 2 Prize has "STEREO" in white Clarendon text on a blue background, as opposed to a graphic.

May 1998 :
 * The weeks of May 4 and 11 are taped at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. During these weeks, the Bonus Round window is shaped like Texas.
 * On May 4:
 * Round 2 is the first known appearance of Who Are They?
 * Surprise is not used, so a Round 3 Prize is added.
 * Pat is visible in the shot of the board during the Bonus Round.
 * The winning contestant finishes with only $3,200, the lowest known winning total since the introduction of the electronic puzzleboard.
 * On May 5, contestant Cheryl solves the bonus puzzle GEMINIS on the buzzer. Her answer is checked during the commercial break, and in the final segment Pat tells her she has been ruled a winner.
 * May 11 is College Week. During this week, the studio audience does the chant.
 * Sometime during the week of May 11, a contestant chases Pat across the stage after solving his bonus puzzle.
 * On May 14, Surprise is placed on the yellow $400 between $250 and $550 instead of the one two wedges counterclockwise from Lose A Turn.
 * The week of May 18 is Wheel Goes to the Movies, a recurring theme which occurs in May for the next several seasons (always the first week after the May travel episodes).

June 1998 : (season ends June 12)
 * During what is most likely the week of the 1st (Summer in the City), various Summer-related songs play leading into the commercial break after Round 2.
 * On what is most likely June 4 (known to be the fourth episode of the above week), Pat gives all three contestants Wheel of Fortune baseball caps after the final round.
 * On June 5, Charlie appears on-camera.
 * During the week of June 8 (Endless Summer), Vanna has laryngitis.
 * On June 12, the Puzzler is believed to have been played for the first time. Unlike the "bonus" categories, it is worth $3,000.

Season 16 (1998-99)
Season Changes :
 * The opening graphics change again, placing the show's logo over the door frame during the chant. A red version of the two-row logo is seen on a marquee above the door frame; the doors themselves have the Columbia TriStar logo on the left and "STAGE 11" on the right, with a small "ON AIR" sign in front of them. The logo above the marquee is a flashing lights variation of the logo introduced last season, with each word lighting up during the chant. After the chant, the doors open to reveal the studio. Towards the fade from the Sony Pictures Studios exterior to the interior, a photo of Pat and Vanna can be barely seen on the left towards the pan to Stage 11.
 * The Friday Finals format is eliminated, with a single exception for this season (see below). As was the case before September 1989, contestants once again stay for only one episode. In the 2000s, Pat revealed on the Sony Rewards website that this was done because the most skilled contestants are not always the top winners.
 * The Wheel is once again altered:
 * Surprise is retired. As a result, a second Prize is now added in Round 3, taking Surprise's former place on the yellow $400 near Lose A Turn.
 * Jackpot moves to the green $500.
 * The three pink $250 wedges are increased: the ones between $400 and $900, as well as between $400 and Lose A Turn, become pink $300s. The one between the top dollar value and $600 is changed to a yellow $300, while the purple $500 is decreased to $250. The yellow $1,000, present underneath the top dollar values, is replaced by a blank white or gray wedge.
 * The $25,000 cash prize is no longer taken out of the W-H-E-E-L envelopes if it is won.
 * Pat's wardrobe sponsor is changed to Façonnable.
 * In earlier episodes of this season, the www.wheeloffortune.com URL (from the weekend repeats of Season 15) still appears between the credits and copyright date, and the closing theme still plays over the 1989 King World logo. Later in the season, the show's website is promoted at the end of each program with upbeat instrumental pop music (complete with a remix of the opening chant) with category chimes at the end of the music; earlier episodes with this promo play the music into the King World logo with the category chimes heard then. From early-mid 1999, the music ends as soon as the promo does and the King World logo's music returns until the logo as a whole is replaced by a new one that replaces the bars with a ribbon to form the "star", beneath a sunny sky background complete with thunderclap.
 * On an episode sometime between now and September 2000, the puzzle HAIR ? PAINT ? HIGH ? (Roller) is the last known Fill In the Blank puzzle with the question marks at the end instead of the beginning.

September 1998 : (season begins September 7)
 * The weeks of September 7 and 14 are taped at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is the last time until 2009 that the season begins with a road show. During these two weeks:
 * The audience does the opening chant.
 * All of the prizes are American-made.
 * The episodes use the same round structure as the Season 15 premiere week.
 * Due to the smaller size of the Benedum Center, any prizes won in the Bonus Round are shown on the video screen instead of onstage.
 * The Bonus Round window is shaped like a keystone.
 * A special opening theme debuts for road shows, which is still used into the mid-2000s.
 * During the week of September 7 (Family Week), Charlie's intro is "From Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, America's game salutes the American working family!", followed by pictures of working men and women in gear-shaped "windows".
 * On September 7:
 * Although a repeated S is called in Round 1, it is not acknowledged as such.
 * Unusually for a three-round game, $2,500 is used in Round 2 and $3,500 in Round 3; $5,000 is not used. It is not known if this was the case all week.
 * A family pair solves the bonus puzzle FLIGHT CREW despite getting no help from their extra letters.
 * In the final segment, Pat and Vanna chat with Linda Chavez-Thompson, then the executive vice president of the AFL-CIO.
 * On September 14:
 * Fred Rogers makes a cameo after he is the answer to Round 2's Who Said It? puzzle IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
 * Contestant Ray's letters fill in the bonus puzzle FORK entirely.
 * The bonus prize is an unusual bundle consisting of a Dodge Durango, barbecue grill, and food basket.
 * On September 17, the Round 2 prize includes a shopping spree at a Pittsburgh mall, most likely Ross Park Mall.
 * On September 21:
 * A video wall is added behind the contestants.
 * The Puzzler round is made official. Oddly, most Puzzler puzzles tend to display only on one line.

October 1998 :
 * On October 2, contestant Shirley sweeps the game and wins $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
 * On October 5, the Round 2 puzzle MEL GIBSON & DANNY GLOVER (Show Biz) is followed by a trivia question asking for the number of Lethal Weapon films Gibson and Glover starred in together. The contestant provides the correct answer of four.
 * On October 6, WHEEL OF FORTUNE GOES NIGHTTIME is the Round 1 puzzle (The 80's).
 * On October 8, there are two sets of repeated categories: Place in the Puzzler (Round 2) and Round 4, and Thing in Round 5 and the Bonus Round.
 * The week of October 12 is one of the only weeks in the show's history where no cars are offered in the Bonus Round. The prizes this week comprise $25,000 and four different shopping sprees: in Rome, Paris, Houston, and Beverly Hills. The Rome trip is chosen on Monday-Wednesday, and the Paris one on Thursday and Friday; all five Bonus Rounds are lost.
 * On October 12, the Puzzler is in Round 3 for the only known time.
 * As of October 12, the Puzzler is still indicated by a series of bells.
 * On October 13, six rounds are played.
 * On October 14, there are two sets of repeated categories: Thing in the Puzzler (Round 1) and Round 4, Places in Round 3, and Place in the Bonus Round.
 * On October 15, the Round 3 puzzle SCIENTISTS PIERRE & MARIE CURIE is the only known instance of Husband & Wife using a descriptive word.
 * On October 22, there is a Jackpot win.
 * On October 23, there are two sets of repeated categories: Place in the Puzzler (Round 2) and Round 3, Phrase in Round 4 and the Bonus Round.
 * On October 27, there is a $12,200 Jackpot win.
 * On October 30:
 * In an extremely unusual move, the Puzzler (in Round 1) is a Fictional Place (SLEEPY HOLLOW).
 * Round 4 is a Before & After of FAT FREE SPIN.
 * Contestant Jim sweeps the game (except for the Puzzler), but loses a gold and silver package in the Bonus Round.

November 1998 :
 * On November 2:
 * Vera Morris, voted Miss North Carolina in the 1998 Miss USA pageant, is a contestant.
 * The Puzzler (Round 2), Round 4, and the Bonus Round are Thing.
 * November 9 is Soap Stars Week, with soap star/contestant teams. During this week:
 * The round structure of the season premiere week is used.
 * At the top of the show, the contestants introduce both themselves and their teammates.
 * The soap stars' nametags are the usual shape with a sparkling star behind it.
 * By November 9, the bells are removed from the Puzzler round.
 * On November 9:
 * The Round 1 puzzle FASHION SHOW is followed by a Puzzler of DRESSED TO KILL, making it one of the few Puzzlers longer than the answer before it.
 * Tyler Christopher and his contestant sweep the game and win a BMW Z23 Roadster in the Bonus Round.
 * On November 10:
 * The winning team (Allison Sweeney and her contestant) has only $2,450 before the Bonus Round.
 * The bonus puzzle is HAIRCUT. Less than a month prior, on October 12, the bonus puzzle was a very similar HAIRDO.
 * On November 12:
 * Rhyme Time debuts in Round 1; the puzzle FINE WINE has only three unique consonants.
 * The Puzzler THE KENNEDYS (after Round 2) is categorized as Proper Name, suggesting that the show has not yet begun using Family for the names of individual families.
 * Joshua Morrow and his contestant sweep the game (except for the Puzzler) and win $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
 * On November 13, the Round 1 puzzle DYNASTY is followed by a Puzzler of JOHN FORSYTHE. This is one of only four known instances of the Puzzler being longer than the puzzle before it.
 * The weeks of November 16 and 23 are taped at the Las Vegas Hilton.
 * On November 17, the Puzzler (Round 1) is Things, while Round 3 and the Bonus Round are Thing.
 * November 20 is the ceremonial 3,000th episode, although it is actually #2,980. It is a clip show with commentary from Pat and Vanna.
 * The show begins with an open from January 18, 1978 which cuts to the 1998 intro nine seconds in, followed by a montage of the various openings in chronological order (minus the 1994 and 1996 ones), over a sound montage of contestants, Pat, and the game's sound effects. The end of the 1992-94 "dancing wedges" intro ends the montage, dissolving to a "3000th Show from Las Vegas" logo before wiping to Charlie onstage in a tuxedo. Charlie's introduction, over a timpani roll, is "And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the 3,000th time, it's my pleasure to introduce the stars of our show: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!"
 * Pat and Vanna sit in director's chairs at center stage, with a ceramic Dalmatian by Vanna's chair.
 * A unique music bumper is used at the end of each segment except the last.
 * In the first segment:
 * The first montage is of various contestant reactions set to big-band music, including two circa 1985 (Joan and Larry), one from the third sunburst era (Kelley), and one from Season 7 (Linda). The last one shown is the contestant from the previous season's College Week in Houston who chased Pat.
 * This segues into various other moments spliced within a contestant's rap from December 5, 1994. These include a male circa 1985 solving CLEVELAND OHIO with just the N revealed for $5,000, followed by various occupation statements (including Craig from the third sunburst era mentioning that he works "for a major government", Charles from 1983-84 being "a lady's gentleman", and the clown/mortician Frank from 1998).
 * Following the rap, more winners' reactions are shown, ending with the aforementioned College Week contestant carrying Pat back to the Wheel.
 * Merv Griffin recounts the show's creation, followed by two clips from the first 1974 pilot hosted by Edd Byrnes (Rounds 2 and 1, respectively), which is claimed to be the pilot despite Shopper's Bazaar in 1973 and the second Byrnes pilot. This is also the only appearance of Susan Stafford since filling in for Vanna in daytime from June 16-20, 1986, although she is not credited.
 * This is followed by a clip of a circa-1985 shopping segment, including the purchase of a ceramic Dalmatian.
 * The retirement of the trilon-based puzzle board is discussed, including a clip of Vanna revealing FOR SALE on its last show; undercranked footage of the old "home base" board being wheeled off and the monitor board being set up; Vanna revealing the S in the new board's first puzzle (VALENCIA SPAIN); and shots of various pop culture-related puzzles.
 * The next segment discusses the show's popularity. A clip is shown of Pat and Vanna doing a whistle-stop tour of the East Coast (February 1987); various magazine covers and comic strips that have referenced the show; Ronald Reagan name-dropping Vanna in a speech; and a clip of the Friends episode "The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy" (September 19, 1996), in which Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) watches an early Season 14 episode with the puzzle MOUNT RUSHMORE.
 * Various international adaptations are briefly shown, although strangely not the British or Australian ones despite both still being on the air at this point.
 * In the second segment:
 * Merv appears again, recounting Vanna's selection. This is followed by two clips of her first audition episode in November 1982 (interestingly, her entrance is done to the December 4, 1979 cue), her first entrance as permanent hostess, and her first turned letter.
 * Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible" plays over a montage of Vanna's outfits.
 * Vanna then shows a montage of her pregnancy announcements and on-air introductions of her children.
 * In the third segment:
 * The road-show opening music plays over a montage of road show openings, concluding with three outtakes from the opening of a San Diego episode in May 1997.
 * "Simply Irresistible" plays again over a humorous montage of Pat's "wardrobe", but it stops about 10 seconds in.
 * The clips switch to Mary Wells' "My Guy" over a montage of Pat's quirky behavior, including people picking him up (one from the first half of Season 1); singing the 1957 Zorro theme after the December 15, 1994 Bonus Round; a shot of his frog hat on March 17, 1987 (daytime); eating a cake after the aforementioned circa-1985 shopping clip; a remark after HOME IS WHERE YOU HANG YOUR HAT during the third sunburst era; stripping (sped up) after Darlene retires with $119,351 on November 1, 1996; various "Charlie, put down that _____!" Jackpot intros; glancing at a "Practically Perfect People" version of himself while introducing a Round 2 Prize (circa 1985, with the Winter decorations on the walls); and (from a different episode between mid-December 1984 and June 1986) dropping said item on the Wheel as he signs off.
 * In the fourth segment, Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston's "It Takes Two" plays over a montage of Pat and Vanna's interactions, including their kiss from his last daytime show (January 9, 1989); inhaling helium from on-set balloons (likely from a New Year's week); pieing each other; Pat cutting her hair on December 1, 1995; and their trading places for the November 21, 1996 Bonus Round. "It Takes Two" is also used as the bumper.
 * Pat and Vanna do not sign off.
 * The credits are done under the "3000th Show from Las Vegas" logo.
 * November 23 is Family Week, with the round structure of the season premiere weeks. This is the last week to use that round structure; all games after this point introduce $5,000 in Round 4 and do not end before then, even if the time spent on the first three rounds would warrant otherwise.

December 1998 :
 * On December 3:
 * No vowels are bought in Round 1.
 * Contestant Jerry solves the Round 2 Fill In the Number puzzle #### A SPACE ODYSSEY as "2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY". He is credited with a correct answer, and given the $2,000 bonus for the correct number.
 * All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 4.
 * On December 11, the Round 2 Prize includes a television, which displays the opening of the ceremonial 3,000th episode when Charlie describes it.
 * December 18 is the real 3,000th episode.
 * December 21 is the first Christmas week to be called Christmas Week instead of Happy Holidays.
 * On December 25:
 * The Round 3 Prize is a trip to Walt Disney World plus a $2,500 gift certificate redeemable at The Florida Mall or any other mall owned by Simon Property Group. The accompanying graphics of the mall show Maison Blanche, which closed its store there in 1994. WOF_Holiday_Wedge.jpg
 * The above Prize's wedge has a small gift box in the center, suggesting that it is the Surprise wedge used the week of December 22, 1997. Pat opens the box to find a CD jewel case with his picture on it, and gives this to the contestant who wins it (also that day's winner) before the Bonus Round.
 * There is a $9,850 Jackpot win.
 * December 28 is Wheel into 1999 Week. This is the last time the New Year's week is called "Wheel into [year]", and the last New Year's-themed week until Season 28.

January 1999 :
 * Sometime this year, the bonus puzzle WORKPLACE (categorized as Place) is the third known instance of the category also being part of the answer.
 * January 4 is Fabulous Florida Week, taped in Culver City.
 * During the week of January 18 (West Coast Adventures), four of the five bonus prizes (minus the $25,000) are a car or boat combined with a trip.
 * On January 18:
 * No vowels are bought in Round 2.
 * The Round 3 puzzle BLACK BACKPACK is an extremely rare instance of both a main-game puzzle with only one vowel and a puzzle with none of the five most common consonants in it.
 * The first spin of Round 3 ($3,500) is not added to the Jackpot until after the letter from the second spin is revealed.
 * Five consecutive turns are lost in Round 3.
 * With only the P missing from the aforementioned puzzle, both the red and yellow contestants give wrong answers back-to-back.
 * The scoreboards are still lit up during the first spin of Round 4.
 * Round 5 is a very short answer of NO U-TURN, also a main-game puzzle with only three unique consonants.
 * $250 is not deducted when contestant John buys an O in Round 5; this does not affect the outcome, as he does not solve the puzzle.
 * January 25 is NFL Players Week, and the last use of the Friday Finals format.

February 1999 :
 * Throughout the week of February 8, during the Pat & Vanna talk, Vanna brings in her tomato sauce and mentions different things about it each day.
 * The weeks of February 15 and 22 are taped outdoors, in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel in Honolulu; February 22 is Best Friends Week. During these weeks, Pat wears Hawaiian-themed short-sleeved shirts.

March 1999 :
 * After SHE SELLS SEA SHELLS BY THE SEASHORE is a puzzle on March 8, all Pat & Vanna talks during the week have to do with tongue twisters.
 * The week of March 29 is called April in Paris, even though three of the five episodes air in March.

April 1999 :
 * April 14 is the debut of On the Map.

May 1999 :
 * May 3-24 is the Come Play in LA Sweepstakes. Home viewers may submit each day's bonus puzzle. The grand prize is a trip for two to Los Angeles, which includes a tour of the Wheel set and a chance to audition.
 * The weeks of May 3 and 10 are taped at the Apollo of Temple (now Liacouras Center) in Philadelphia. During these weeks:
 * Full shots of the board have "Philadelphia" written atop the Liberty Bell at the top of the screen.
 * A graphic of the Liberty Bell ringing forms the contestant window in the Bonus Round.
 * On May 3:
 * The Round 4 puzzle WINE AND DINE has only three unique consonants.
 * A contestant wins a "Sports Fantasy" package consisting of 12 tickets to a Flyers/76ers game, a backstage dinner, cigars from Holt's Cigar, a luxury suite at the First Union Center, autographed merchandise from both teams, and a locker room tour.
 * On May 4:
 * The opening chant is done by a crowd at Three Rivers Stadium, led by Vanna in a baseball uniform.
 * Round 1 is an extremely short answer of TAILOR, also a main-game puzzle with only three unique consonants. It is followed by a Puzzler of LET IT OUT, one of the only known instances of a Puzzler longer than the answer before it.
 * For no particular reason, Round 2's answer of JOHN TRAVOLTA AS VINNIE BARBARINO is categorized as Classic TV instead of Star & Role. It is also followed by a trivia question asking for the nickname of the group Travolta was a part of in Welcome Back, Kotter, and the contestant provides the correct answer of Sweathogs.
 * On May 5:
 * The opening segment features Vanna riding a carriage in front of Independence Hall. She then looks at the camera and says, "That's Independence Hall, and this is Wheel of Fortune from Philadelphia."
 * There is a $6,850 Jackpot win.
 * There are two sets of repeated categories: Phrase in Round 1 and the Bonus Round, Things in the Puzzler (Round 1) and Round 3.
 * The winning contestant (Scott) kisses Pat's shoes after winning the Bonus Round.
 * On May 6:
 * The camera is positioned too high during the reveal of the Round 1 puzzle; it is fixed after the first spin.
 * A "null" cycle is edited out of Round 1, as evidenced by the wide shot showing Frank's arrow heading for the green $300 but the close-up showing him landing on the purple $250, as well as Pat saying "There is no M, either!" despite no prior wrong letters being aired.
 * The Round 5 puzzle PEA PODS has only three unique consonants.
 * By May 7, the category wipe for Show Biz changes to a star.
 * On May 7:
 * No vowels are bought in Round 3.
 * There is a $6,300 Jackpot win.
 * The audience boos the bonus puzzle THAT'S IFFY after the contestant fails to solve it.
 * Pat and Vanna each eat a Philly cheesesteak at the end of the show, in reference to the Round 1 puzzle EATING A PHILLY CHEESESTEAK.
 * During the week of May 10 (College Week):
 * The audience does the "Wheel! Of! Fortune!" chant.
 * Unlike other College Weeks on the road, the contestants introduce themselves from their podiums, instead of walking from center stage.
 * Temple University's band plays music bumpers.
 * The Bonus Round prizes comprise four cars and $25,000 cash.
 * On May 10, the Round 2 Prize is an opportunity to throw out the opening pitch at a Phillies/Cubs game on September 29, along with season tickets to Phillies games and autographed merchandise. It is promoted via footage of Vanna at a Phillies game.
 * On May 11:
 * Round 1 is the first known instance of Proper Names.
 * The shot of the Round 1 puzzle being revealed is accidentally re-used for the puzzle reveal in Round 2.
 * The Round 2 prize is a $2,500 shopping spree at King of Prussia Mall.
 * Boyz II Men makes a cameo after Round 2.
 * Contestant Christopher sweeps the game and wins $25,000 in the Bonus Round. After winning, he picks Pat up and pretends to wrestle him.
 * On May 12:
 * The buzzer sounds on a repeated A in Round 3, even though there is an A in the puzzle; normally, the buzzer only sounds on repeats if they were not in the puzzle to begin with.
 * The Round 4 puzzle BEN AFFLECK is inexplicably categorized as Show Biz instead of Proper Name.
 * Pat gives winning contestant Jon a cardboard stand-up of himself after the Speed-Up.
 * Jon fails to solve the bonus puzzle I'M STUFFED with only the U and F's missing.
 * On May 13, there is a $9,650 Jackpot win that comes with only vowels remaining.
 * On May 20:
 * VANNA WHITE WEDDING DRESS is a Before & After puzzle.
 * On the Map is used in the Bonus Round for the first time.
 * On May 21:
 * The show opens with Kermit and Gonzo promoting Muppets from Space in front of the puzzle board, which reads MUPPETS FROM SPACE.
 * The Puzzler (Round 1) and Bonus Round are Thing, while Round 4 is Things.
 * Round 5 is a very short answer of PAYDAY; this is also a very rare instance of a main-game puzzle with only three unique consonants, none of the five most common ones, and only one vowel.
 * For at least the second time this month, at least one "null" cycle is edited out (of Round 5), as seen by the wide shot of Mike's first spin passing Lose A Turn only for the close-up to show him landing on it.
 * After Round 5 goes to Speed-Up, the shot of the board is zoomed in tightly (as was done before Season 5), instead of the whole board being seen.
 * Contestant Shari accidentally calls T and E in the Bonus Round.
 * In honor of his last episode, director Dick Carson appears on-camera after the Bonus Round to chat with Pat and Vanna. During this, black-and-white photos are shown of various people that Carson has worked with, including Merv Griffin and Don Rickles, followed by clips from nighttime shopping-era episodes and 1990s episode bumpers. Strangely, Carson and Pat claim that he became Wheel director in 1982, although he actually began in 1978. At the end of the credits, "Directed by Dick Carson" is shown over footage of him walking off in silence.
 * On May 24, Mark Corwin takes over as director.

June 1999 : (season ends June 4)

Season 17 (1999-2000)
Season Changes :
 * The opening graphics are changed again. The intro starts out with a flyover of the new Sony Pictures Studios complex, starting through the gateway, which has photos of Pat and Vanna (Vanna on the left, and Pat behind the previous season's logo on the right), before the gate opens, a spark flies out, explodes to a flashback clip, and then swirls into multi-color sparks to form the 1997 logo which starts on the Wheel's center. A white spark causes the words to fly out and stack-up in two-row form, with the normal looking "O" in "of". The logo used in the intro now has a graphic of the Wheel around it; this graphic is rather inaccurate, as it has no Bankrupts, and it keeps the $250 spaces even after they are removed. In fact, the Bankrupt between the orange $900 and purple $500 is replaced by the sparkly green $1,000. Each word shines as shouted in the chant, before zooming into the center to cut to the studio. Sometimes, there's a text "17th ANNIVERSARY" below the "WHEEL of FORTUNE" logo
 * Around this point, the video screen generally stops showing the Wheel in mid-spin.
 * WebTV introduces an interactive element that allows users with WebTV to play along with Wheel and Jeopardy! from home, indicated by a "WebTV interactive program" bug at the top of the show.
 * Harry Friedman retires as co-producer, and joins Merv as co-executive producer.
 * Pat's wardrobe sponsor changes yet again, to Bill Blass' Menswear.
 * The Wheel's pegs are upgraded, a fact which Pat notes twice on the season premiere. These new pegs make the Wheel spin very tightly and loudly.
 * The contestants' arrows are redesigned slightly to have a more curved appearance on each side.
 * After each special space's description (Jackpot and Prize Wedges), each wedge zooms out from the sponsor video and flips over to reveal the wedge.
 * At this point, the promo for the show's website is still the same as it was in early 1999.
 * An episode sometime this season has the only confirmed use of Phrases.

September 1999 : (season begins September 6)
 * On September 6, Around the House debuts in Round 4. For this season only, its category wipe is a drawing of a house.
 * During the week of September 13, the Wheel prizes consist of four trip-vehicle pairs: a trip to New Hampshire with a Saab, a trip to Québec City with a Mercedes Benz, a trip to Seattle with a boat, and a trip to Vermont with a Mustang, plus the $25,000.
 * On an episode from the week of September 13:
 * For the second known time, a contestant solves incorrectly on the Jackpot wedge.
 * Round 5 is a very short answer of WALK-INS.
 * The weeks of September 20 and 27 are done at Universal Studios in Orlando. This is the last time until March 2009 that a road show occurs outside of November, February, or May sweeps.
 * On September 23:
 * There is a rare instance of a Puzzler longer than the puzzle before it: in this case, the Round 1 answer SWIMMERS is followed by a Puzzler of BACKSTROKE.
 * The Round 2 puzzle GINGER MARY ANN & THE PROFESSOR (Classic TV) is followed by a trivia question asking for the name of the charter boat on Gilligan's Island. The contestant provides the correct answer of S.S. Minnow.
 * As of September 23:
 * The Puzzler graphic still looks the same as it did on June 12, 1998.
 * "Bonus" categories are still worth $2,000.
 * September 27 is Family Week.

October 1999 :
 * On October 1, there is a $13,300 Jackpot win.
 * Several changes are made on October 4: Preview.jpg
 * The Preview Puzzle debuts.
 * The three $250 spaces are replaced: the orange-yellow $250 becomes $500, the purple $250 becomes $600, and the orange $250 becomes $800. As a result, $300 is the lowest-valued space on the Wheel. Pat and Vanna later discuss this change on October 8.
 * The Final Spin now has $1,000 added to its value.
 * The digits on the wedges now have a white outline, as does the lettering on Lose A Turn.
 * Oddly, October 1 and 4 have two very similar Bonus Round answers: A DAY OFF and A WEEK OFF, respectively. The former is also the first known instance of a bonus puzzle without RSTLNE in it since I DO in March 1996.
 * Presumably by this point, the value of "bonus" categories is increased to $3,000.

November 1999 :
 * The weeks of November 8 and 15 are taped at Madison Square Garden. Among the montage shots in the intro is one where Pat, Vanna, and Alex Trebek are seen ringing the opening/closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
 * On November 8:Regis_&_Kathie_Lee_Preview_Puzzle.jpg
 * The Preview Puzzle is presented on the set of Live with Regis & Kathie Lee by that show's staff, who hold up cue cards with the letters on them; Regis and Kathie Lee also announce the puzzle instead of Vanna. The full answer, BROADWAY, is also revealed in this fashion.
 * For the only known time, Show Biz is used twice (the Preview Puzzle and Round 3). Puzzler_with_Purple_Banner.jpg
 * By November 8, the Puzzler graphic changes to a purple banner with light-purple lettering reading "$3,000 PUZZLER", which wipes to the puzzle board and settles (as just "PUZZLER") in the top-left corner of the screen.
 * On November 11:
 * The Rockettes stand beside the puzzle board during the Preview Puzzle.
 * Contestant Joe accidentally calls two repeated letters in a row, neither of which are acknowledged by Pat as such: the first is a T that he already called on his previous turn, and the second is a B which he immediately acknowledges as a repeat by exclaiming, "Oh, Jesus!"
 * Later in the Speed-Up, there is a very well-known incident where Joe guesses A GROUP OF PILL-PUSHERS on the puzzle A GROUP OF WELL-WISHERS. After the audience laughs and applauds, the cameras cut to Pat saying "Good night, everyone!" then screaming, "This is Wheel of Fortune, Joe!"
 * Several turns later, the red contestant (David) gives an incorrect answer with only vowels remaining. Before the yellow contestant's (Chandra's) turn, there is an abrupt cut to Pat telling her that only vowels remain while the "only vowels remain" beeps (which are almost never used in Speed-Ups) sound. Chandra then solves without guessing a vowel.
 * November 15 is Best Friends Week.
 * On November 15, the original Round 3 (SOFT PRETZEL VENDOR) is thrown out due to Pat accidentally crediting a team with a right answer when they said SALT PRETZEL VENDOR.
 * On an episode during the week of November 15 (likely the 16th or 17th):
 * Against current practice, the buzzer sounds after the yellow team solves incorrectly in Round 1.
 * Round 2 is the first known instance of Slogan not using its bonus question due to the product name being part of the answer (LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR STATE FARM IS THERE).
 * The blue team sweeps the game but loses an electronics package in the Bonus Round.
 * November 22 is the first NBA Week, with basketball star/civilian teams. For the next several seasons, the NBA week is always the first week of Summer reruns.

December 1999 :
 * By December 3, the Puzzler wipe changes again to gold-on-pink; the wipe is otherwise identical in movement to the previous one.
 * On December 3, there is a $9,200 Jackpot win.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of November 29.
 * On an episode from the week of December 6 or 20 (most likely the former; C.C./Pat/Eric):
 * The Preview Puzzle and Puzzler (Round 1) are Person, while Round 4 is People.
 * In Round 2, contestant Eric fills in the entire puzzle HOCKEY HALL OF FAME INDUCTS WAYNE GRETZKY by himself. Interestingly, the round includes a "null" cycle (a dud B from him, followed by a Bankrupt and Lose A Turn from his two opponents). Later in the round, he mis-solves with only the Z missing, then turns in his Free Spin to spin again and call Z before solving correctly.
 * In the break before Round 4 (which begins as a Speed-Up), the blanks for the puzzle CO-WORKERS are accidentally revealed after the contestants are asked to turn back around and face the puzzle board. As a result, the stage manager then informs everyone that the puzzle has to be changed. Contestant Pat informs C.C. of this issue and says that he thinks the answer is CO-WORKERS. Once taping resumes, the same puzzle is inexplicably put back up; C.C. calls R on her first turn and solves right away. The length of the puzzle also suggests that Rounds 1-3 ran overtime.
 * December 13 is the last Puerto Rico Week. On at least one episode from this week, the Bonus Round window is rectangular and much larger than usual, allowing Pat to be seen within it; he is also visible in the shot of the board when the puzzle is solved.
 * On December 14, there is an $8,700 Jackpot win.
 * By December 27, the website promo at the end of the show becomes a "Play Online and Win" promo, with the music now lasting the duration of the "Wheel! Of! Fortune!" chant.
 * December 27 is the first Retro Week, which pays tribute to the shopping era. Several changes are made for this week only, including: Retro_Week_Preview_Puzzle.png
 * The Preview Puzzle is a freeze-frame of a trilon-era puzzle (on the 27th, from the Radio City Music Hall episode of November 22, 1988; on the 28th, a road show with the Gill Sans chyrons). After Vanna walks out, she reveals its answer on the current board.
 * The standard opening includes a retro Bonus Round win: an episode with the diamond contestant backdrops on the 27th, an October 1983 show (Bob/Pearl/Carmen) on the 28th.
 * Following the chant, Charlie's intro is "Look at this studio, full of fabulous prizes, exotic trips, and this classic 1965 restored Mustang convertible, just waiting to be won tonight on Wheel of Fortune! And now, here is your host: Pat Sajak!" A new piece of music accompanies this intro.
 * As Charlie says "tonight", the intro from a 1983-84 episode appears (with the original "Changing Keys" dubbed over), which continues through Vanna's introduction before wiping to Pat and Vanna discussing the special week.
 * On the 27th, the clip is from October 1983 (Bob/Pearl/Carmen), while the 28th is from September 1984 (Anita/Paula/Wayne). The latter inadvertently leaves in both a reference to Jack Clark and a few seconds of "Changing Keys".
 * The set has 1970s flower-power decor, prize turntables, and a ceramic Dalmatian.
 * The contestant video wall shows the 1992-96 backdrops.
 * A Shopping wedge is used in place of the regular Wheel prizes, allowing the contestant to "shop" for one of three prizes (each represented by props on a turntable); one of the prizes during the week is a home-entertainment package, the TV of which shows an opening from the early 1990s. The first wedge uses a drawing of a ceramic Dalmatian. If a Shopping wedge is picked up, the player is shown in an insert at the top-right corner over the choices, as was the case on at least the 1974 pilots.
 * At least two Retro Week episodes use unique combined categories in Round 1: 70's Song/Artists on the 27th, 60's Event on the 28th. It is likely that this theme continued throughout the week.
 * Another classic clip is shown just before Round 3: a sign-off by Pat and Vanna (possibly from daytime, as nighttime rarely used "tomorrow" in the 1980s) as "Ken" and "Barbie" on the 27th, Vanna's entrance from her 1982 audition on the 28th.
 * On December 27:
 * No vowels are bought in Round 1.
 * Contestant Brad sweeps the game and wins a Route 66 trip in the Bonus Round.
 * Around the House makes its first known appearance in the Bonus Round.
 * On December 28:
 * A "null" cycle is edited out of the Jackpot round, as referenced by Pat saying "Natalie, try it again." despite it being her first aired turn. Pat also mentions the Jackpot to contestant Gary, but the value is muted likely to avoid any aired inconsistencies.
 * Richard Simmons appears in the final segment. He promotes his syndicated series DreamMaker, which is canceled by the time this episode airs.
 * On December 30, the second-place contestant has $28,766.

January 2000 :
 * Sometime this year, contestant auditions begin to be held via the Wheelmobile.
 * On an episode sometime between now and May, the bonus puzzle CATCH A POP FLY is inaccurately categorized as Event, as opposed to using an -ING suffix on "catch", or the category Phrase.
 * On another episode in the same time span, the bonus puzzle CANDLEWICK is misspelled (it should be two words).
 * January 3 is Hawaii Week, taped in Culver City.
 * January 10 is the first Big Money Week.
 * January 24 is NFL Players Week.
 * January 31 is Las Vegas Week, taped in Culver City.

February 2000 :
 * February 7 is Soap Opera Stars Week.
 * The weeks of February 14 and 21 are taped at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.
 * During the week of February 14:
 * Rockin' Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters perform as a house band.
 * On at least Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and probably for the rest of the week, clips are shown from an international adaptation during Pat and Vanna's chat: Australia on Monday, Germany on Tuesday, and Turkey on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the hostess of the Turkish version is in the audience.
 * On February 17, Martha Stewart makes a guest appearance after the puzzle MARTHA STEWART LIVING.
 * February 21 is College Week. During this week, Grambling University's marching band is present.
 * On February 25, a contestant sweeps the game and wins a Volkswagen in the Bonus Round.

March 2000 :
 * On March 8, Round 1 is THE MATCH GAME (although the most-familiar 1973-82 era did not use "The" in the title), followed by a Puzzler of GENE RAYBURN. After the round, Pat gives a tribute to Rayburn (who died the previous November) and mentions Game Show Network. A clip of Match Game is then shown going into the first commercial break.
 * On March 14, when the $25,000 prize is announced after the last round, Vanna motions to a $25,000 graphic instead of using the envelope.
 * On March 20:
 * The Gift Tag debuts on the red $900. The first one is for Art.com.
 * An animated bumper is added following Round 3.

April 2000 :
 * On an episode from the week of April 24, the theme (Wheel Across America) is misspelled "Amercia" on one of the on-screen graphics.

May 2000 :
 * The weeks of May 1 and 8 are the WheelOfFortune.com Sweepstakes, sponsored by EarthLink. During these weeks:
 * Round 3 is a "Dot com" puzzle, which may be entered through the show's website for a chance to win prizes sponsored by various websites. Among the prizes are $25,000 cash from USABancShares.com, trips from Marriott’s Vacation Club.com, and other prizes sponsored by Sprint PCS and The EarthLink Mall.
 * EarthLink also sponsors the Wheel prizes.
 * The set has computer-themed decorations, including a giant computer.
 * Because of the "Dot com" puzzle, the Jackpot wedge is moved to Round 2. This change becomes permanent next season.
 * On an episode from the week of May 15:
 * The shot of the Round 1 puzzle is different than usual when it is solved: instead of cutting from the contestant area to a full shot of the board, the camera pans over to it. As a result, the board's left side is cut off and no chyron is present when the answer fills in.
 * The Wheel Prize is a DVD collection, and the copy is followed by a trailer of For the Love of the Game. Given that this is a movie-themed week, it is likely that all of the Prizes were followed by trailers.
 * The $25,000 envelope has the two-row logo on the inside of its top flap. It is not known how long this lasted, although a likely guess is that it was unique to the latter half of this season.
 * May 22 is Family Week. The set is a replica of Universal Studios, interestingly the scene of Family Week earlier in the season.
 * May 29 is Big Money Week, making it the first known regular player week to occur twice in one season. During this week, one of the Bonus Round prizes is an unknown quantity of then-new Sacagawea $1 coins.
 * As of the above week, Fill In the Blank is still in use.

June 2000 : (season ends June 2)

Season 18 (2000-01)
Season Changes :
 * The opening starts with a shot of the applauding audience, then shows flashback clips within the outline of the Wheel, which then rotates to show a golden vertical version of the two-row logo on its side. After the chant, the Wheel graphic flips up and zooms into the center. The template used is the same one from the previous season.
 * The Preview Puzzle and Puzzler rounds are eliminated.
 * Toss-Ups are introduced, thus eliminating the "Just before the show we drew numbers to see who would start the game" spiel. For this season only, both are valued at $1,000: one at the start of the show determines who starts Round 1, and one before Round 4 determines who starts that round. They reveal with a golden traditional Wheel logo coin (with "Toss-Up" written on it) that "flips" from the bottom of the screen to the top, and are initially not split-screened.
 * Both the totals of Bonus Round prizes and end-game totals are now golden numbers on a green rectangle. On some episodes this season, the end-game totals are in Brush Script.
 * The Wheel's lights flash as Pat and Vanna are introduced. This lasts until the end of Season 20.
 * The Wheel is altered once more:
 * The shiny $1,000 wedge is retired. $2,500 becomes the top dollar for Round 1, $3,500 for Rounds 2 and 3, and $5,000 thereafter. Also, Pat no longer mentions any of the top dollar values.
 * The Jackpot wedge and second Bankrupt move to Round 2, and the $10,000 wedge back to Round 3. Unlike Seasons 12-13, the $10,000 wedge is removed after Round 3, even if unclaimed.
 * As of this season, most episodes tend to have two female contestants and one male. This pattern is often broken for road shows and Armed Forces Weeks.
 * Merv Griffin retires, leaving Harry Friedman as sole executive producer.
 * The theme song changes to "Happy Wheels", composed by Steve Kaplan.
 * The category strips are changed again, giving a three-dimensional appearance to the oval outline. The "rolling Wheel" effect is replaced with a slightly smaller rolling Wheel of Fortune logo, which rolls from right to left as the category "pops" out of it, on blue in a font similar to Arial. The unique category wipes for Show Biz, Headline, Around the House, and Classic TV are retired. Through Season 26, the category strips change at the start of each season.
 * The beeping timer in the Bonus Round has music added to it.
 * The animated bumper following Round 3 is dropped.
 * Between now and Season 20, many Thing and Person puzzles begin including a redundant "A" or "AN" at the beginning, particularly in the Bonus Round and Toss-Ups.
 * For this season only, the contestant's Bonus Round letter choices fade in.
 * The eligibility disclaimer, credits, and copyright notice are switched to the Flair font, which remains through Season 23.

September 2000 : (season begins September 4)
 * During the week of September 4 (Fast Cars), the Bonus Round prizes comprise four cars and the $25,000.
 * On September 4:
 * For at least this episode, a new cue is used for both solving main-game puzzles and giving right answers on "bonus" categories. Toss-Ups use a different cue which disappears by the 22nd.
 * Pat gives a contestant help after Round 2's Clue puzzle IT'S THE FAMOUS CARTOON CALL OF THE ROAD RUNNER. After she says "I don't know", Pat elaborates by saying "What does the Road Runner say?" and she provides the correct answer of "Beep-Beep" (or Meep-Meep).
 * The Round 3 Prize is a Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle.
 * The week of September 11, Endless Summer, has a blue floor.
 * On September 20, during the closing segment, Pat and Vanna discuss the Toss-Ups from the contestant area.
 * By September 22, the 1997 main-game "puzzle solve" cue returns. The cue heard in the main game on the 4th is now used when Toss-Ups are solved.
 * On September 22:
 * Vanna wears a sleeveless shirt and pants.
 * Actor Leonard Stone (best known as Sam Beauregarde, Violet's father, in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) is a contestant.
 * The Round 1 puzzle BEAT THE HEAT has only three unique consonants.
 * No vowels are bought in Round 5.
 * Six rounds are played.
 * On September 25:
 * Pat's son and daughter, Patrick and Maggie, do the closing segment. Both of them say that they were told "don't be funnier than Daddy is", and Maggie says that Vanna taught her how to say good-bye.
 * The version of "Happy Wheels" used at the end of the Bonus Round plays during the closing credits.
 * On an episode sometime during the week of September 25 (likely the 28th, as clips of this episode were used during a WPLG news report on the 29th), Round 2 is the second known instance of Slogan not using its bonus question due to the product name being part of the answer (YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS WITH ALLSTATE).

October 2000 :
 * On October 11, after PASSWORD (Classic TV) is a puzzle, a clip of Pat on Super Password is shown.
 * On October 13, two contestants incorrectly solve the Round 3 puzzle STRAIT OF MAGELLAN by adding "the" to the beginning.
 * During the week of October 30, due to the Halloween decorations, Pat and Vanna enter through a gate from stage left.

November 2000 :
 * On November 2, celebrities play the game for charity while in Halloween costumes, with a minimum guarantee of $10,000, as part of an "unmask the stars" contest held on the show's website. It is also the last all-celebrity game.
 * The celebrities are Richard Simmons, Tara Lipinski, and Alex Trebek. They are respectively disguised as William Shakespeare, a genie, and a gnome named Osment, and referred to as such by Pat.
 * During the interviews, Alex presents Pat with a pair of boots, both left.
 * Both Alex and Richard throw Round 1's puzzle A HAUNTING MELODY by deliberately calling incorrect letters with only the E, O, and Y missing, then joking about their calls. ShoppingGrave11200.png
 * After Round 3, a gag tombstone reading "Shopping for prizes" is seen, next to a ceramic Dalmatian sporting its $154 pricetag.
 * The second Toss-Up is not played.
 * Richard calls A on two consecutive turns in the Speed-Up.
 * The bonus puzzle is IN DISGUISE, which Tara solves for $25,000.
 * In the final segment, Charlie reveals each celebrity's identity. All three appear with Pat and Vanna, as does Alex's son, Matt (also in a gnome costume).
 * As of November 2, fourth rounds that begin as a Speed-Up still do not use the Final Spin bells or category chime, nor are they revealed until after the Final Spin.
 * The week of November 6 is taped at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.
 * On November 6:
 * Background music is added to the Speed-Up round.
 * The $10,000 Wedge is mistakenly placed on the Wheel for Round 2, where it is won. Pat comments on the error at the start of Round 3, and the wedge is used in that round as well.
 * On November 7, a contestant accidentally asks to buy a W, then a zero, before correcting himself and saying O. After a stopdown, he is credited with the O, then told to spin again and credited with the W.
 * On November 10, there is a Jackpot win.
 * The week of November 13 is the Hershey's Pot of Gold Sweepstakes. The grand prize is five years of vacations for a family of four in Hawaii, plus a Lexus and $25,000 cash (plugged with a $25,000 envelope, with the Hershey's Pot of Gold logo on the top half). Ten first-prize winners get to sit in the audience during the Hawaii episodes in February. Other prizes include $500 Sony Card shopping sprees and Hershey's chocolate gift packages. Home viewers may submit an entry form from the November 12 newspaper and include at least three of the bonus puzzles from that week.
 * On November 15, the second-place contestant has $27,300.
 * On November 27:
 * The Round 2 puzzle MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND CATHERINE ZETA-JONES is categorized as Show Biz instead of Proper Names; interestingly, the puzzle airs only nine days after their marriage.
 * Contestant Mica wins Round 3 with only the $10,000 Prize and the Prize wedge, a $9,995 motorcycle. He finishes in second place with the $19,995 total.

December 2000 :
 * For a few weeks around this point, the background of the set changes before the Bonus Round.
 * During the week of December 25, one of the bonus prizes is a "mystery prize" which is mentioned as being worth over $42,000.
 * On December 25, during the credits, each staff member appears on-screen at their credit. At the end, Charlie appears on-camera to wish viewers a happy holiday.

January 2001 :
 * On an episode sometime this year, the bonus puzzle PIKACHU is both a tie for the longest known bonus puzzle without RSTLNE, and the last known instance of such a puzzle.
 * January 1 is Las Vegas Week, taped in Culver City.
 * As of January 1, games may still end without a Speed-Up.
 * On January 2, there is a Jackpot win.
 * On a Mexico Week episode from the week of January 8, 15, or February 26 (Steve/Frantz/Melissa):
 * Round 5 (which begins as a Speed-Up) is the first known appearance of The 60's since Retro Week in 1999.
 * The contestant displays do not turn off until after the first turn of Round 5.
 * 10 wrong letters are called during the Speed-Up, including 8 in a row.
 * January 22 is NFL Players Week, taped at DAR Constitution Hall. This is the first time since the Olympics episodes in 1996 that a road show runs for more than two weeks, and it is the first time since then that episodes from the same venue do not air contiguously.
 * January 29 is San Francisco Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On January 29:
 * Vanna wears a sleeveless shirt and pants.
 * Although a repeated N is called in Round 3, it is not acknowledged as such.
 * Richard tries to call two letters in a row in the Speed-Up.

February 2001 :
 * February 5 is College Week, taped at DAR Constitution Hall.
 * On February 6, for what is likely the first time, a Toss-Up is not solved. The correct answer is SHE ACED IT, and two contestants ring in with wrong answers. Interestingly, both guesses come with only the C missing.
 * On February 5, 6, or 7, a contestant solves the bonus puzzle GOPHER despite getting no help from his extra letters, after which Pat pretends to frisk him.
 * By February 9:
 * Fourth rounds that begin as a Speed-Up now have the puzzle revealed as normal, complete with the Final Spin bells immediately following the category chime.
 * The $25,000 envelope no longer has the show's logo on its inside. This change likely happened much earlier.
 * On February 9:
 * The second Bankrupt and Jackpot wedge are accidentally placed one wedge clockwise from their normal locations, putting them on the green $500 (where Jackpot should be) and orange $800, respectively. This error does not affect the final outcome, although it results in a $12,650 Jackpot win.
 * The Round 3 puzzle WHY DON'T YOU SLEEP ON IT? is the first known use of a question mark outside Fill In the Blank.
 * Contestant David sets a main-game winnings record of $65,250.
 * Pat accidentally starts prompting Vanna to reveal David's Bonus Round letters before he has picked a vowel.
 * David solves the bonus puzzle I'M SO HAPPY with only the I, M, and S revealed.
 * The weeks of February 12 and 19 are taped outdoors, in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Hawaii. February 12 is Family Week, and the week of February 19 has all Hawaiian contestants.
 * By February 26, the closed-captioning promotional plug is moved to the end of Round 3.

March 2001 :
 * On March 4, Microsoft announces that it is pulling the WebTV interactive elements from Wheel and Jeopardy! due to a financial dispute with Sony.
 * By March 5, the gameplay structure is altered to end every game in a Speed-Up. This change was made permanent because some games that ended without a Speed-Up round ran longer than usual.
 * On March 5, a transparent Wheel of Fortune bug is added in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen, written in the same font as the two-row logo. It is seen during the intro, and whenever the contestant area or puzzle board is on-screen. For road shows, "of Fortune" is replaced with "in [name of city]".
 * The week of March 12 is Fast Cars, also the theme of the season premiere week. This is the only known "regular" theme, other than Big Money and America's Game, to occur more than once in one season.
 * On March 14, Living Thing debuts.
 * On March 21:
 * The 1997 puzzle-solve cue is accidentally used on the first Toss-Up, with the usual cue returning for the second.
 * Contestant Blythe's last spin in Round 1 lands on the orange $800, but only $550 is added to her score; however, this does not affect the outcome. The credits mention that a portion of the show had to be re-produced, so is possible that she actually landed on the adjacent $550 and the spin was reshot after the round, as Pat never announces the dollar amount during that turn. Oddly, her arrow is sitting on the green $500 after she solves, suggesting that more than one reshoot may have been done.
 * On March 30, nobody solves the second Toss-Up.

April 2001 :
 * On April 2:
 * Vanna wears a sleeveless shirt and pants.
 * There is a $9,200 Jackpot win. Unusually, it is the only money won by the contestant in that round, and comes with only vowels remaining.
 * WHEEL OF FORTUNE is the second Toss-Up. After it is solved, Pat jokes that "we have officially run out of puzzles, apparently."
 * The first Toss-Up and Round 4 are Thing, while Round 1 and the Bonus Round are Phrase.
 * On April 6, Living Thing makes its first known appearance in the Bonus Round.
 * April 9 is the second and final Retro Week. Besides the presence of Toss-Ups, differences from the one in 1999 include:
 * There is no chant during the opening, as was the case prior to August 1983.
 * The opening uses the then-current theme.
 * The 1980s clip on at least the 13th is from between February and September 1984, and "Changing Keys" is poorly dubbed over: several seconds are audible after Pat's introduction, while the first note of the bridge is audible when Vanna is introduced (replaced by a slightly different version of the first Retro Week's opening cue).
 * The contestant video wall shows a set of unique backdrops, using the bases of the 1992-96 ones with the traditional logo on top. From Round 1 through the end of the game, the logos are replaced by illustrations of the 1992-96 design.
 * On at least April 13, Pat introduces the three "shopping" prizes.
 * On at least April 13, the classic clips shown before Round 3 use a cue that somewhat resembles "Changing Keys".
 * On April 13:
 * No vowels are bought in Round 1.
 * Greg hits the purple $600 next to $3,500 twice in a row in Round 3, but on both spins, the same shot of that wedge from another episode's Round 1 is dubbed in, as evidenced by $2,500 being visible.
 * Although a repeated S is called in Round 3, it is not acknowledged as such.
 * The last segment includes a montage of Vanna's outfits.
 * April 16 is the second Big Money Week of the season.
 * April 23 is San Diego Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On April 27, the Speed-Up puzzle FOUNTAIN AND BULL PEN is the first known instance of Same Name using AND since the end of Season 6.
 * April 30 is Soap Stars Week.

May 2001 :
 * The weeks of May 7 and 14 are taped at the Dallas Convention Center. May 14 is Best Friends Week.
 * During the week of May 14:
 * The post-Round 3 bumper includes a spinning version of the traditional logo; underneath, a star leaves a sparkling wipe to reveal the words "Dallas Week", then rotates to form an outline of Texas. On at least the 18th, this logo is done next to a shot of a cowboy riding a horse.
 * One Bonus Round prize is 1,000,000 Advantage Miles from American Airlines.
 * On May 18:
 * After Round 1, Pat slumps over the railing upon realizing that his pants zipper is open.
 * The Round 2 puzzle A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED is categorized as Phrase instead of Rhyme Time, possibly because Round 4 is also Rhyme Time.
 * Pat mentions before the second Toss-Up that it is the 3,500th episode.
 * On May 29, one round has a Star & Role puzzle of ROBERT BLAKE AS BARETTA. Between the episode's taping and airing, Blake is accused of shooting his wife; after the round is solved, a clip is dubbed in of Pat explaining the situation.

June 2001 : (season ends June 1)

Season 19 (2001-02)
Season Changes :
 * The number of Toss-Ups is increased to three. The first Toss-Up, still valued at $1,000, now determines only who is interviewed first. A Toss-Up worth $2,000 is added before Round 1 to determine who starts that round, and the one before Round 4 is upgraded to $3,000. Toss-Ups are now split-screened in the same fashion as Speed-Up rounds, and they are now introduced with a wipe consisting of "Toss-Up" written on a purple disc, with "TOSS" written both right-side-up and upside-down on the edges.
 * The opening still shows flashbacks, but the graphics surrounding the clip are changed, and they now appear just before a golden version of the two-row logo appears. Until about January, a clip of a woman jumping up and down is briefly visible just before the logo appears. The Wheel graphic used is the Speed-Up template, and the logo and graphic are accompanied with searchlights on a starry light blue background. Each word in the logo appears as said during the chant, and after "Fortune!", the logo zooms into the Wheel's center to cut to the studio.
 * Charlie's intro is changed to "Ladies and gentlemen, Pat Sajak and Vanna White!" On travel shows, this is typically changed to "And now, from [venue], here are the stars of America's Game: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!"
 * Charlie's spiel for the Bonus Round prizes is moved from after the final round to immediately before the Bonus Round. As he does this, Vanna once again holds either the electronic $25,000 envelope from the late 1990s or the regular envelope.
 * Bonus Round prizes are now reduced to the cash or cars.
 * The numbers for the $25,000 graphic are changed to a white 3-D form of impact and spin into place. While they spin into place, a blue background appears.
 * The category strips are changed to white letters on a purple, rectangular background. The "rolling Wheel" effect is replaced with a white "burst" effect.
 * Road shows now last for three weeks instead of two.
 * Some tapings from Culver City now comprise six episodes; these sixth tapings are put into special weeks throughout the season.
 * This is the only season in the Jackpot's history with no known wins.
 * The cash totals after the Bonus Round are now large, thin, white numbers.
 * The Jackpot wedge no longer has the sponsor's logo on it. Instead, the sponsor's logo is shown above the Jackpot total.
 * According to a poster at alt.tv.game-shows, a contestant during this season tries to solve their bonus puzzle before giving any extra letters, but is not allowed to do so.

September 2001 : (season begins September 3)
 * During the week of September 3 (Desert Southwest Week), the zig-zag shaped PHOENIX ARIZONA signs from the Arizona episodes in February 1997 are used to frame the video screen, although the letters are absent.
 * On September 3:
 * Pat forgets to say the category for the $1,000 Toss-Up until just before it is solved.
 * The first spin of Round 1 uses a bird's-eye view of the entire set, instead of cutting to a closeup of the Wheel.
 * Round 3 has a rare instance of a contestant losing their turn with only vowels remaining; contestant Marva incorrectly solves the puzzle IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW with only the E's and A missing, after which contestant Dante solves for the house minimum.
 * Pat accidentally says that the category for the Speed-Up is Rhyme Time (the category of the $3,000 Toss-Up), but Marva corrects him.
 * There is a very rare instance of a contestant solving the Speed-Up puzzle without any money.
 * The contents of the W-H-E-E-L envelopes change to three cars and two $25,000 envelopes, with all five remaining in play all week.
 * The winning contestant leaves with only $5,100, the lowest known total since the retirement of the Friday Finals format.
 * On September 6, a contestant solves the bonus puzzle JAWS despite getting no help from her extra letters.
 * On September 10:
 * The Round 3 Prize is a Thunderbird motorcycle.
 * No vowels are bought in Round 4.
 * Six rounds are played.
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up is Thing, and Round 6 is Things.
 * 12 wrong letters (including one vowel) are called in the Speed-Up.
 * From September 11-14, many markets air Wheel and Jeopardy! in early-morning hours (or not at all) due to coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. None of the affected episodes are known to have been rerun during Summer 2002 or the 2002-03 weekend feed, although all contestants did receive their winnings. The Jeopardy! episodes were eventually rerun by GSN in 2005, while the Wheel ones likely aired on MediaCorp Channel 5 in Singapore, a station known to have aired at least some Season 19 episodes well after their American airdates.
 * September 17 is San Francisco Week, taped in Culver City.
 * September 24-28 is the Italian Sweepstakes.
 * On September 24, contestant Chad picks C H A D in the Bonus Round.
 * On an episode early this season (known to have been rerun on July 12, 2002), a contestant fails to solve the bonus puzzle HUMIDITY, repeatedly guessing "humditty". After time expires, he misreads the fully-revealed answer as "humditty" and asks Pat "Didn't I say 'humditty'?", after which Pat corrects him.

October 2001 :
 * On October 1:
 * Two contestants mispronounce Tea Leoni's name as "tea" instead of "tay-a" when trying to solve the puzzle DAVID DUCHOVNY AND TEA LEONI.
 * In the Speed-Up round, all three contestants guess BALL PEN AND PENCIL SET, when the actual answer is BULL PEN AND PENCIL SET (Before & After).
 * October 15 (Wheel Around the World) is the first week of sixth episodes.
 * On October 22:
 * The $3,000 Toss-Up and Bonus Round are On the Map.
 * The category strip disappears briefly during Round 4. First_Bonus_Wheel.png
 * The W-H-E-E-L envelopes are replaced with a 24-space Bonus Wheel. Its wedges originally spell out "WIN $100,000 CASH BONUS", with a blue space after "win", a red space after "$100,000", a green space after "CASH", and a pink space after "BONUS". One envelope has $100,000 cash, 11 have $25,000, while the remaining 12 have cars (whose distribution varies depending on whether two or three cars are offered for the week). The traditional logo (with colors on its "wedges") is on the center, which itself does not spin. A special piece of music plays whenever the Wheel is spun. The first prize landed on, a Honda Accord, is not won.
 * As with the W-H-E-E-L envelopes, Charlie announces one of several rotating lines whenever the cash prizes are won; he also begins drawing out the word "thousand".
 * Until about January, Pat reveals the location of the $100,000 envelope regardless of outcome. This typically uses an overhead shot, but such a shot is not used on this episode, thus making the $100,000 envelope's position unclear.
 * If the $100,000 is won, a collection of steamers and confetti is released onto the stage.
 * The $100,000 graphic is similar to the $25,000 win graphic of that time, but its background is green instead of blue.
 * In early episodes of the Bonus Wheel, the $100,000 graphic is on the top of the screen. It is later moved, to the bottom of the screen.
 * In the final segment, Vanna spins the Bonus Wheel and picks the comma, whose envelope contains $25,000.
 * As of October 22, the music for the Bonus Round timer sounds exactly as it did on the Season 18 premiere.
 * On October 26, Columbia TriStar Television and Columbia TriStar Television Distribution merge to become Columbia TriStar Domestic Television. This lasts until the third week of Season 20.

November 2001 :
 * For the weeks of November 5-26, the combined winnings of each episode are matched and donated to charity for the World Trade Center relief.
 * The weeks of November 5-19 are taped at the Knight International Center in Miami on September 11 and 12. November 12 is Cruise Week, and November 19 is Family Week. During these weeks:
 * Because of 9/11, Charlie is unable to make the flight, so his announcing is pre-recorded. Contestant coordinator Gary O'Brien handles audience warm-ups.
 * Also because of 9/11, the audiences are extremely small.
 * Also at this point, Pat starts wearing an American flag lapel pin on his coat; this lasts until the end of Season 23.
 * During the first week's taping, members of the audience draw raffle tickets for a chance to audition. One audience member is a contestant on November 7.
 * On November 8, a Toss-Up is reshot for an unknown reason.
 * On one of the Miami episodes, Marvel Comics writer Barry Dutter is a contestant.

December 2001 :
 * On December 3, a contestant solves the bonus puzzle BALI despite getting no help from his extra letters. This is the last known four-letter bonus puzzle until FAWN in May 2005, as the long-standing trend of very short bonus puzzles (first established in Season 7) is gradually reversed over the next several seasons.
 * December 10 is Hawaii Week, taped in Culver City. During this week, as part of the Hawaiian Vacation Sweepstakes, viewers may submit each day's bonus puzzle for a chance to win a vacation to Hawaii.
 * By December 10:
 * The Bonus Wheel is altered to replace the traditional logo with a larger domed light, and the red wedge between "BONUS" and "WIN" becomes purple.2001_Bonus_Wheel.jpg
 * The music for the Bonus Round timer is modified.
 * On December 11:
 * The Round 1 puzzle ELLEN DEGENERES is a rare main-game puzzle with only one vowel.
 * A cycle of lost turns is edited out of Round 1 despite not being "null"; the first lost turn is an incorrect vowel from contestant Christopher, as his score is off by $250 for the rest of the round, which he ultimately wins. Pat references the cycle by telling him "An R, we have." despite no prior lost turns being aired. It is not known why this was done, as the first three rounds did not run abormally long.
 * The Round 2 puzzle A FATHER-TO-BE PACING BACK AND FORTH is categorized as Event instead of Person.
 * Contestant Katie's nametag falls off during her first spin in Round 2.
 * Round 3 is the first known instance of Song Lyrics.
 * Pat does not reveal the location of the $100,000 envelope.
 * On December 19:
 * Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
 * Round 2 and the Bonus Round are Thing, while the $3,000 Toss-Up is Things.
 * The $100,000 is won for the first time.
 * On December 20:
 * Contestant Danielle says the answer to the $1,000 Toss-Up but does not ring in, allowing contestant Dave to ring in with the right answer.
 * The Round 2 puzzle PAUL NEWMAN AND JOANNE WOODWARD is the first known Husband & Wife puzzle after Season 7 not to use an ampersand.
 * Round 3 has a now-rare instance of a Wheel Prize that is not a trip or cash: in this case, a snowmobile plus a collection of James Bond DVDs and film soundtracks.
 * For the first known time, Around the House is used twice: Round 5 and the Bonus Round.
 * As of December 20, Pat still reveals the location of the $100,000 envelope at the end of the Bonus Round.
 * On December 25, contestant Spencer wins despite failing to claim $39,550 in Round 2.
 * December 31 is I Love NY Week, taped in Culver City. New York then-governor George Pataki does some of the intros, and 9/11 is addressed.

January 2002 :
 * On January 2, Pat and Vanna replay a clip of the "A GROUP OF PILL-PUSHERS" incident during their chat. Oddly, the clip is edited down to remove the audience's reaction and Pat's "Good night, everyone!" comment.
 * As of January 3, the intro graphics still feature the woman jumping up and down.
 * January 7 is NFL Players Week. This is also the only such week to not be rerun during the Summer. During this week:
 * The NFL stars introduce themselves at the top of the show, each one appearing in golden-colored box in the lower left-hand corner, against a background of football players. The Wheel of Fortune logo spins clockwise in the lower right-hand corner.
 * In the interviews, the corresponding NFL players are shown wishing good luck to their contestants.
 * The top winner receives clothing from Players Inc. and a PlayStation 2.
 * Home viewers may enter a contest on the show's website for a chance to win tickets to the Pro Bowl. Shannon Sharpe of the Baltimore Ravens promotes this after the Bonus Round.
 * On an episode from the week of January 7:
 * The Round 2 Prize is $2,500 towards a purchase from TicketsNow.com, and the Round 3 Prize is a set of tickets to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
 * Strangely, the $25,000 graphic does not appear after Mazi wins that amount in the Bonus Round.
 * By the above episode, Pat no longer reveals the location of the $100,000 envelope.
 * January 14 is New Orleans Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On January 14, there is a $100,000 loss.
 * On January 21, there is a $100,000 loss.
 * By January 21, the woman jumping up and down is no longer visible during the intro.
 * On an episode from the week of January 21:
 * Contestant Sally hits Bankrupt four times over the course of four rounds; oddly, three of the four come when she has no money or cardboard.
 * The Round 3 Prize is not used; it is not known if this was the case all week.
 * Contestant April wins by $50.
 * Due to the Hershey's Sweepstakes, only January 28-30 use the week's theme name, Romantic Destinations. It is not known if these three episodes used the Round 3 Prize.
 * January 31-February 6 is the Hershey's Pot of Gold Sweepstakes, with no theme name seen for those shows. The respective weeks' sets are retained as per usual. During this sweepstakes, home viewers may win a pair of Ford Thunderbirds, $10,000 shopping sprees, $25,000 cash, a Princess cruise, a $500 Sony gift card or Hershey's Kisses. To enter, viewers must submit either a form (from the Sunday, January 27 newspaper) or a postcard, with three of the five Bonus Round solutions from these episodes. Also, the Round 3 Prize is not used during these episodes.

February 2002 :
 * On February 1, a contestant fills in the bonus puzzle THE JOKER completely.
 * On February 4, a contestant guesses MINERS & HOES on the $1,000 Toss-Up FINGERS & TOES, a moment which has been seen on several retrospectives and blooper shows.
 * On February 6, the main video wall shows the Hershey's contest as the "Hershey's Hugs & Kisses" sweepstakes. Also, the contestant video wall uses the Season 17 logo.
 * On at least February 6, the Wheel Prize is a Panasonic gift card sponsored by Hershey's. The wedge features a Hershey's Kiss on it.
 * Due to the Hershey's Sweepstakes, only February 7-8 use the week's theme name, Island Fever.
 * The weeks of February 11-25 are taped at the Las Vegas Hilton.
 * February 11 is Sweethearts Week.
 * February 18 is Big Money Week, another case of that week occurring twice in one season. For this week, cash amounts of $30,000, $35,000, $40,000, $45,000, and $50,000 are added to the Bonus Wheel.
 * February 25 is Best Friends Week.

March 2002 :
 * On March 14, a contestant solves the bonus puzzle KOBE BRYANT before Vanna can reveal the letters that he called.
 * March 18 is Washington D.C. Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On March 19, seven rounds are played. This episode may have had a final round of HAIR CARE, a main-game puzzle with only three unique consonants.
 * March 25 is San Diego Week, taped in Culver City.

April 2002 :
 * On April 3:
 * During Round 4, Jeff spins $5,000 three times and accumulates $45,900, but does not win it. This would have set a new one-round record had it been won.
 * The Final Spin bells sound twice in Round 4.
 * The week of April 8 is the Wheelapalooza Sweepstakes, where home viewers may submit each day's bonus puzzle on the show's website. The grand prize is a VIP trip for two to Los Angeles with a chance to audition.
 * On April 11, nobody solves the $3,000 Toss-Up, AN ONLY CHILD. One contestant gives an incorrect answer of AN UGLY CHILD, and the other two players end up laughing to the point that neither of them rings in before the entire answer is revealed.
 * April 22 is NASCAR Week. During this week, one bonus prize is a lifetime supply of gasoline, the only known prize since the introduction of the Bonus Wheel that is not a car or cash.
 * As of April 25, very short puzzles may still be used in Round 1 (in this case, a 9-letter answer of PAULA ZAHN).
 * On April 25:
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up is Things, and Round 4 is Thing.
 * The Round 4 puzzle AN ON/OFF SWITCH is the second of only three known uses of a slash, although Harry Friedman tells Pat that it is their first slash upon being asked. Before the Bonus Round, Pat says that the research department has found that the show has used that punctuation mark before.
 * After failing to solve the bonus puzzle HOCKEY FANS, the contestant misreads the fully-revealed answer as "hokey fans". Pat immediately corrects him and notes that "This is the first time anyone ever mis-solved it when it was actually up there", despite a similar incident with HUMIDITY earlier in the season.
 * During Pat and Vanna's chat, sped-up footage is shown of the stagehands dressed as a pit crew while adding the $3,500 and second Bankrupt to the Wheel.
 * April 29 is the first Teen Best Friends Week.
 * On a Teen Best Friends episode, a contestant on the red team rings in on the $1,000 Toss-Up and says CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE. Her teammate quickly adds an S to form the right answer, and it is accepted.

May 2002 : (season ends May 31)
 * On May 2, for the only known time, Proper Name is used twice: the Speed-Up round and the Bonus Round.
 * The weeks of May 6-20 are taped at Navy Pier in Chicago.
 * On May 7: WheelCheesecake.jpg
 * A contestant solves the $2,000 Toss-Up PETER PIPER, then recites the first verse of the poem of the same name. A clip of this appears during the ceremonial 4,000th episode in November 2003.
 * At the end of the show, a 517-pound cheesecake with a Wheel layout on top is brought out for the staff. Oddly, the Wheel layout has 23 wedges including two $250 spaces, despite that value having been retired three years earlier.
 * On May 8, the original Round 3 puzzle is discarded due to a letter lighting up that had not been called.
 * May 13 is College Week.
 * Sometime during the week of May 13, three repeated letters are called in a Jackpot round. The Jackpot values shown during the available footage indicate that the second and third repeated letters are called on consecutive turns, after which the audience applauds.
 * May 20 is Chicago Sports Week.
 * On May 20, there is a $100,000 loss.
 * On May 21:
 * Pat's mother makes a guest appearance.
 * The Round 3 puzzle takes several seconds to reveal after being introduced.
 * Vanna sings "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".
 * On May 22, a contestant solves the bonus puzzle A GOLF BAG on the buzzer. Her answer is checked during the commercial break, and in the final segment Pat tells her that she has been ruled a winner.
 * May 27 is Wheel Goes to the Movies Week.
 * On an episode from the week of May 27 (Nicole/Randy/Peggy), the puzzle board accidentally starts flashing after the D is revealed in the Round 4 puzzle COSTUME DESIGNER; it stops after the Final Spin.

Season 20 (2002-03)
Season Changes :
 * The Wheel is slightly altered again:
 * The second Bankrupt in Round 3 moves to the purple $600 next to $3,500.
 * The Gift Tag moves to $700.
 * The $10,000 prize is moved again, to Round 1 on the orange $800.
 * The Round 3 Prize is again retired.
 * The pegs are changed to shorter, bronze-colored ones. Perhaps as a result, the Wheel is now slightly looser than in Seasons 17-19.
 * The Mystery Wedges debut in Round 3, worth $500 per letter if not flipped over. They are initially located over the green $500 and the orange-yellow $500. If one is landed on, a synthesized chord and "tinkle" effect sound.
 * The long-standing practice of generally using a very short puzzle in Round 1 seems to disappear around this point. One-line puzzles generally stop appearing in the main game at all, except when a short final round is needed.
 * Both puzzle-solve cues are changed, with the main cue extending the final note from the Toss-Up cue.
 * A second music bed is added to the Bonus Round, between the end of the Bonus Wheel music bed and the start of the timer.
 * As of this season, almost all Wheel Prizes are trips, cash awards, or credit towards purchases from a certain company.
 * The eggcrate score displays are replaced with computer-generated panel displays. These displays are colored the same as the respective arrows below them, with an "embossed" texture of the Bankrupt-$600-$400-$300-Lose A Turn section of the Wheel as a background. Scores are displayed in a white Impact font. Whenever a score is altered, it swivels as it morphs to the new score. If a contestant hits Bankrupt or Lose A Turn, those words are shown on the display (in the color scheme of the wedge) for a few seconds. At the start of each show, the scoreboards each show one word in the show's title; upon the first letter being revealed in the $1,000 Toss-Up, they disappear via an "explosion" graphic.
 * Possibly in relation to the score display change, the scoreboard frames now remain off regardless of turn, although the contestant arrows below still blink.
 * The extra cash amounts added to the Bonus Wheel for Big Money Week in February 2002 become permanent. When they are described by Charlie leading out of the final round, there is an animation of the Bonus Wheel slowly spinning, as each amount's envelope flies out and opens revealing the new values. After the $50,000 envelope opens, the camera cuts to center stage for the announcement of the $100,000 cash prize. This lasts until at least the end of Season 23. The bonus round win graphics for cash prizes ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 are like the $25,000 win graphic first used last season. Also, in early episodes of this season, the bonus round cash spiel is "How's this for cash, you could win anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000, or course, the big $100,000!". The spiel was later chaged to "There's lots of reasons to win cash, from $25,000 to $50,000, or you could spin and win $100,000!"
 * Contestants who finish with $0 are now given $500 cash instead of parting gifts, to alleviate the cost of travel.
 * The opening is now blue rings in a reddish background, forming a maroon version of the two-row logo. Once it's complete, the "Wheel! Of! Fortune!" chant is heard. The logo then zooms up to the Wheel-shaped "O" in "of" to cut to the studio. Sometimes the logo has the accompanying text "20th Anniversary" below it, similar to the bug (see below).
 * For this season only, the shot during the intro starts at a "20th Anniversary" monitor hanging over the middle of the audience.
 * "Happy Wheels" is given a new rearrangement which samples the first few bars from the 1997 "Changing Keys".
 * The category strips are a purple rectangle with a green line at the top and bottom, with very narrow white letters.
 * For this season only, the category strip in the Bonus Round flies onscreen with a "whoosh" sound effect, and RSTLNE spins onscreen one letter at a time.
 * For this season only, there is a "20th Anniversary" bug on-screen. The same logo also spins onscreen to form the contestant window in the Bonus Round.
 * All sixth episodes this season retain the name of their respective weeks. Also, beginning this season, the last week of the season is always composed of sixth episodes.
 * If a contestant has friends and/or family members in the audience, they are now shown standing at the front of the audience before the Bonus Round.
 * Fill In the Blank is retired by the start of the season.
 * Pat's wardrobe provider is no longer credited.
 * On an episode likely from this season, one round has a puzzle of I'D LIKE TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE.
 * On an episode sometime this season, Vanna brings out Giavonna in the final segment.

September 2002 : (season begins September 2)
 * For the first few weeks of the Mystery Round's existence:
 * The outro to Round 2 has Charlie announcing "The all-new Mystery Round is full of surprises, and it's coming up next!"
 * Charlie's original spiel for the Mystery Round is "The Mystery Round: it's all or nothing. What's on the other side of the Mystery Wedge? It could be a Bankrupt..." followed by a phrase that varies from day to day, then the name and value of the prize. An animation of the Wheel stopping, followed by both wedges dropping onto the Wheel, appears as Charlie says the first sentence; as he says "Bankrupt", the right one flips over to reveal a Bankrupt and the slide whistle sounds. A spinning silver question mark then wipes to a graphic of the prize as its value appears.
 * When Pat describes the Mystery Wedges, a unique low-angle shot of the Wheel is used, panning from one wedge to the other.
 * If a contestant flips over a Mystery Wedge, Pat flips over the other one at the end of the round (sometimes spinning the Wheel backwards to do so). However, he does not do this on September 2.
 * On September 2:
 * The Gift Tag is accidentally placed on the red $800. It stays that way for Round 2, only slightly moved to the left to make room for the Prize wedge.
 * There are two sets of duplicate categories: the $2,000 Toss-Up and Round 2 are Phrase, while the $3,000 Toss-Up and the Bonus Round are Thing.
 * The very first Mystery Wedge is flipped. The other side is Bankrupt.
 * In Round 3, after contestant Kelly hits Bankrupt and uses her Free Spin, the overhead shot of the following spin is obviously dubbed in: not only does the shot show the red arrow instead of the yellow, but the $10,000 Wedge and a different Gift Tag (on the red $900) are visible.
 * September 9 is Las Vegas Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On September 9:
 * There is a Jackpot win.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * On September 10:
 * Charlie's post-Round 2 announcement of the Mystery Round is edited out.
 * A contestant mispronounces "jalapeño" as "jalapeña" when solving the Speed-Up puzzle JALAPENO AND DR PEPPER, but is ruled correct after an edit. This is also the second known instance since Season 7 of Same Name spelling out AND.
 * Pat and Vanna do not sign off. This and the lack of post-Round 2 announcement are likely due to the episode running overtime.
 * On September 13:
 * The Gift Tag is on the red $900.
 * There is an edit at the start of Round 1, as Kristen's first spin is heading for Bankrupt but the close-up shows her landing in the center of the $10,000 Wedge instead; the edit is made more obvious in that she calls a correct letter to claim the wedge, which she proceeds to win. It is likely that a "null" cycle was edited out.
 * David spins the Wheel just after the Final Spin bells sound. He is allowed to complete his turn, and Pat does the Final Spin immediately afterward.
 * Wendy accidentally calls L in the Bonus Round, although Pat does not realize this until after she has called a vowel. When prompted for a third consonant, she accidentally calls M a second time before picking C.
 * As of September 13 (and including the weeks of November 4-18):
 * The Bonus Round timer cue sounds the same as it did on December 10, 2001.
 * Before & After and Same Name, and puzzles on more than two lines of the puzzle board may still be used after Round 3; in this case, a three line Same Name of MARTIAL & CULINARY ARTS.
 * On September 16, Donny Osmond makes a cameo after the puzzle TV GAME SHOW HOST to promote the debut of Pyramid.
 * Beginning September 16, Wheel, Jeopardy!, and other shows previously produced by Columbia TriStar Television are now produced by Sony Pictures Television.
 * Season 20 starts with 13 consecutive Bonus Round losses, the longest known losing streak until May 2013.
 * On September 24, contestant Lee wins $3,250 in Round 4, but his scoreboard displays $10,250, which Pat says is his total for the round. This scoring error is likely due to a higher amount being added to his score than he should have gotten after a correct letter, and no acknowledgement is made of it in any way.
 * September 30 is Florida Week, taped in Culver City.
 * An episode sometime around this point has the only known instance of nobody even ringing in on a Toss-Up (specifically, a $3,000 Toss-Up of WHAT A RELIEF).

October 2002 :
 * October 1 begins the Play! Watch! Win! Sweepstakes, which lasts until December 31. During this period, viewers may submit each day's bonus puzzle on the show's website. The grand prize is a trip for two to Los Angeles with $1,000 spending cash and a chance to audition.
 * Also starting in October, the show begins sporadically doing "Wheel Changes Lives" in the closing segment, in which Pat and Vanna read letters from former contestants.
 * By October 7 (excluding the weeks of November 4-18):
 * Charlie's post-Round 2 introduction of the Mystery Round is accompanied by footage of contestants removing the wedges from the Wheel. This footage is displayed on the monitor in the middle of the audience except on the Seattle shows, where it is shown against a sparkling background.
 * The Bonus Round timer cue is modified slightly. This is the last modification until it is replaced in February 2007.
 * October 7 is the last European Vacation Week (or EuroTour, as in this edition) until Season 24.
 * On October 7:
 * Pat forgets to ask who the winning contestant has in the audience until the answer to the bonus puzzle is revealed.
 * Oddly, the correct letter ding sounds after the contestant pulls the envelope from the Bonus Wheel.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * October 21 is Wheel Takes Manhattan, taped in Culver City.
 * October 28 is Halloween Week.
 * On October 31, a contestant loses $27,850 to Bankrupt.

November 2002 :
 * The weeks of November 4-18 are taped at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle. The intro includes shots of the Space Needle when it had the Wheel painted on its top in 1996 in honor of the show's last trip to Seattle.
 * On November 4, contestant Ashley wins two cars: a Ford from the Mystery Wedge, and a Mercedes in the Bonus Round.
 * Sometime between November 4 and 7, the close-up shot of the Mystery Wedges is removed: the former episode uses it, but the latter does not, suggesting that the use of such a shot on the 4th was a fluke.
 * Sometime around this point, the show generally stops using Same Name, Before & After, or any other puzzle requiring three or more lines in the Speed-Up, with a single known exception in early Season 22.
 * On November 8:
 * Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
 * Three females play.
 * November 11 is College Week. During this week:
 * The University of Washington marching band plays music bumpers.
 * All of the trips are sponsored by American Airlines.
 * On November 11:
 * The Round 3 puzzle JAMES TAYLOR'S YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND is on the second through fourth rows of the board.
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up is Thing, and Round 4 is Things.
 * On November 13, $3,500 is accidentally placed on the Wheel for Round 1.
 * On November 14, Round 3 is the third known instance since Season 7 of Same Name spelling out AND.
 * November 18 is Family Week.Gift_Tag_on_$350.png
 * On November 21, the Gift Tag is erroneously placed on $350 in Round 1; it is also noticeably off-center and covering the dollar sign rather than the 3. This is corrected in Round 2, so the placement of the Prize wedge is not affected.
 * On November 29, a contestant (who does not solve the bonus puzzle) misses the $100,000 by one envelope.

December 2002 :
 * December 2 is Family Week, despite there having been one just two weeks before in Seattle. This one is called Family Vacations, and has the Universal Studios Orlando background, similar to the week of May 22, 2000. This Family Week has a sixth episode. It was originally scheduled for the week of December 30, but rescheduled to avoid being pre-empted by the Rose Bowl on ABC affiliates.
 * By December 2, Charlie no longer does the additional Mystery Round announcement after Round 2. This is likely the point at which Pat stops revealing the contents of the other Mystery wedge if one has been flipped over.
 * On December 3:
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up is Things, and the $3,000 Toss-Up is Thing.
 * No vowels are bought in Rounds 1 or 4.
 * Round 5 is TEENAGERS, a now-rare instance of a maingame puzzle shorter than 10 letters.
 * The contestant window in the Bonus Round does not appear until Vanna starts revealing the letters the contestants called.
 * On December 4, a team sweeps the game and wins $100,000 in the Bonus Round. This is believed to be the first sweep since the introduction of Toss-Ups.
 * On December 5:
 * Round 4 and Bonus Round are On the Map.
 * Round 4 is an unusually short answer of INDONESIA, one of the only known puzzles since Season 19 to be shorter than 10 letters; it is not known why this was done, as Rounds 1-3 did not run extremely long, and a fifth round was played.
 * The right-letter ding does not sound when the R (the only letter provided by RSTLNE) is revealed in the bonus puzzle.
 * On December 6:
 * Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
 * Pat accidentally begins to throw to commercial after Round 1, but catches himself.
 * There is a $12,100 Jackpot win.
 * For the first of only two known times, a contestant or team is asked to be more specific when answering a bonus category: after the Round 3 Where Are We? puzzle COLUMNS HONEST ABE NATION'S CAPITAL, they guess Washington, D.C.; upon being asked to be more specific, they do not provide the right answer of the Lincoln Memorial.
 * On December 12:
 * Vanna wears a sleeveless shirt and pants.
 * Rene solves the Speed-Up puzzle TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT just after the buzzer, after which Bea calls a letter and solves. Pat then tells the contestants that the scores are tentative because they need to check the tape in regards to Rene. After the commercial break, it is determined that Rene was beaten by the buzzer, so Bea is present in the Bonus Round.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * On December 13:
 * In Round 2, there appears to be an edit after contestant Meer calls a repeated N, possibly suggesting that his call was initially misheard as M; against precedent, the buzzer (likely added in post-production) sounds afterward.
 * There is a $7,500 Jackpot win.
 * Sometime around this point, Rhyme Time makes its first known appearance in the Bonus Round. The contestant's letters fill in the answer FINE WINE completely.
 * On December 27:
 * The Gift Tag is a one-year membership to 24 Hour Fitness.
 * Rounds 2 through 4 are Christmas-themed, despite the episode airing after Christmas.
 * As of December 27:
 * Charlie's Mystery Round copy is still the same as it was at the start of the season.
 * The camera shot of the board during the Bonus Round is still static.
 * December 30 is San Francisco Week, taped in Culver City.
 * Sometime during the week of December 30, a contestant solves KELSEY GRAMMER AS DR. FRASIER CRANE with only the R's and S's revealed.
 * On December 30, there is a $100,000 loss.

January 2003 :
 * January 6 is NFL Players Week.
 * January 13 is the first Big Money Week to occur only once in a season.
 * On January 13, a contestant fails to solve the bonus puzzle WINNIPEG with only the W and G missing.
 * On January 14, there is a $100,000 loss.
 * Likely by January 20 (known to be by January 24), the beginning of the Mystery Round spiel changes to "If you land on a Mystery Wedge, what will you do? One of the wedges is a Bankrupt." The last sentence still varies from day to day, and the animation is unchanged.
 * Possibly at this point, and definitely by February 3, the camera shot is changed slightly in the Bonus Round: rather than a static shot of the board when the category is revealed, the camera now slowly zooms in on the board until the timer starts. By the time the shot stops zooming in, the extra monitors in the middle two rows are cut off as usual.
 * On January 23, a contestant solves the bonus puzzle BLACKBIRD while his extra letters are still lighting up. Newwheel.jpg
 * Most likely on January 27 (known to be after the Mystery Round spiel changes), Lose A Turn and all of the three-digit cash wedges are changed to variants of Clarendon. The lettering on Lose A Turn is placed higher than before, with "LOSE" almost touching the Wheel's rim.
 * By this week or February 3, the permanent Bankrupt wedge now uses smaller text. The second Bankrupt is not altered to match until Season 24.
 * January 27 is Teen Best Friends Week. Starting this week, the house minimum and consolation prize for two-person teams are increased to $1,000.
 * On January 27, there is a $7,000 Jackpot win.

February 2003 :
 * The weeks of February 3-17 are taped at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
 * By February 3, the "LOSE" on Lose A Turn moves back down to roughly the same position it had been before the font change.
 * On February 3:
 * The second-place contestant has $18,455.
 * In Round 3, contestant Eric calls the last consonant in the puzzle on the Mystery Wedge, and the "only vowels remain" beeps sound before he is asked whether he wants to flip the wedge.
 * Eric wins two cars: a Hyundai in the Mystery Round, and a Chevy Impala in the Bonus Round. This does not happen again until February 2012.
 * Eric's letters fill in the bonus puzzle SNOWPLOW completely.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of February 3.
 * February 10 is Sweethearts Week, and the last Hershey's Pot of Gold sweepstakes. Prizes include five Mercedes SLKs; trips to Paris, the Mexican Riviera, and Hawaii; a Sony plasma TV; and Hershey's gift baskets. As before, the sweepstakes form is found in Sunday, February 9's newspaper or online.
 * On February 13, a couple sweeps the game and wins a pair of Mercedes SLKs in the Bonus Round.
 * February 17 is the first Country Music Stars Week, with teams consisting of a contestant and a country music singer. The singers are Wynonna Judd, George Jones, and Alison Krauss on Monday; Lorrie Morgan, Darryl Worley, and Mark Wills on Tuesday; Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Charley Pride, and Richie McDonald (of Lonestar) on Wednesday; Ricky Skaggs, Brenda Lee, and Joe Nichols on Thursday; and Barbara Mandrell, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Pam Tillis on Friday.
 * On February 17:
 * Steve Azar makes a guest appearance.
 * Alison Krauss and her teammate solve the bonus puzzle BOOKWORM with only the R and M revealed.
 * On February 20, six consecutive wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up.
 * On February 21, there is a $100,000 loss.

March 2003 :
 * The Wheel Watchers Club, a rewards program where viewers can earn points by watching the show and exchange them for prizes, debuts early this month. It is powered by My Sony, which later becomes the current Sony Rewards.
 * On March 6, the bonus puzzle is a redundant answer of CHURCH HYMN.
 * On March 13:
 * Vanna wears a shirt and pants.
 * For the only known time, the Mystery Prize is a trip: specifically, a $16,310 Mediterranean cruise.
 * Round 3 is the second of only three known intances of a "bonus" category's question being multiple-choice: after the Slogan puzzle THE CLEAR ALTERNATIVE TO CELLULAR, Pat asks the contestant whether it is the slogan of Cingular, AT&T, or Sprint PCS, and she gives the right answer of Sprint PCS.
 * The game ends in a tie, which is broken by a fourth Toss-Up without cash value. This also creates a now-very rare occurrence of the same category appearing three times in one show: Round 3 is Thing, while the tiebreaker Toss-Up and Bonus Round are Things.
 * During the week of March 17 (Bahamas Week), the floor is blue.
 * On March 17:
 * For the only known time, there are three sets of duplicate categories: the $1,000 and $3,000 Toss-Ups are Around the House; Round 1 is Things, while Round 5 is Thing; and Round 2 and the Bonus Round are Fictional Characters.
 * There is an edit at the start of Round 1, as Mollie's first spin is heading for Bankrupt, but the close-up shows her landing on the pink $300 between $400 and $900 instead. It is possible that a "null" cycle was edited out.
 * There is a $6,250 Jackpot win. Interestingly, it comes with only vowels remaining, and is the only money won by the contestant in that round.
 * The chord/tinkle effect does not sound when Janice hits a Mystery Wedge in Round 3.
 * On March 18:
 * The Gift Tag is erroneously placed on $350; however, it is picked up in Round 1, so the location of the Wheel Prize is not affected.
 * During Round 2, an overhead shot of a spin is obviously edited in, as it shows a Gift Tag on $700.
 * There is a $9,000 Jackpot win.
 * Although a repeated H is called in Round 3, it is not acknowledged as such.
 * Pat forgets to open the Bonus Round envelope.
 * On March 20, a contestant solves the bonus puzzle HAMBURG with only the M and R showing.
 * On March 21, the Who Is It? puzzle SHE JUST WON A SEVENTH U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP (Michelle Kwan) may be the longest puzzle ever used on the show in terms of overall spaces, as it uses 47 of the 52 spaces. In terms of letters used, it is only the second-longest known answer, as a 46-letter puzzle appears in October 2007.
 * March 24 is Hawaii Week, taped in Culver City.
 * On March 27, there is a $100,000 loss.

April 2003 :
 * April 7 is NASCAR Week.
 * On April 9, contestant Janice sweeps the game but loses a Dodge Intrepid in the Bonus Round.
 * On April 15, for only the third known time, a contestant solves incorrectly on the Jackpot wedge.
 * April 21 is Salute to Chicago Week, taped in Culver City.
 * April 24 begins a 20 Cars in 20 Days sweepstakes in honor of the nighttime version's 20th season. Home viewers can enter each week's bonus puzzle on the show's website, or via postcard, for a chance to win one of 20 different Lincoln or Mercury cars. This is promoted each day before the Mystery Round.
 * On April 24:
 * There is a $10,800 Jackpot win.
 * Round 3 is a Before & After of THE LAND OF THE FREE SPIN. Coincidentally, it is solved by a contestant who uses the Free Spin in that round.
 * There is a $100,000 win. The contestant solves JOCKEY with only the O and E revealed.
 * The weeks of April 28-May 12 are taped at the San Diego Convention Center. During these weeks: Wheel_of_Fortune_2003.jpg
 * The gold frames are inexplicably absent from the top and sides of the board, leaving only the bottom frames.
 * The floor is blue.
 * On April 28, the second sentence of the Mystery Round spiel changes again to "One of the wedges — you're Bankrupt."
 * On April 30, there is a $100,000 loss.

May 2003 : (season ends May 30)
 * On May 1, contestant Kara accidentally breaks her buzzer after the $2,000 Toss-Up by jumping in celebration while holding it. It is fixed in time for the $3,000 Toss-Up.
 * May 5 is Armed Forces Week.
 * On May 5, the yellow contestant starts the Jackpot Round with a wrong letter on the Prize wedge, but $3,000 is showing on her scoreboard. After control returns to her, she lands on the Prize wedge again, calls a correct letter, then buys an A; however, she later hits Bankrupt. This scoring error is likely due to her earlier round winnings not being "cleared", and it does not appear to have been acknowledged in any way.
 * May 12 is College Week.
 * On an episode sometime this week, contestant Sarah mentions that her mother won a trip on the show in 1977, which resulted in her marriage and Sarah's birth.
 * On May 15, contestant Daniel fails to solve the bonus puzzle ENJOY THE SHOW with only the J and Y missing.
 * May 19 is Wheel Goes to the Movies. During this week, the Round 2 Prize copy is preceded by a movie trailer.
 * On May 20:
 * During the Round 2 Prize copy, an onscreen caption misspells the name of the Beverly Wilshire hotel as "Bevery".
 * The Round 2 puzzle MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU is inexplicably categorized as Phrase instead of Quotation.
 * In a rather rare occurrence, the only vowels bought in Round 3 are not in the puzzle; the puzzle is solved without either of its vowels revealed.
 * For the first known time, a contestant (Jason) wins the Mystery Round with only the Mystery prize.
 * Rounds 2, 4, and the Bonus Round are Phrase.
 * Pat forgets to ask who Jason has in the audience until after opening the bonus envelope.
 * After the Bonus Round is not solved, Pat accidentally holds the envelope toward himself when announcing its contents. Near the end of the segment, he reopens the envelope so that it can be seen by the camera.
 * On May 21:
 * The winning contestant has only $5,500 before the Bonus Round.
 * There is a $100,000 win.