Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 34

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A timeline for Season 34 of Wheel of Fortune, which aired in first-run from September 12, 2016 through June 9, 2017.

Season Changes

 * The opening animation is slightly altered so that a graphic showing the week's theme appears over the studio doors.
 * The Crossword category becomes a regular feature, no longer limited to Round 2. For at least the early tapings of this season, it appears three times per week.
 * Crossword Rounds now have "CROSSWORD" written in squares above the category strip when the puzzle is revealed; this changes to "Clue" when the round is in progress.
 * The Prize copy is now read only if the Prize has a sponsor, or if it is cash or a shopping spree.
 * The "pop-up" score displays at the top of the screen in Round 3 now zoom onto the screen, as opposed to simply sliding downwards.
 * Car envelopes in the Bonus Round return to showing the car's logo.
 * The SPIN ID feature is discontinued for the first half of the season due to many local pre-emptions by national election debates and Thursday Night Football.
 * The theme of the week now appears on the scoreboards during the Bonus Round.
 * The Wheel is now wrapped in plastic when not in use, most likely to prevent tourists from trying to spin or tamper with it. A sign is placed on a nearby stand and on the Wheel itself, showing the traditional logo and a message reading " DO NOT UNCOVER OR TOUCH THE WHEEL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ".
 * Most of the Bonus Round cars are now significantly cheaper than the lowest cash prize ($34,000). Presumably because of this and their increased frequency of being landed on during the first half of the season, there seem to be more car envelopes in the Bonus Wheel than prior seasons.
 * This is the first season since Season 25 not to have a Halloween week, likely because Halloween falls on a Monday.
 * For the first time since Season 28, no changes are made to the Wheel layouts.
 * With only two exceptions, every instance of a puzzle that is a song title is categorized as Song Lyrics instead.

September 2016

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


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


 * September 26 is the first Disney Grand Adventures Week, taped August 25. During this week:
 * Each show features a cold open:
 * Monday: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald exiting a van and entering the studio.
 * Tuesday: Pat stealing a Mickey Mouse ice cream treat from Vanna.
 * Wednesday: Vanna and Minnie coming out of their dressing rooms and realizing that they are wearing the same dress.
 * Thursday: Vanna encouraging Pat to ride a carousel.
 * Friday: A stagehand talking with Goofy about props which need to be taken down and tied onto the truck, after which Donald is revealed to be tied up in the truck as well.
 * The characters also appear in the intro:
 * Monday: Mickey and Minnie introduce Pat and Vanna from the back of the audience, while Donald and Goofy escort them onstage.
 * Tuesday: Goofy introduces Pat and Vanna from the audience railing (unlike all previous instances, this uses an angled shot), while Mickey, Minnie, and Donald escort them onstage while in safari gear.
 * Wednesday: Minnie introduces Pat and Vanna from in front of the puzzle board, while Goofy, Mickey, and Donald escort them onstage in pink and green suits.
 * Thursday: Goofy and Donald introduce Pat and Vanna from the audience railing, and Mickey and Minnie escort them onstage.
 * Friday: Mickey introduces Pat and Vanna from in front of the Wheel, while Minnie, Goofy, and Donald escort them onstage, the latter two in tuxedos.
 * The category strips are teal with green floating Mickey Mouse heads.
 * Even though married couples are competing, the ½ Car tags are not used.
 * Unusually for a team week, the Prizes and Prize Puzzle trips are all under $10,000.
 * On September 26:
 * Round 2 is the first instance of a Crossword Round having five words.
 * After one of his opponents solves Round 2, contestant Bill pretends to run offstage with the Million-Dollar Wedge and Mystery Wedge that he and his wife Amy failed to claim.
 * In the final segment, Pat and Vanna show a piece of the Peter Pan's Flight ride.
 * On September 27-30, the Prize is a trip to all four Disney theme parks, with Pat and Vanna reading part of the copy.
 * On September 28, in the final segment, Pat and Vanna eat an ice cream cake prepared by the Boathouse Orlando.
 * On September 30:
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up WINNIE THE POOH is incorrectly punctuated (it should be hyphenated).
 * In the final segment, Walt Disney World ambassador Caitlin Buscher presents Pat and Vanna with honorary Disney cast member nametags.

October 2016

 * October 3 is Shopping Spree, taped July 15. During this week, the Prize is a shopping spree: creditcards.com on Monday, Novica on Tuesday, Furniture of America on Thursday, and bradsdeals.com on Friday. (The Prize is not won on Wednesday.)
 * On October 3:
 * The closed captioning displays every contestant's response in quotation marks.
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up is re-shot, due to the music not playing the first time around.
 * After the other two contestants ring in with wrong answers on the $1,000 Toss-Up, contestant Matt is instantly ruled correct for saying the correct response despite not ringing in; this goes against precedent, where Pat will usually prompt the last contestant to ring in anyway before all the letters come up. This ruling does not affect the outcome.
 * For only the third time, more than one contestant or team hops on Express.
 * On October 4:
 * The third-place contestant has $12,050.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * On October 6, the Gift Tag is a $1,000 debit card from CreditCards.com.
 * On October 7, the Round 1 puzzle CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC is inexplicably categorized as Title instead of Movie Title.


 * October 10 is Pacific Northwest, taped July 29.
 * On October 11:
 * The Wheel is not preset before Round 1, as the yellow arrow is on the left of the pink $650 instead of in the center of $2,500.
 * Contestant Peggy only spins twice in the entire game, landing on Bankrupt both times; however, she wins $5,400 in the Speed-Up.
 * Round 4 and the Bonus Round are What Are You Doing?


 * October 17 is Bed & Breakfast, taped August 11.
 * On October 18:
 * Against precedent, the reverse of the Mystery Wedge is not shown when contestant Tina declines to flip it.
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up is this season's only appearance of Movie Quote.
 * There is a ½ Car win.
 * On October 20:
 * Round 4 is an unusually short answer of MONOPOLY MONEY; this is all the more unusual as a fifth round is played.
 * Neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
 * On October 21, six rounds are played.


 * Between October 23 and December 9, the Sears smartphone app features a "Wheel of Fortune Holiday Puzzler". This is a game in which the user may guess up to five letters in a holiday-themed puzzle; solving after the fifth turn gives the user five entries in the sweepstakes, and failing to solve the puzzle at that point awards one entry, with a limit of one game per person per day. 480 Sears gift cards valued at $100 each are awarded.


 * October 24 is the Wyndham Rewards Sweepstakes, taped August 12. During this week, the Prize is a trip to a Wyndham-owned hotel, for which Jim reads the copy.
 * On October 24:
 * As the winning contestant does not have anyone in the audience, Vanna holds the Million-Dollar Wedge at the start of the Bonus Round.
 * Unusually, there are two plugs between the Bonus Round and closing chat.
 * On October 25:
 * The Prize Puzzle trip is a $10,500 trip to Thailand.
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up is Movie Title, and the $3,000 Toss-Up is Title.
 * The second-place contestant has $19,100.
 * On October 26:
 * The board reads HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAT! during the intro, and Pat and Vanna discuss his birthday after walking out.
 * Jim is shown on-camera before reading the Prize copy, and again after he is done.
 * On October 27:
 * There is a ½ Car win.
 * A "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.
 * Contestant Bonnie leaves with only the Prize Puzzle package, and no other cash or prizes.


 * October 31 is College Week, taped September 8. During this week, the Bonus Round is sponsored by the Wheel of Fortune Slots app.
 * On October 31:
 * The intro from Season 28's Halloween Week is used, spooky organ music is played coming out of every round, and a spooky sound effect plays in place of the Bonus Round envelope chime; despite this, no Halloween-related puzzles are used.
 * For the first time, a Crossword Round uses an existing category (specifically, College Life).
 * Vanna reads the Prize Puzzle copy.

November 2016

 * On November 1:
 * The Prize is $6,000 cash and a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack of Star Trek: Beyond, for which Jim reads the copy.
 * The bonus puzzle UNBEATABLE COMBINATION ties the third-longest known bonus puzzle to be used on the show, and the longest under three-and-a-vowel rules, at 21 letters. Interestingly, this answer is also longer than all but two maingame puzzles.
 * On November 2, the Prize is an $11,200 trip to Maui.
 * On November 3:
 * The Prize is $10,000 cash courtesy of the Wheel of Fortune Slots app.
 * The Gift Tag is $500 cash and two solar backpacks from BirkSun.
 * The Retro Bonus Round is one that has not already been used on this feature.


 * November 7 is Veterans Week, taped September 6. During this week, the Prize is a $7,500 Sears shopping spree.
 * On November 7, after Round 2, Jim promotes Craftsman, who provided hats to the studio audience.
 * On November 8, Wheel and Jeopardy! are pre-empted on most U.S. stations airing the shows due to presidential election coverage. Sometime after this week's shows were taped, it was decided to reschedule the week's weekend repeat (originally aired November 23, 2015) for Tuesday the 8th for U.S. markets that still choose to air Wheel. As a result, the rest of this week's first-run shows are delayed by one day, with the November 11 show airing on the 12th. This is the first time on the syndicated version where a single episode is replaced with a rerun, as well as the first time a new episode is nationally scheduled to air on a Saturday. Canadian stations air the full week and the repeat in their originally-scheduled order. In addition, despite the November 11 show airing on Saturday, the show's Bonus Round Puzzle page is not updated to reflect this. This Wiki will refer to the episodes according to the dates they actually aired.
 * On November 11:
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up, Round 1, and Bonus Round are Phrase. This is due to Pat accidentally accepting an incorrect answer in the original Round 1, which was a Crossword Round. As a result, only two Crossword Rounds are done this week.
 * Contestant Tennia wins despite failing to claim $30,000 in the Speed-Up.


 * November 14 is Wheel Across America, taped September 7.
 * On November 14, the Gift Tag is a $1,000 Visa card courtesy of Hunter Fan.
 * On November 15:
 * The Round 3 puzzle AN UNDISCOVERED JEWEL is inexplicably categorized as Place instead of Thing.
 * For the first time, the same contestant hops on Express twice. This is also only the third occurrence of two Express runs in one game.
 * On November 17, the Prize is $10,000 cash courtesy of the Wheel of Fortune Slots app.
 * On November 18:
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up, HONEY-ROASTED PEANUTS, is not themed to the week.
 * The Gift Tag is a $1,000 Visa card courtesy of Hunter Fan.
 * The daily promo shows a portion edited out of the actual show (contestant Sylvia explaining that her SPIN ID has only three digits).
 * During the week of November 14, all five Bonus Rounds are played for the $34,000.


 * November 21 is America's Game.
 * On November 21, six rounds are played.
 * On November 22, the Prize is $10,000 cash courtesy of the Wheel of Fortune Slots app.
 * On November 24:
 * It is the sixth episode from Shopping Spree.
 * Abnormally for a sixth episode, Round 1 is themed to the airdate (TURKEY WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS).
 * While the retro Bonus Round is a Title from the November 20, 1996 episode (BAYWATCH), the closed captioning claims it is a Phrase from 2000.
 * On November 25, contestant Lindsay calls the last consonant on a Mystery Wedge, and flips it to find a Bankrupt on the reverse. As a result, the completely filled-in puzzle gets passed to the next contestant, who solves.


 * November 28-December 9 are the Sears Secret Santa Sweepstakes, taped September 22 and 23 respectively. During these weeks:
 * The SPIN ID drawings return.
 * As with prior Secret Santa weeks, the show begins with Pat, Vanna, Jim, and the day's contestants promoting the Sweepstakes. As Jim announces "Our Secret Santas have given away over $1,000,000 in cash and prizes to lucky Wheel watchers", clips are shown of the Wheel landing on the top dollar, Million-Dollar Wedge, or Prize wedges.
 * The Prize is a $7,500 Sears shopping spree. It is placed on the red $800 due to the wedge being red, but still awards only $500 per letter if claimed.
 * The Gift Tag is a $1,000 Sears shopping spree.
 * The Speed-Up wipe is a Wheel of Fortune ornament.


 * November 28 is also Family Week. During this week, the category strips have Christmas lights along the top and bottom when the puzzle is revealed, and the usual chime is followed by sleigh bells.
 * On November 28, the second-place team has $23,300.
 * On November 29, contestants Otto and Olivia sweep the game but lose $34,000 in the Bonus Round. This is also the first time that a two-player team has swept the game since February 13, 2003.
 * On November 30:
 * Contestants Debby and Ray mention that their mother was on the daytime version "about thirty years ago".
 * The ornament wipe does not appear in the Speed-Up; a dissolve is used instead.
 * The third-place team has $15,050.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.

December 2016

 * On December 1:
 * Rounds 3 and 4 are Thing, while Round 2 and the Bonus Round are Phrase.
 * The second-place team has $19,350.
 * There is a $100,000 win, the only one in the season, resulting in the second instance of that envelope being hit on consecutive shows.
 * On December 2, the second-place team has $22,050.
 * During the week of November 28, a high total of $469,570 is given away.


 * During the week of December 5, the category wipe is the Pat avatar driving a sleigh.
 * On December 5:
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * Pat promotes Rebuilding Together in the final segment.
 * On December 6, the bonus puzzle BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION is the second-longest known bonus puzzle to be used on the show, and the longest under three-and-a-vowel rules, at 23 letters. Interestingly, this answer is also longer than all but two maingame puzzles.
 * On December 7, Round 3 is PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I'M GOING PAT.
 * On December 8:
 * The Round 4 puzzle PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES is a very rare appearance of Landmarks; it is not known why that category was used instead of Places.
 * For only the seventh known time, a contestant calls Q in the Bonus Round.
 * On December 9:
 * The Wheel is not preset at the start of the show, as the yellow arrow is on the pink $600 instead of $2,500.
 * Round 2 is a Same Name that spells out AND, the first such occurrence this season.
 * The Speed-Up wipe is not used; again, a dissolve is used instead.
 * During the week of December 5, all five winners are male.


 * December 12 is Fabulous Food, taped November 11.
 * On December 12:
 * Contestant Jim solves Round 2 with only the $10,000 Mystery Prize.
 * A post-Round 2 Orbitz plug is introduced, which includes a shot of the spinning Wheel modified so that every wedge is either a Prize or an Orbitz logo.
 * The Bonus Round begins to be sponsored by V8; a promo is shown before the Bonus Round.
 * Two ads are done between the Bonus Round and closing chat.
 * On December 13:
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up (FORGET-ME-NOTS) is is not themed to the week.
 * For the second time, a Crossword Round (Round 1) uses an existing category (In the Kitchen).
 * Unusually, the audience does not shout out suggestions when contestant Lori decides to flip a Mystery Wedge.
 * The Prize Puzzle package includes a DVD and Blu-Ray combo pack of the 2016 film Ben-Hur.
 * On December 14, On the Map makes its first appearance in the Bonus Round since December 18, 2014.
 * On December 15:
 * There is a ½ Car win.
 * While a retro Bonus Round is done in-studio (BRAN MUFFIN from 1991, which was previously used in this feature on January 17, 2013), it is edited from the episode as aired.
 * On December 15 and 16, the founder of this Wiki is in the audience.


 * December 19 is Home for the Holidays, taped November 10. During this week:
 * The staff gives holiday wishes after Round 1 and before Round 3:
 * Monday: producers and marketing/promotions departments.
 * Tuesday: production department and contestant department.
 * Wednesday: stage crew and Jim Thornton, Robert Ennis, and control room.
 * Thursday: production staff and post-production department.
 * Friday: art department, licensing and clearance department.
 * The category strip includes a candy cane with a bow on it when the puzzle is revealed, and sleigh bells accompany the chime.
 * The Prize is a shopping spree.
 * The retro Bonus Rounds are not done.
 * On December 19, Round 4 is a very short answer of I'M SPEECHLESS, suggesting that Rounds 1-3 ran overtime.
 * On December 20, contestant Jona begins to solve the $1,000 Toss-Up just before getting locked out; as a result, the board begins to activate again before her answer is accepted.
 * On December 21:
 * Pat and Vanna read the Prize Puzzle copy.
 * The V8 promo before the Bonus Round is not done.
 * On December 22:
 * There is a jump cut to Pat when contestant Christine solves the Speed-Up, due to her solving on the buzzer; while Pat does announce that her answer will be checked, the outcome is not clarified before the Bonus Round.
 * During the closing chat, Pat shows a replay of winning contestant Adam's family rushing onstage after he wins the Bonus Round, due to Pat catching his wife who nearly falls over.


 * December 26 is America's Game.
 * December 26-29 are the sixth episodes from Veterans Week, Great Escapes, Home for the Holidays, and Fabulous Food respectively.
 * On December 27:
 * Contestant Ashley asks to solve in Round 1 but changes her mind; the buzzer sounds while Pat asks her whether she wants to spin or buy a vowel instead. A voice is then heard saying "Oh, the buzzer" before control passes to the next contestant.
 * Round 1 and the Bonus Round are What Are You Doing?
 * On December 28:
 * Jim is shown on-camera during the contestant interviews.
 * In Round 5, the first six turns are all lost; the first three are edited out, but the next three are not due to one of them being a Bankrupt that claims a Wild Card.
 * Six rounds are played.
 * On December 29:
 * The founder of this Wiki is in the audience.
 * In Round 3, contestants Leo hits Express on his first spin, and uses it to fill in the entire puzzle WILD ORCHIDS & GIANT FERNS by himself.
 * The retro Bonus Round (YAKETY-YAK from 2005) is once again mis-identified as 2004.
 * Round 4 and the Bonus Round are What Are You Doing?
 * For the only known time, there is an additional scene after the credits: as a call-back to Vanna doing push-ups during the closing chat with the audience counting along, Pat has Vanna do more push-ups while the audience counts up from 115.
 * On December 30:
 * Unusually for a sixth episode, a puzzle is themed to the airdate (WHAT A GREAT YEAR).
 * The V8 promo before the Bonus Round is not done.

January 2017

 * On January 2, the opening/closing theme and all other music cues (Toss-Up, commercial outros, Express, Speed-Up, Bonus Wheel spin cue, Bonus Round envelope ding, Bonus Round timer, Bonus Round win/lose cue, and puzzle-solve cue) are changed to new compositions by John Hoke. The cue for solving a Toss-Up is once again different from the cue for solving a maingame puzzle. The new music package is also dubbed into the weekend reruns and any pre-December 30, 2016 episodes that may get rerun during the summer.


 * January 2 is Weekend Getaways, taped December 1. During this week, a promo for the V8 Sweepstakes is shown before Round 3.
 * On January 3:
 * The Retro Bonus Round is one not previously used on this feature.
 * For the first known time, Song/Artist is used as a Toss-Up (the $3,000).
 * January 9 is "Always Great! Wheel & V8", taped December 2. During this week:
 * The Prize is $7,500 cash courtesy of V8; as with prior V8 weeks, the wedge is placed on the red $800 instead.
 * After the Bonus Round, a special V8 puzzle is shown; home viewers may submit the puzzle on the show's website for a chance to win $1,000 cash. As usual, the puzzle contains a V which is done in the same font as the V8 logo.
 * On Monday and Wednesday, Jim reads a trivia fact about V8 as the post-Round 2 bumper.
 * On January 9, during the closing chat, Pat and Vanna announce that they will give bottles of V8 to everyone in the audience; Pat can also be seen drinking a bottle during the credits.
 * On January 10 and 12, instead of a Retro Bonus Round, a short clip is shown after Round 2 of the control room being directed to focus the cameras on a bottle of V8; after this, Jim announces "V8: the official beverage of Wheel of Fortune" over a shot of the crew drinking from bottles of V8 in the break room, followed by a shot of the puzzle board reading "V8 THE OFFICIAL BEVERAGE" (center-aligned with the "V8" portion rendered in the same font as the logo).
 * On January 11:
 * Round 3 is this season's only appearance of TV Quote.
 * Round 4 is a non-sequitur answer of BEES FLEAS & MANATEES.
 * On January 12, for only the third time, a contestant gets buzzed out on Express.
 * On January 13, the winning contestant leaves with only $7,000, likely the lowest winning total since Season 23 (when Prize Puzzles began occurring daily).
 * All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of January 9, part of a seven-day losing streak beginning on the 9th.


 * January 16 is California Coast, taped December 15.
 * On January 16:
 * Contestant Nicoletta solves the $1,000 Toss-Up FISHERMAN'S WHARF with only the second S revealed.
 * $5K Every Day returns.
 * Six rounds are played.
 * A "null" cycle is not edited out of Round 6 (an incorrect T, an incorrect N, and a Lose A Turn).
 * On January 17:
 * The Gift Tag is two solar-powered backpacks and $500 cash courtesy of BirkSun.
 * The retro Bonus Round is one not previously used on this feature.
 * Both Rounds 2 and 3 are completely filled in before being solved.
 * In Round 3, contestant John buys all five vowels, but one of them is not deducted from his score, as his total is stated as $2,200 instead of $1,950 before the value of the trip is added. This does not affect the outcome.
 * For the fourth time, a contestant who has a successful Express run does not win the game.
 * On January 18, the Round 4 puzzle FROCKS SMOCKS & SOCKS is a rare instance of a puzzle with only one vowel.
 * On January 19:
 * The Retro Bonus Round is one not previously used on this feature.
 * Two players claim ½ Car tags in Round 3, rendering a car win impossible.
 * On January 20:
 * Contestant Steph picks up all of the cardboard from the Wheel except for one of the ½ Car tags in Round 2, but loses it all along with $7,800 to Bankrupt.
 * The Round 2 puzzle FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is categorized as Movie Title, going against the precedent of using only Title for a title that exists in more than one medium.
 * Unusually, neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the maingame.


 * January 23 is Show You the World, taped December 16. During this week:
 * All of the Prizes and Prize Puzzle trips are sponsored by Collette; as a result, many of them are over $10,000.
 * On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the closing segment focuses on a contestant who won a Collette vacation on a previous show, including clips from their respective games. Vanna narrates the one on Monday, while Pat narrates the ones on Wednesday and Friday.
 * On January 23:
 * After contestant Carlos solves Round 3, his total is incorrectly shown as $14,300. Pat announces the correct total of $18,758 before the $3,000 Toss-Up.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * On January 24:
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up is Things, and Round 3 is Thing; the former, FAMILIAR FACES, is inexplicably in that category instead of People, and results in a rare instance of a Toss-Up not being themed to the week. This is because the original $1,000 Toss-Up, PARAGUAY & URUGUAY, is thrown out due to contestant K.A.J. being credited with a correct response despite mispronouncing it.
 * Rounds 1 and 3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
 * A total of $54,000 is unclaimed in the Speed-Up.
 * The second-place contestant has $24,998, resulting in the fifth instance of a contestant who has a successful Express run not winning the game.
 * On January 25, contestant Don fills in the entire Prize Puzzle DISCOVERING CENTRAL AMERICA by himself, using Express for the last five letters.
 * On January 26, the "pop-up" score display at the start of Round 3 incorrectly displays Jimmy's score as $13,000 instead of $3,000, due to the operator accidentally adding the $10,000 he had when he gave an incorrect answer in Round 2. His actual score is not affected.
 * On January 27:
 * Round 2 is a non-sequitur answer of SARDINES & TANGERINES.
 * Round 3, ICE FIELDS WATERFALLS GLACIERS, is inexplicably missing an ampersand or AND.
 * There is an ad for the Free Play iOS app after Round 3, which uses the 2007-16 opening theme.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of January 23, part of a nine-day losing streak beginning on the 19th. This is also part of a four-week span beginning on January 9 where only two Bonus Rounds are won.


 * January 30 is Leave Winter Behind, taped January 6.
 * On January 30, six rounds are played.
 * On January 31:
 * Two males play.
 * No vowels are bought in Round 4.

February 2017

 * On February 1, Pat and Vanna read the Prize Puzzle copy.
 * On February 2:
 * In Round 2, contestant Bob calls a D before spinning, but is not held to that call after he spins; this ruling is ultimately irrelevant, as he calls D anyway.
 * The Retro Bonus Round is one not previously used in this feature.
 * Jim is shown on-camera after he reads the Prize Puzzle copy.
 * Vanna does the closing chat with Bob instead of with Pat.
 * On February 3, a "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.


 * February 6 is Big Money Week, taped January 19. During this week:
 * The category strip has a golden dollar sign on its left when the puzzle is revealed; also, the strips themselves are changed to have a green/brown pattern resembling money.
 * The Prize is $10,000 cash courtesy of Wheel of Fortune Slots, and the Gift Tag is $1,000 cash courtesy of Bicycle playing cards.
 * On February 6, for only the second known time, Show Biz is used twice: the $3,000 Toss-Up and Bonus Round. This is also the category's first appearance in the Bonus Round since December 29, 2014.
 * On February 7, the $2,000 Toss-Up and Bonus Round are Thing, while Round 3 is Things.
 * On February 8:
 * Contestant Kyle fails to claim $20,950 in Round 1, and finishes with $0.
 * After Kyle decides not to flip a Mystery Wedge in Round 2, its reverse is not shown.
 * On February 10:
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up WINDOW-SHOPPING uses an unnecessary hyphen, as it had when it was used in the Bonus Round on March 4, 2014.
 * In Round 1, the first O in the puzzle I'VE GOT THE BRAINS YOU'VE GOT THE LOOKS fails to reveal after Vanna touches it; she can be seen running to fix it before the camera cuts away.
 * Once again, the reverse of a Mystery Wedge is not shown when a contestant declines to flip it.


 * February 13 is Disney Sea & Shore, taped January 5. During this week:
 * Pat and Vanna promote the theme during the intro.
 * The $5K Every Day SPIN ID appears during the contestant interviews.
 * The category strip has seashells on its left side when the puzzle is revealed.
 * Married couples compete; despite this, the ½ Car tags are not used.
 * On February 13:
 * Unusually for a team week, the Prize is worth less than $10,000.
 * Pat and Vanna read part of the Prize Puzzle copy.
 * Round 4 is SOLVING THIS PUZZLE.
 * Jim promotes Disney Cruise Lines in the final segment.
 * On February 15:
 * All of the contestants' nametags are repurposed from the style used from 1997-2013. This is because the original batch of nametags had contestant Jamie's name misspelled as "Jaime", and new tags were made to match the replacement one for Jamie.
 * Pat and Vanna promote Aulani Resort before Round 3.
 * On February 16:
 * Contestants Mo and Michelle win with $30,000, all claimed in the Speed-Up.
 * The third-place team has $13,450.
 * On February 17:
 * The bonus puzzle refuses to reveal for a few seconds.
 * Vanna promotes Disney Cruise Lines in the final segment.


 * February 20 is Great American Cities: San Diego, taped February 2. During this week:
 * Pat and Vanna promote a San Diego landmark in the final segment: San Diego Zoo on Monday, Hotel del Coronado on Tuesday, Safari Park on Wednesday, Coasterra on Thursday, and the U.S.S. Midway on Friday.
 * On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the Gift Tag is $1,000 cash courtesy of Firehouse Subs; the tag is positioned too high all three days, covering the dollar sign and half of the 5 on the purple $500.
 * On February 20:
 * Round 4, PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, is categorized as Place, even though PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES on December 8 was categorized as Landmarks. This is believed to be the closest the show has ever come to duplicating a puzzle within the same season.
 * Round 4 and the Bonus Round are Place.
 * On February 21:
 * Two males play.
 * The cut to the $2,000 Toss-Up is executed too soon. As a result, the chimes sound before the wipe is done.
 * Contestant Tracy rips the Mystery Wedge between Free Play and Lose A Turn when trying to take it off the Wheel.
 * The Prize Puzzle is an $11,000 tour of Africa.
 * On February 22:
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up COFFEE-TABLE BOOK is improperly hyphenated, as was the case when the puzzle was last used in the Speed-Up on January 24, 2012.
 * Before Round 3, Pat mentions that all contestants this week receive complimentary tickets to the San Diego Zoo.
 * The Prize is $6,000 credit to BedAndBreakfast.com.
 * On February 23, the Prize Puzzle copy includes a trailer for the DVD and Blu-Ray release of Allied, a combo pack of which is included with the prize package.
 * On February 24, the Prize is an $11,248 tour of Alaska.


 * February 27 is Teen Best Friends Week, taped January 20.
 * On February 27:
 * Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the teams who began them.
 * The third- and second-place teams have $20,050 and $20,292. This is also the highest-known third-place total.
 * Round 1 and the Bonus Round are What Are You Doing?
 * On February 28, the $3,000 Toss-Up BEN AFFLECK AS BATMAN is the first known use of Star & Role as a Toss-Up.

March 2017

 * On March 2, there is a $100,000 loss.
 * March 6 is Bella Italia, taped February 3. During this week:
 * All of the Prizes are trips to Italy sponsored by Collette; except on Wednesday, they valued over $10,000.
 * Except on Tuesday, Collette representatives present travel tips on Italy after Round 1 and before Round 3.
 * On March 6:
 * Jim is shown on-camera after Round 2.
 * Against normal practice, the "only vowels remain" beeps sound in the Speed-Up; this is followed by the blue contestant guessing an O and staying silent, after which the red contestant solves without guessing a letter.
 * On March 7:
 * The Round 2 puzzle MACARONI RIGATONI PEPPERONI is inexplicably missing an ampersand or AND.
 * Round 3 is a non-sequitur answer of HAWAII'S GARDEN ISLAND (should be "Isle").
 * There is a ½ Car win.
 * Contestant Kelly wins two cars: the ½ Car in Round 3, and a Fiat Spider in the Bonus Round.
 * On March 9, contestant Troy fills in the entire Round 2 Crossword puzzle HEN HUBBARD NATURE DEAR by himself.
 * On March 10, the $1,000 Toss-Up is the first appearance of Best Seller since April 22, 2011.
 * March 13 is America's Game.
 * On March 13:
 * The Gift Tag is $1,000 cash courtesy of Lumosity.
 * Neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
 * On March 14:
 * The Retro Bonus Round is one not previously used on this feature.
 * The $3,000 Toss-Up is only the first appearance of Song Title this season, due to several previous puzzles involving song titles being categorized as Song Lyrics instead.
 * On March 15:
 * The Prize is a $6,000 Novica shopping spree.
 * All of the cardboard is removed from the Wheel by Round 3; however, neither the ½ Car nor Gift Tag is won, and the Wild Card is lost to Bankrupt.
 * On March 16:
 * The Retro Bonus Round is one not previously used on this feature.
 * Neither Thing nor Phrase is used in the maingame.
 * A "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.
 * After the winning contestant says that she has nobody in the audience, Pat quips that the audience is "all here for her"; the applauding audience is then shown on-screen.
 * On March 17:
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up THE STATE OF VERMONT is only the second known instance of On the Map containing a descriptive phrase.
 * Round 1 (I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER) is a very rare instance of an America's Game show having a puzzle themed to the airdate; it is also categorized as Rhyme Time instead of Song Title, and incorrectly hyphenated.
 * Nobody solves the $3,000 Toss-Up, ROVING REPORTER.
 * March 20 is Southern Charm, taped February 23. During this week:
 * The Gift Tag is $1,000 cash courtesy of Southern Living magazine.
 * On Thursday and Friday, the $1,000 Toss-Up is not themed to the week, though in both cases, Round 1 is.
 * On March 20, six rounds are played.
 * On March 21:
 * The puzzle YACHTING FISHING GOLFING is inexplicably missing AND.
 * Contestant Lisa solves the Round 4 puzzle THE THREE LITTLE PIGS with only the T's showing.
 * On March 22:
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up is SPIN AND WIN.
 * A "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.
 * There is a rare instance of a contestant solving the Speed-Up without any money.
 * On March 24:
 * There is a ½ Car win. Starting with this episode, the ½ Car copy is accompanied by a stock shot of the car on the show's set.
 * Pat and Vanna read the Prize Puzzle copy.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * March 27 is Wheel Loves NY, taped February 24.
 * On March 28:
 * There is a ½ Car win.
 * Nic fills in the entire Prize Puzzle WHAT AIRPORT SHOULD WE FLY INTO? by himself.
 * Rounds 1-3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
 * Neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
 * The third- and second-place contestants have $16,448 and $20,340, resulting in the eighth instance of a ½ Car winner not winning the game.
 * Nic wins a Volkswagen Passat in the Bonus Round, resulting in a very rare instance of two contestants winning cars in a single episode.
 * The final segment is a montage of footage that the show has shot for past New York road shows.
 * On March 29:
 * The Round 2 puzzle ICE-SKATING AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER is improperly hyphenated.
 * The closing segment features footage from several of the show's past remotes to New York, including the first one in 1988, along with clips of several contestant interviews, New York-themed puzzles, and Bonus Round wins.
 * On March 30, the Prize Puzzle is an abnormally short answer of DIVERSE HABITAT.

April 2017

 * April 3 is the second Disney Grand Adventures Week, taped August 26. During this week:
 * There is a cold open:
 * Monday: Pat selling Mickey Mouse balloons to a crowd.
 * Tuesday: An a cappella group sings "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" to Vanna.
 * Wednesday: Pat and Vanna ride an Amphicar at the Boathouse.
 * Thursday: Donald Duck rings in on a Toss-Up and repeatedly gives unintelligible answers; this turns out to be a dream that Pat is having in his dressing room before he is awakened by Donald.
 * Friday: Snow White passes by and looks at Pat thinking he's her Prince Charming.
 * Disney characters are present in the opening:
 * Monday: Mickey and Minnie introduce Pat and Vanna from the back of the audience, while Goofy and Donald escort them.
 * Tuesday: Goofy in safari gear introduces Pat and Vanna from the front of the audience, while Mickey, Minnie, and Donald also in safari gear escort them.
 * Wednesday: Minnie introduces Pat and Vanna from in front of the puzzle board, while Goofy, Mickey, and Donald escort them.
 * Thursday: Goofy and Donald introduce Pat and Vanna from the front of the audience, while Mickey and Minnie escort them.
 * Friday: Mickey introduces Pat and Vanna front of the wheel, while Minnie, Donald, and Goofy escort them.
 * The category wipe is Tinker Bell tapping the strip with her wand; the strips are teal with green Mickey Mouse heads.
 * The $5K Every Day SPIN ID is shown during the contestant interviews.
 * Due to the previous music package still being in use at the time of taping, all of the music beds are replaced in post-production with the cues introduced in January 2017. However, these five episodes are done very sloppily and inconsistently: there are several instances throughout the week where the old music "bleeds through" or is entirely unchanged.
 * The Prizes and Prize Puzzles are all to Disney-owned properties, with Pat and Vanna reading part of the copy; unusually for a team week, most of these are under $10,000.
 * Despite married couples competing, the ½ Car tags are not used.
 * On April 4, contestants Melinda and Larry use the Wild Card on $600 in Round 1. Despite this, they solve for the house minimum one turn later.
 * On April 7:
 * The blue team's scoreboard glitches out in Round 4, as their score "swivels" twice but does not add the $1,500 for the letter called on that turn until the third attempt.
 * Mickey Mouse and his friends appear in the post-game chat.
 * During the week of April 3, all five Bonus Rounds are played for $34,000. This is part of a seven-day streak.
 * April 10 is America's Game. During this week, the Prize is $10,000 courtesy of Wheel of Fortune Slots.
 * On April 10, contestant Meagan fills in the entire Prize Puzzle I'LL BE BACK IN A WEEK OR TWO by herself.
 * On April 11:
 * Two males play.
 * Contestant Ray fills in the Prize Puzzle THEY HAVE THE BEST FOOD IN THE WORLD by himself.
 * Against precedent, after Ray's opponents give wrong answers to the $3,000 Toss-Up, Ray is immediately ruled correct for answering despite not ringing in.
 * A "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.
 * On April 13, Round 4 (THE MUPPETS) uses only one line; it is not known why such a short puzzle is used, as Rounds 1-3 did not run abnormally long, and a fifth round is played.
 * April 17 is Wheel Around the World Week.
 * The Prize is presented by the hosts of an international version: Slovakia on Monday, Spain on Tuesday, Romania on Wednesday, Germany on Thursday, Greece on Friday.
 * There is a bumper done by an international host's version after Round 1: the Netherlands on Monday, Romania on Tuesday, Spain on Wednesday, Slovakia on Thursday, Germany on Friday.
 * After Round 2, Pat does a bumper on an international version: Spain on Monday, Germany on Tuesday, Greece on Wednesday, the Netherlands on Thursday, Romania on Friday.
 * The closing segment focuses on an international version: Germany on Monday, Slovakia on Tuesday, the Netherlands on Wednesday, Romania on Thursday, Spain on Friday.
 * On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the opening graphic shows a clip of the Romanian version of the show dissolving into a globe, which then forms the logo.
 * Several Toss-Ups this week use only one line.
 * On April 17:
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up (CHARGERS & ADAPTERS) is not themed.
 * When the set is shown before the Mystery Round wipe, a spinning globe is added to the set's floor.
 * Rounds 1, 2, and 4 are solved for less than the house minimum.
 * There is a $100,000 loss.
 * On April 18, Vanna wears a sleeveless top and pants.
 * On April 19, contestant Deanna mentions that her grandmother and two uncles appeared during the shopping era.
 * On April 20:
 * The red contestant's arrow has a piece chipped off.
 * The $3,000 Toss-Up and Bonus Round are Person.
 * For only the eighth known time, a contestant calls Q in the Bonus Round. However, it is not in the puzzle.
 * Contestant Larnia, who does not solve her bonus puzzle, misses the $1,000,000 by only one envelope.
 * On April 21:
 * Neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
 * There is a $100,000 loss, resulting in the ninth instance of that envelope being hit twice in a week.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of April 17, part of a seven-day losing streak beginning on the 17th.
 * April 24 is Fabulous Florida Week. During this week:
 * There is a cold open where Pat watches Vanna make a list of things that are fabulous about Florida.
 * After Round 2, a flashback clip is shown from a previous Florida episode.
 * The Prize is a Florida vacation of the contestant's choice.
 * On April 24:
 * Two males play.
 * The $1,000 and $2,000 Toss-Ups use only one line.
 * A cycle of three lost turns is edited out of the start of Round 3 despite not being "null". The cycle includes a Bankrupt from contestant Eric, who had earned the Wild Card during Round 2. After the edit, Eric is no longer holding the card and it can instead be seen sitting in front of Pat.
 * On April 25, the $1,000 Toss-Up TERRIFIC TALLAHASSEE is inexplicably categorized as Place instead of On the Map.
 * On April 26:
 * The $1,000 Toss-Up HOME SWEET HOME is not themed.
 * Round 2 is the first instance of a Same Letter puzzle having five words.
 * On April 27, a shot from behind the Wheel is used at the start of the Bonus Round.

May 2017

 * May 1 is Hawaii Week, taped March 10.
 * On May 3:
 * The Prize Puzzle ANCIENT MAYAN RUINS is inexplicably categorized as Things instead of Places.
 * All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 3.
 * On May 4, six consecutive turns are lost in Round 3 (Lose A Turn, four Bankrupts, and another Lose A Turn). None of these are edited out due to the second and third Bankrupts claiming money.
 * All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of May 1, This is part of a seven-day streak beginning on April 28.
 * May 8 is Spa Getaway. During this week:
 * Due to airing the week before Mother's Day, all contestants are mothers. Against precedent, no equivalent week is done with fathers for Father's Day.
 * It is also the Mother's Day Sweepstakes. After the Bonus Round, a special puzzle is shown, which home viewers may submit to the show's website for a chance to win $1,000.
 * On May 8, a "null" cycle is not edited out of the Speed-Up.
 * On May 9, the Prize Puzzle offers a $10,000 trip to Maui.
 * On May 10, a "null" cycle is not edited out of Round 1 (an incorrect K, a wrong answer, and an incorrect H).
 * On May 11, the reverse of a Mystery Wedge is not shown when contestant Latoya declines to flip it.
 * On May 12, six rounds are played.
 * May 15 is Great American Cities: Chicago.
 * On May 15, the reverse of a Mystery Wedge is not shown when contestant Willie declines to flip it, likely due to him spinning again before the Wheel can be seen.
 * On May 16:
 * Two males play.
 * The Prize is a $12,998 tour of Italy.
 * On May 18, for only the fourth time, more than one contestant or team hops on Express.
 * On May 19, Round 4 is a non-sequitur answer of BEAVERS AND RETRIEVERS.
 * May 22 is Great American Cities: Boston, taped April 6.
 * On May 22:
 * Two males play.
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up MATT DAMON AS JASON BOURNE is only the second known use of Star & Role as a Toss-Up.
 * On May 23, contestant Aimee picks up a ½ Car tag in Round 3 after the round's other tag has been claimed; Pat immediately asks her to hand the tag over, which she does.
 * On May 22 and 23, two consecutive bonus puzzles are only one word; the latter, BOUQUET, is the first one-word bonus puzzle since December 1, 2015 that is not a compound word or a word ending in "-ing".
 * May 29 is America's Game. For the first time, only one Crossword Round is done this week.
 * On May 29:
 * Two males play.
 * The $2,000 Toss-Up HUGH JACKMAN AS LOGAN is only the third known use of Star & Role as a Toss-Up.
 * The second-place contestant has $22,250, resulting in the sixth instance of a contestant who has a successful Express run not winning the game.
 * Round 4 and the Bonus Round are What Are You Doing?
 * For the second time this season, the bonus puzzle (OVERCOMING OBSTACLES) is a rare instance of one under three-and-a-vowel rules to have at least one each of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
 * In the closing segment, a Changing Lives segment is done on November 15, 2000 contestant Donna, a rare instance of this feature being done on a contestant who did not win their game.
 * May 30 is the sixth episode of Fabulous Florida Week; as a result, that week's cold open is retained, the Prize is a Florida trip of the contestant's choice, and a flashback clip from a previous Florida show is shown after Round 2.
 * On May 31:
 * Due to being the sixth episode from Spa Getaway, which was also celebrated as a Mother's Day week, three females play.
 * The Prize is $6,000 cash and a DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack of the 40th anniversary director's cut of Saturday Night Fever, a trailer of which is also shown. After this, Pat announces that everyone in the audience will also receive a voucher for the film; the audience is then shown on camera.

June 2017

 * On June 1:
 * Two males play.
 * The Speed-Up begins with a "null" cycle that is not edited out.
 * On June 2:
 * The Prize is a $6,000 shopping spree at the Americana at Brand in Glendale, California.
 * The second-place contestant has $22,450.
 * There is an unusual occurrence in the Bonus Round: after contestant Tami calls C, P, M, and O, Pat asks her to verify her second letter; after she confirms it as P, Pat asks for that letter to light up, since it is in the puzzle (JUICY PEACH).
 * June 5 is Summer Vacation Week, taped April 6.
 * On June 6, the Prize copy includes a trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming.
 * On June 7:
 * Two males play.
 * The Prize Puzzle chimes do not sound in Round 3.
 * In Round 3, contestant James hops on Express with only one consonant remaining.
 * On June 9:
 * As contestant Kris has nobody in the audience, Pat hands the Million-Dollar Wedge to Vanna at the start of the round.
 * When Pat goes to reveal the location of the $1,000,000 envelope, he accidentally opens the star, and then the S in AMERICA'S, before realizing that it is actually at the S in SPIN.

Post-Season

 * On Thursday, June 15, in the midst of reruns from Southern Charm week from March 20-24, controversy arises on social media over the image displayed behind Pat and Vanna during the closing segments throughout the week, which appears to show "slaves" standing in front of a plantation. Harry Friedman states to the media that the image would be edited out in any rebroadcasts. Because of this controversy, the March 24 show is pulled and results in two consecutive airings of the week's weekend repeat (originally aired March 2, 2016 from Season 33's Wish You Were Here! week) on Friday the 16th and Saturday the 17th. This is only the case for the United States; Canadian stations still air the March 24 episode on June 16.