Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 21

Go back to Season 20, or forward to Season 22?

A timeline for Season 21 of Wheel of Fortune, which aired in first-run from September 8, 2003 through June 4, 2004.

Season Changes

• For the first time since Season 5, the season does not begin on Labor Day.
• At this point, Wheel and Jeopardy! begin to be shot using high-definition cameras, commencing a transition to HD which is completed in 2006.
• On road shows, Charlie's intro is now "And now from [venue], here are the stars of America's Game, Pat Sajak and Vanna White!"
• This season's opening sequence features the logo forming (first the Wheel representing the O in "of", then the rest of it), on a white background with aquamarine and light blue streaks. It is slightly changed after only the second week of the season. The template used has an orange $500 in place of Lose A Turn and a green $700 in place of the lone Bankrupt. The Wheel's spaces are seen landing on the Wheel-shaped O of the two-row logo.

  

• The gold borders around the puzzle board are replaced with the current LED borders; the outer and inner frames of the new board are cyan and blue, respectively, unless otherwise specified. Additionally, the steps in front of the board, which had previously been white, now have black carpet on them.
• The video wall behind the contestants now has moving pictures instead of a singular pattern.
• Once again, the Wheel is altered:

  

  • The gold borders around the Wheel are replaced with the current metal borders.
  • The Wheel's base is rebuilt to the current one, which is made out of Plexiglas.
  • The contestant railing changes from brown to gray.
  • The Jackpot wedge design that had been in use since Season 15 is retired in favor of a new design which remains until October 24, 2005. The wedge itself remains red, but it now shows a new Jackpot logo featuring a star in a golden triangle, with the golden text "JACKPOT" on the triangle in the Tahoma font.
• The Toss-Up wipe is changed to a ring saying "Toss-Up" on the top and bottom, and the amount is written on a blue bar in the middle. The font is changed from Helvetica Condensed to Tahoma, and the color from bluish-purple with white text to teal with cyan text for both instances of "Toss-Up" and white for the amount.
• The category strips still use white text in Alternate Gothic, as they did in Season 20, but their coloration is changed from green-bordered blue to dark blue-violet, and the animation positioning them onto the screen is changed to a series of multicolored lines joining, after which the letters of the category name turn into place. Also, the left and right sides of the maingame strips now fade. However, the Bonus Round strips still continue to have distinct ends, and they reveal by "unfolding" onto the screen with the letters of the category name spinning into place.
  • Even though the maingame category strips are changed in Season 22, the Season 21 Bonus Round strip design remains in place until October 24, 2005; thus, it becomes the first Bonus Round strip design since Season 18 not to be changed at the start of a new season.
• The apostrophes are removed from the "decade" categories (e.g. "The 80s").
• On some episodes through at least December, spins are once again displayed on the center stage video wall.
• The Jackpot logo graphic at the beginning of the round is changed to match the new design of the wedge itself, as is the post-plug graphic showing the wedge positioning itself onto the Wheel. The Jackpot display is also updated to match the new design, and the rectangle showing the amount changes color from gold-bordered red with gold text to gold with red text. It should be noted, however, that the shot of the Wheel when the Jackpot wedge positions itself is not updated to reflect the Wheel's new border and base; instead, it remains the same as it was at the beginning of Season 18 (it was not updated when the wedge fonts were altered around January 2003).
• The Mystery Round intro animation is changed to a still frame of the Wheel with the Mystery wedges in place. Also, the spiel changes to simply "In tonight's Mystery Round, a player could go Bankrupt..." followed by one of several rotating sentences used to describe the prize. The question mark wipe that reveals the prize copy is changed to a bright blue question mark in Clarendon, while the prize is revealed by the yellow-orange question mark from the Mystery Wedge itself, which spins towards and through the camera.
• The number graphics for the envelope amounts in the Bonus Round have their font changed from Helvetica Condensed to Clarendon, and the numbers now zoom out and spread into place. The light backgrounds that briefly surround the text when the amount graphics appear on-screen continue to be green for the $100,000 and blue for other amounts, but the text itself, which had previously been white with gold borders, has its color changed to orange-tinted gold for the $100,000 and silver for other amounts. Additionally, the background for the $100,000 has a few splashes of blue added to it, and after the background disappears several stars fly around the text, while the background for other amounts is changed to a deeper shade of blue.

  

• The Bonus Wheel is re-colored: the letters change from red to blue, the red space after "$100,000" becomes green, the green space after "CASH" becomes purple, and the purple space after "BONUS" becomes pink.
• The Bonus Wheel animations displayed before and after the second-to-last commercial break are changed as well. The blue background from Season 20 is removed, and the wheel itself gains an orange tint to its gold coloration, with yellow lettering and a cyan center. Also, the colored wedges are in different colors from the design of the Bonus Wheel itself: the space after "$100,000" continues to be orange, the space after "CASH" continues to be green (but, in these graphics, is more specifically chartreuse), the space after "BONUS" is teal, and the space after "WIN" is pink. Additionally, the envelopes that fly out of the Wheel in the post-commercial Bonus Wheel animation, which had previously been blue-bordered gray, now use different colors for all of them: vermilion for $25,000 and $50,000, chartreuse for $30,000, teal for $35,000 and $45,000, and pink for $40,000.
• This is the first of two seasons in which the $100,000 prize is not won.
• On some episodes this season, Charlie misreads "omega-3s" as "omega three ess" instead of "omega threes" on some of the Eggland's Best plugs before the Jackpot round; this inconsistently carries over into at least the next season.
• Like the two from Season 19, weeks composed of sixth shows now have their own names.
• No Family Weeks are done this season.

September 2003

• September 8 is Big Money. During this week:
  • The Prize wedge says "Big Money" on it. Also, the wipe for the Prize footage is a safe opening and closing.
  • The Gift Tag is $1,000 cash in the form of then newly-redesigned $20 bills, which Pat promotes before the first Toss-Up on the 8th. The Gift Tag is also shaped like these bills, thus making it the first known Gift Tag not to use the standard oval shape.
  • The second Bankrupt in Round 3 is accidentally placed on the yellow $300. Neither it nor the purple $600 next to $3,500 is hit.
• On September 8:
  • The Round 2 prize is a $13,800 trip to Casablanca Resort and Casino in Nevada.
  • There is a $14,900 Jackpot win.
  • The 2000 closing theme plays during the credits.
• On September 10:
  • On the Menu debuts.
  • Pat and Vanna go into the audience area during the closing chat so that Vanna can sign an audience member's cast.
  • Again, the 2000 closing theme plays during the credits.
• On September 11:
  • The Prize Puzzle is reintroduced. The first Prize Puzzle is GENTLE TRADE WINDS AND WARM BLUE WATERS, which awards a trip to the Caribbean. Unlike the Season 15 incarnation, several changes are made:
    • The puzzles now have a thematic connection to the prize, instead of describing it directly. Also, categories other than Thing(s), Event(s), and Place(s) may be used, although none of the "bonus" categories are used, Same Name is only used once, and Before & After is phased out in early Season 22.
    • After the puzzle reveal chimes, a higher-pitched variant of them is used to indicate that the round is a Prize Puzzle; the Season 15 version did not have its own sound effect.
    • During Prize Puzzle rounds, the text "PRIZE PUZZLE" appears on the Used Letter Board alongside the category; it is not known if this was the case during the Season 15 ones.
    • Instead of being indicated directly on the category strip or not at all, Prize Puzzles are now indicated by a bug adjacent to the strip. The first one reads "PRIZE PUZZLE" in left-justified white Alternate Gothic text, with five colored sparks above it (which from left to right are colored yellow, green, cyan, white, and red).
    • There is also a wipe for the prize copy. The first one is three Wheel wedges (orange, yellow, and green) with four dollar signs apiece on them flying across the screen, surrounded by confetti.
    • For the first two seasons of its existence, the Prize Puzzle occurs weekly.
  • The second-place contestant has $26,800.
  • The N in the bonus puzzle PIZZA PAN reveals itself before Vanna can touch it.
• On September 12, after Round 3's Headline puzzle QUEEN ELIZABETH CELEBRATES MILESTONE, Pat asks whether the puzzle refers to Queen Elizabeth's 40th, 50th, or 60th anniversary of coronation, and the contestant provides the right answer of 50th. This is last instance of a "bonus" question being multiple-choice.
• September 15 is Shopping Spree. During this week:
  • The inner frame of the board is yellow.
  • The Mystery Round Prize is $10,000 credit to Bloomingdale's.
• On September 15, the Round 5 puzzle KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS is categorized as People instead of Occupations.
• On September 16, a contestant spins $3,500 at least five times in Round 2, resulting in an unclaimed Jackpot of over $18,000.
• On September 19:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT is incorrectly categorized as Rhyme Time.
  • The Prize is a shopping spree at Mall of America with accommodations at Le Meridien Minneapolis.
  • Although a repeated T is called in Round 3, it is not acknowledged as such.
• September 22 is Resort Week. During this week, Pat and Vanna enter onstage from separate entrances; Pat is on the right of the video wall while Vanna is on the left.
• On September 22, Pat jokes before the $3,000 Toss-Up that "there are shows on Game Show Network that don't give that away in a month!"
• On September 24, a contestant guesses I'M BUSH on the bonus puzzle I'M BUSY, resulting in wild laughter from the audience.
• On September 25, the audience reacts in similar fashion at a contestant's attempts to solve the bonus puzzle QUICK AS A WINK after the buzzer.
• September 29 is Wheels. During this week, the second Bankrupt is accidentally placed on the yellow $300.
• On September 29, contestant Norman leaves with only $5,400.

October 2003

• On October 3, Pat and Vanna's post-game chat is about the changes to the puzzle board.
• October 6 is Home Sweet Home. During this week:
  • Pat and Vanna enter from a gate next to a fake house.
  • The Prizes are $3,500 credit to various home furnishing companies.
  • The Gift Tag is $1,000 credit to QVC.
• On October 8, the Mystery prize is a $10,000 Diners Club gift card.
• On October 10, no vowels are bought in Round 3.
• October 13 is Great Northwest.
• October 20 is Living in Style. During this week:
  • Pat and Vanna enter from a fake staircase at stage left.
  • The inner frame of the puzzle board is yellow-orange.
• On October 20:
  • The reveal of the Round 1 puzzle is shot differently than usual. Instead of a closeup of the board, the camera pans over from the contestant area before zooming in on the board; also, the chimes do not sound until about two seconds after the blanks appear, and the category strip flies on-screen before the camera has stopped moving.
  • No vowels are bought in Round 2.
  • There is a $14,850 Jackpot win.
  • Round 4 and the Bonus Round are Event.
• On October 21, contestant Melanie is given the bonus puzzle HICCUPS with only the P and S showing, and Pat jokes that he will retire if she solves it. She does; he doesn't.
• October 27 is Halloween Week. During this week,
  • A jack-o'-lantern is projected onto the center of the Wheel.
  • Again, the inner frame of the puzzle board is yellow-orange.
  • Various Halloween sounds are heard when Bonus Round envelopes are selected, as per tradition.
• On October 27:
  • Although a repeated R is called in Round 1, it is not acknowledged as such.
  • Contestant Kristi wins despite losing $20,215 (including a New Orleans trip) to Bankrupt in Round 3.
  • Vanna's son and daughter, Niko and Giovanna, appear in their Halloween costumes at the end of the show. They are respectively disguised as a "cool kid" and an injured cat.
• On October 29, Pat's children, Patrick and Maggie, appear in their closing segment in their Halloween costumes, which are heavy sheets with holes in them.
• On October 30:
  • The Round 3 puzzle IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT (Quotation) is followed by a trivia question asking what cartoon character made it famous. Contestant Greg provides the answer of Snoopy.
  • The $3,000 Toss-Up A FULL MOON uses only one line.
• On October 31:
  • For the second known time, a "decades" category is used in a Toss-Up: the $2,000 Toss-Up BELL-BOTTOM JEANS (The 70s).
  • For no particular reason, all five main game puzzles are unusually short (19 letters or fewer).
  • As mentioned during the closing chat, a monitor on the board breaks down for the first time.

November 2003

• The weeks of November 3-17 are taped at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. On all of these episodes:
  • The set is decorated with miniatures of three NYC landmarks (the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the Music Hall) with Broadway posters above the puzzle board, a video wall decorated with replicas of high-rise building facades, and a black floor featuring white outlined "NEW YORK" text in the Broadway font.
  • The Jackpot display is in the lower left-hand corner instead of the upper left-hand corner; this appears to be deliberate, as the effect for a Jackpot win is altered to match.
  • In the Bonus Round, another cue plays after Pat announces the category to the contestant.
• On November 4:
  • The Round 1 puzzle NETS METS & JETS is a very rare instance of a puzzle with only one vowel.
  • Contestant Lori sweeps the game and wins a Ford Expedition in the Bonus Round.
• On November 7:
  • The original Round 1 is thrown out because contestant Anthony is inadvertently allowed to buy a vowel despite having only $50 and the $10,000 Wedge.
  • Anthony solves the Speed-Up puzzle DOUBLE-DECKER BUS with only the B's and S showing.
  • Anthony picks Pat up after solving the bonus puzzle CHILI SAUCE, after which Pat pretends to wrestle him. This has been seen in several retrospectives.
• November 10 is the ceremonial 4,000th episode, although it is actually #3,946. This, like the ceremonial #3,000, is composed entirely of clips with commentary by Pat and Vanna.
  • The title card is a CGI two-row logo in red, with a plain-looking "O" in "of", which spins into place along with a shiny, silver-blue "4000" text element in Impact, against a transparent monochrome Wheel on a sparkly rainbow background. The picture then zooms through the first zero to show footage of Radio City Music Hall ― first the exterior of the hall, then the audience members making their way into the stage room as Charlie gives his intro, "And now from Radio City Music Hall, celebrating 4,000 shows together, here are the stars of Wheel of Fortune: Pat Sajak and Vanna White!" When Pat and Vanna walk out, they do so from different sides of the set, Pat from the right and Vanna from the left.
  • The logo seen in the intro is also shown on the center-stage video wall.

    

  • After Pat and Vanna give their opening monologue, a screen with a purple border featuring a white "4000" text element on one side flips towards the camera, showing the intro from one of the earlier episodes of Season 21. With a "whooshing" sound effect the video slows to a stop, and then "rewinds" through various clips, which seem to not show up in chronological order from latest to earliest. The rewind ends with the January 18, 1978 opening that began the ceremonial #3,000, which is inexplicably identified as 1983. This then cuts to an opening from between September 1986 and November 1987 likely that of episode #S-1000, with a timpani roll dubbed in.
  • The first montage is set to "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive. Featuring mostly clips from the first decade of syndication, it starts with video of Pat's entrance from a shopping-era episode. It then proceeds to one of Vanna's outfits from that era; a late-1980s shot of the puzzle board reading BE A WHEEL WATCHER, center-aligned, most likely from a promo; a shot of the ceramic Dalmatian from the shopping era; Pat and Vanna's kiss from his last daytime episode; Pat and Vanna pieing each other on a 1991 episode; Pat and Vanna sitting in a hot tub together; Pat's interaction with a Bonus Round winner; a close-up of the 1986-96 Round 4 Wheel layout; Pat and Vanna holding humorous poses; Pat removing a wig from a Vanna mannequin; Pat and Vanna playing rock-paper-scissors; and a "Charlie, put down that _____!" Jackpot intro.
  • The second montage is set to "We Got the Beat" by The Go-Go's. Its clips are a Final Spin from around 1995; Kristen on September 13, 2002 celebrating while Pat holds the $10,000 Wedge; an answer of WINNER TAKES ALL being revealed on the trilon board; a red station wagon on a turntable; numerous contestants celebrating moments of success, including contestant Anthony celebrating a $25,000 win on October 7, 1998; Pat and Vanna exposing the skin on part of their abdomens; and finally a shot of Pat taking off his jacket on October 6, 1998.
  • The third montage is set to "I Get Around" by The Beach Boys. It includes footage of the Wheel painted atop the Seattle Space Needle in 1995, followed by several intros on road shows: a Seattle week (November 2002), San Diego (April-May 2003), Nashville (February 2003), Chicago (September-October 1991), Las Vegas taped in Culver City (January-February 2000), Hawaii (February 2001), and College Week from New Orleans (February 2000). At the end, a New Orleans trolley is shown decorated with a row of six 1997-99 logos on a black background, followed by Pat saying "I'm just in the mood. I dunno, call me wacky" to contestant Roland on December 19, 1997.
  • The fourth montage is set to "Round Round" by Sugababes. It features some of Pat's quirky behaviors, including wearing a frog hat on March 17, 1987 (daytime), carrying out a giant fake hot dog with Vanna on May 16, 2000, dancing with contestant Bill from Season 15, and eating a banana while telling a joke to a stuffed gorilla on-set on September 24, 1996.
  • The fifth montage is set to "Upside Down" by Diana Ross. It includes a Final Spin from September 2003, followed by more humorous behaviors from Pat: fainting next to his-and-hers cars in Season 5 or 6, sticking a coffee cup into Vanna's dress on September 30, 1992, cutting her hair on December 1, 1995, and hugging her on a Euro Tour episode in October 2002. It ends with Leigh from November 1986 solving AN AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY for $44,300.
  • The bumper features the "Wheel of Fortune 4000" logo, set over a shot of the audience in which the video screens display the standard Season 21 title card. The logo zooms through the first zero to show Vanna in front of the Music Hall in the daytime.
  • The first montage in the second segment consists of humorously wrong answers: a Speed-Up of STYROFOAM CUP mis-solved as STYROFOAM HAT circa 1988, the $2,000 Toss-Up of LAST-MINUTE DETAILS as LAST-MINUTE COCKTAILS from April 26, 2002, the Speed-Up of MUSIC & PIZZA BOX as MUSIC & PIZZA BOY from April 4, 2002, the Speed-Up of PLASTIC STRAWS as PLASTIC STRAPS and PLASTIC STRIPS from March 19, 2002, the bonus puzzle AT MY WIT'S END as AT MY CAT'S END from May 5, 1986 (albeit with the 1975-89 buzzer dubbed in), and the $3,000 Toss-Up AN ONLY CHILD as AN UGLY CHILD from April 11, 2002 (with the clip edited so that the rest of the puzzle fills in while contestant Linda is still talking), a $3,000 Toss-Up of SLEEPING BEAUTY as SLEEPING DOPEY on March 4 (edited so that the answer reveals right after Alberto guesses), and a $2,000 Toss-Up of FINGERS & TOES as MINERS & HOES on February 4, 2002. All of these have audience laughter dubbed in.
  • In the next montage, Vanna says that "Through the years, the puzzles have always reflected what's hip, hot, and happening", while clips are shown of various contestants solving puzzles pertaining to pop culture: SARAH JESSICA PARKER from February 7, 2001, BRITNEY & ASPARAGUS SPEARS from November 2001, three puzzles from Season 20 (TENNIS PRO ANDRE AGASSI, TRADING SPACES from March and AMERICAN IDOL from the College Week of November 12, 2002, the last of which is missing its category strip), FINDING NEMO from September 22, and OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB from Season 21. After that, Vanna says that "Right or wrong, our puzzle solves are always entertaining", after which Angela from March 1, 1999 is shown solving TEENY-WEENY, followed by Demitra on May 7, 2002 who solves a Toss-Up of PETER PIPER and then recites the poem.
  • The next montage includes contestants who solve their puzzles very loudly, including a shot of Pat putting in earplugs on December 9, 1999, and Steve from November 5, 1999 solving the Speed-Up THE STRING SECTION and subsequently complimenting Pat, followed by random shots of other screaming contestants (three of which feature Pat screaming with the player as well).
  • After that, footage is shown of some bonus puzzles that were solved with little to no help from the extra letters: JUNK FOOD with just the N and K in December 4, 2001 (with the reveal of the K sped up); HICCUPS with the P and S from October 21, YUGOSLAVIA with the S, L, and A's from September 30, 2002; WAKE UP with the E and P from November 12, 2002; and GOPHER with the E and R from February 5, 2001. It ends with the November 11, 1999 A GROUP OF PILL-PUSHERS incident which, like the last time the clip was shown in January 2002, edits out the audience's reaction and Pat's comment of "Good night, everyone!"; the latter is dubbed in at the very end of the clip.
  • Pat and Vanna introduce the third segment's first montage from behind the red scoreboard. The first montage is set to "Shout" by The Isley Brothers. It consists of screaming contestants from various episodes, including a brief shot of the answer SHOUT IT OUT from September 21, 2001. This transitions to various Bonus Round wins, including contestant Tom from May 9, 2001 who break dances and then hugs Vanna. The $100,000 wins from April 24 and May 21, 2003 are both shown as well, with the former also including Byron solving the puzzle in question.
  • The next montage is set to "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge. It includes various teams celebrating or cheering during various Bonus Round wins and other main game clips including one on October 8, 1998 where Pat tells Vanna, "16 years on the show, and you've never jumped on me like that". It ends with Sarah from May 12 talking about her mother's 1977 appearance.
  • Afterward, Vanna says over footage of a contestant spin that "every year, over 1 million people inquire about being on Wheel of Fortune," which is followed by an October 30, 1998 Halloween week closing segment where Pat asks a skeleton prop on the set how long "he" has been waiting to be a contestant on Wheel. Also included in the third segment is a montage of entertaining contestants, who include Leslie from March 10 singing "I love playing Wheel of Fortune!" opera-style; Mark complaining about being on the show in an impersonation of John Travolta from October 9, 1998; contestant Kevin from October 5, 1998 singing "Changing Keys" in chicken clucks; another episode from that season in which blue contestant Mike impersonates Forrest Gump, yellow contestant Nancy impersonates the Road Runner, and Mike later does "Forrest Gump as the Road Runner" on January 6, 1999; the stripper/refinisher Harry from October 2001; the clown/mortician Frank from March 4, 1998; deaf contestant George from November 24, 1997; contestant Suzette from January 14, 1999 episode humming "Changing Keys" through her nose to Pat and Vanna's amusement; and auctioneer Ray from March 1, 2000.
  • The next montage is set to a stock piece of circus music. It shows sped-up footage of May 6, 1998 contestant Richard chasing Pat across the stage after winning the Bonus Round and footage of contestant Jeff Smookler picking Pat up from June 2, 1998, both set to a piece of circus music. This is followed by a montage of entertaining Bonus Round winners from various eras including Scott from May 5, 1999 kissing Pat's shoes, and the winner Anthony from November 7.
  • The next montage is set to "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" by Smash Mouth. It features clips of entertaining main game contestants, including Christopher from May 11, 1999 attacking Pat after doing a clean sweep and winning $25,000, Johnathan from May 12, 1999 kissing a cardboard cut-out of Pat, Gervy slapping his butt after a $2,000 Toss-Up win on May 7, and Pat falling down after being hugged by Lisa on April 30 after Round 3.
  • The fourth segment begins with Pat briefly mentioning the daytime version, and Vanna discussing her audition while footage of both it and her first official episode are shown.
  • The next montage is set to "She's a Lady" by Tom Jones. It features several outfits Vanna has worn over the years, including several previously seen in the ceremonial 3,000th episode, a clip from October 8, 1999 where Vanna wears a Dior dress and Pat spins her around while calling her "a revolving Dior", and footage of Vanna in a promo shoot.
  • The next montage is set to "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred. It features a humorous montage of Pat's wardrobe, including him revealing a hanger from inside his jacket during the shopping era, dropping his pants at the end of a November 1987 show, and wearing a mullet during a New York City road show. This montage ends with the cold open from January 13, 1997 in which Vanna announces that she is pregnant; footage of Vanna showing off Niko on September 14, 1994; and her pregnancy with, and on-air introduction of, Giovanna on September 15, 1997.
  • The next montage is set to "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf. Among the clips are Pat's reaction to contestant Kara breaking her Toss-Up buzzer on May 1, a series of four "Charlie, put down that ______!" Jackpot intros in Season 15, and standing to make cattle horns on a floor-mounted "U" in "HOUSTON" come up out of his head during a road show in that city on May 4, 1998.
  • Afterward, a blooper reel is shown for a Season 21 promo made for KDRV in Medford, Oregon, in which Vanna repeatedly stumbles over the phrase "What's with all the exclamation points?"
  • The next montage is set to "Eat It" by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It features Pat and Vanna sampling local cuisine while on location, followed by another road show montage set to "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson. This montage features more road show intros, including those from the Nashville show and a Dallas show; outtakes of Vanna trying to catch a fish at the Seattle Pike Place Market in 2002; Vanna in racing gear at the Texas Motor Speedway shouting "Gentlemen, start your engines!" while waving a green flag as Pat drives an early Wheelmobile down the racetrack; footage of a Wheel-branded slot machine in a Las Vegas casino followed by Vanna playing poker at said casino; and finally, three clips from Hawaii episodes aired in February 2001: an intro where a naked Pat rafts; a closing segment where after winning the Bonus Round, sisters Alice and Dorothy, brothers Arnold and Edward, brother-sister Venusto and Kathryn and Vanna dance with Angela Perez Baraquio; and Edward reacting to Pat's comment of "What was that noise you made earlier?", with Pat himself responding with a comment of "Good night, everybody!"
  • The next is set to "I Got You Babe" by Sonny & Cher. It features various interactions between Pat and Vanna, including another shot of Vanna pieing Pat, Pat throwing fake snow at Vanna in 1992, Pat nearly crashing a golf cart into the puzzle board on January 14, 2002, Vanna waving a checkered flag in front of Pat on April 26, 2002 and drawing a mustache on his face on an October 13, 1997 episode, the two of them sticking their tongues out after eating red candies on an October 20, 1998 episode, Pat inhaling helium from a balloon singing Mighty Mouse's theme song during a New Year's week episode on January 9, 1998, both of them cleaning up after a $100,000 Bonus Round win during a Wheel Goes to the Movies week on May 21, and finally slow-motion clips of them huddling next to (and even kissing) one another from Las Vegas in February 12, 2002.
  • In the final segment, Pat and Vanna are onstage, the puzzle board reading AMERICA'S GAME with most of the show's staff, including executive producer Harry Friedman, producers Karen Griffith and Steve Schwartz, and Charlie. Director Mark Corwin is shown in the booth. Various credits are timed to show those staff members, while a Home Puzzle Contest outtake from October 31, 1983 (daytime) appears at Merv's credit.
  • As of 2017, the 4,000th episode is still shown at contestant auditions to fill time while the written tests are being scored.
  • Strangely, reruns during the week of July 12, 2004 consist of November 10 followed by November 3-6. This is the only known instance until Season 28 of Summer reruns airing out of order.
• November 11-14 is Best Friends Week. During these four episodes, the Mystery Round prize is a $10,000 Macy's gift card.
• On a Best Friends episode (possibly the 11th), a Toss-Up is thrown out because the lockouts are not activated on the buzzers, allowing one team to accidentally ring in twice. The discarded puzzle, PURRING KITTENS, later appears in the Speed-Up on April 28, 2004.
• On November 14:
  • For the first of only four known times, the Prize Puzzle offers something other than a trip: specifically, a luxury suite at a New York Rangers game, valued at $8,000.
  • For the first time, a contestant or team (Sal and Tom) exceeds $100,000 without hitting that amount: $19,745 cash, plus an $82,956 pair of Lexus RX 330's, totaling $102,701. This is very likely the most expensive non-cash prize ever offered through the Bonus Wheel until Season 38.
  • The bonus puzzle PIECE OF MIND is misspelled (it should be either PEACE OF MIND or A PIECE OF YOUR MIND).
• November 17 is NBA Players Week. During this week:
  • The set is decorated with pictures of NBA basketball players above the puzzle board.
  • The black floor features an NBA logo.
• On November 21, three females play.
• November 24 is California Coast.
• Starting November 24, there is now a split-screen during the Pat and Vanna chat, the right side of which displays the show's disclaimers and the company that provided Vanna's wardrobe. The first one is a multi-colored swirl with white fireworks, and road shows use ones with themed graphics.
• On November 26, there is a $100,000 loss.
• On November 27, Round 5 (MORK & MINDY) is a rare instance of a puzzle shorter than ten letters.

December 2003

• Around this point, one of the cars available in the Mystery Round is a Chevy Aveo. While all other Mystery Round cars are described over footage of them being driven, the Aveo is described over a stock image of it on a white background.
• December 1 is Rich & Famous. During this week, the inner frame of the puzzle board is yellow-orange.
• Starting December 8, Charlie now announces two sponsors after the first commercial break with "Tonight's show brought to you by..." Reruns of episodes before this point are edited to include the sponsors.
• December 8-19 is the Blue Cash Sweepstakes. This is a special "blue"-themed sweepstakes sponsored by American Express Blue Card. Home viewers may submit each episode's bonus puzzle on the show's website to enter a drawing which offers "blue"-themed prizes, such as tickets to Blue Man Group or a blue car. A promotional clip for this sweepstakes shows a Bonus Round win from earlier in the season, edited so that the board says BLUE CASH in the wrong font.
• December 8 is Tropics.
• On December 10, two contestants in a row give wrong answers to the Where Are We? puzzle BROTHERLY LOVE CREAM CHEESE THE LIBERTY BELL.
• On December 12:
  • In Round 3, contestant Aileen calls either M or N on $600, and the 3 N's are lit up in the puzzle RENTING A MOVIE ON DVD, but she is credited with only a single letter. This scoring error does not affect the game, as she still has enough to buy a vowel until she hits Bankrupt later in the round.
  • During the Speed-Up, contestant Mark is initially not credited with $12,000 after finding 2 R's in the puzzle SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA. He is credited with $6,000 just before the buzzer sounds, but this is quickly corrected to $12,000 immediately after.
• December 15 is Blue Cash. During this week:
  • All cars in the Bonus Round are blue.
  • Both the neon parts of the set and the category strips are darker blue than usual.
  • The Mystery Round prize is $10,000 towards purchases from Sony Style.
• On December 15:
  • The Round 1 puzzle WHO SHOT J.R.? is a now-rare main game puzzle that is shorter than 10 letters. It is also a rare main game puzzle with only one vowel.
  • There is a $16,400 Jackpot win.
• On December 16:
  • The Round 2 puzzle I SPEAK CHINESE CHECKERS is the first known Prize Puzzle to be categorized as Before & After, and it awards a Yangtze River cruise.
  • During Round 2, the buzzer sounds on a correct letter, followed by the ding immediately after.
  • Music director Steve Kaplan dies in a plane crash. He remains in the full credit roll until the last of his compositions are retired from the show in 2007.
• On December 17, the Final Spin is shot differently than usual: it uses a bird's-eye view of the contestant area, which then zooms in on the red arrow as the Wheel comes to a stop.
• December 22 is Happy Holidays. During this week, snowflakes are projected into the center of the Wheel; this is the last time that the projector is used.
• On December 22:
  • Contestant Khalilah mentions that her mother competed on the show 17 years prior.
  • The Mystery prize is a $9,726 Kia Rio. This is both the only known Mystery Prize under $10,000 and the last vehicle under $10,000 to be offered by the show.
  • The buzzer does not sound on the first wrong letter (T) of Round 4.
  • Six rounds are played.
• On December 23, there is a $100,000 loss.
• On December 24:
  • For the second of only four known times, a Prize Puzzle offers something other than a trip: in this case, the Round 1 puzzle GADGETS AND GIZMOS offers a home entertainment package.
  • There is a $7,250 Jackpot win.
• On December 26, Wayne Brady makes a cameo after the Round 2 puzzle EMMY AWARD-WINNING TALK SHOW HOST.
• December 29 is Music Cities Week. During this week, the Jackpot display is again in the lower left-hand corner for no particular reason.
• On December 29:
  • The Mystery Round copy is shortened to "And in tonight's Mystery Round, one of our players could win this [name of prize] — [amount]!", removing both Pat's opening for the round and the mention of contestants potentially going Bankrupt. The blue question mark wipe that previously opened the copy itself now reveals the prize as the wedges are animating on-screen.
  • The Final Spin is shot the same way as it was on the 17th.
  • The Bonus Round graphics now disappear with a different effect: instead of simply dissolving from the left, they dissolve all at once.
  • Both Wheel and Jeopardy! show a black-and-white picture of Steve Kaplan after the credits.

January 2004

• On January 1:
  • The Round 3 puzzle ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM is on the second through fourth rows of the board, a practice normally only done if the first word is too long for the first row.
  • Pat forgets to tell contestant Julie to remove the Mystery Prize from her arrow when she hits Bankrupt in Round 3.
• On January 2:
  • Round 3 is the second known instance since the early 1990s of Family spelling out AND (FRANCIS FORD AND SOFIA COPPOLA).
  • Contestant Jamie incorrectly solves the fully-revealed puzzle mentioned above by mispronouncing "Coppola".
  • "Happy Wheels" continues to play under the first fee plug.
• January 5 is NFL Players Week. During this week, the top winner receives a prize package consisting of a trip to Houston for an NFL Players Party and Super Bowl XXXVIII, autographed merchandise from Players Inc., a flat-screen TV with DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket, and a Reebok home gym.
• On January 5:
  • All three teams are male-female combos.
  • The Prize is a $3,500 Visa gift card.
  • 10 wrong letters are called in the Speed-Up, including 9 in a row.
• On January 6:
  • Once again, all three teams are male-female combos.
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up is a redundant answer of STAR CONSTELLATION.
  • The Round 1 puzzle, TIME AND NEWSWEEK, is an extremely rare occurrence of Titles. Pat's comments suggest that it is not the first.
• On January 8, the Round 1 puzzle PETER FALK AS COLUMBO is inexplicably categorized as Classic TV instead of Star & Role.
• On January 9:
  • All three teams are male-female combos.
  • There is a $7,100 Jackpot win.
  • Neither Bankrupt nor Lose A Turn is hit.
  • In the final segment, Charlie reveals the highest scoring team of the week (contestant Donna and Dan Fouts).
• January 12 is Winter Sports.
• On January 12, the Final Spin is shot the same way that it was on December 17. It is not known how many other episodes used this shot, if any, but it is known that at least December 22, January 2-9, and January 13 use the normal shot.
• On January 13:
  • Bankrupt is hit five times in Round 2.
  • The Mystery prize is $10,000 towards purchases from Amazon.com.
• On January 14:
  • Pat forgets to mention that Round 1 is a Prize Puzzle. The Prize Puzzle chimes sound again after the first spin, and Pat acknowledges them.
  • The first half of the Final Spin is shot normally, but the shot of the Wheel coming to a stop is a bird's-eye view similar to the shot used on the 12th.
• January 19 is Cruise Week. During this week,
  • Vanna promotes the show's theme aboard a cruise ship before the opening.
  • Viewers may submit each episode's bonus puzzle to the show's website for a chance to win a cruise provided by Princess Cruises.
• Likely on January 19, the Final Spin shot reverts to normal.
• On January 20:
  • The Mystery Prize is a $10,000 Macy's gift certificate.
  • The Gift Tag is crooked throughout the entire game.
  • There are two duplicate categories: Rounds 1 and 4 are Phrase, the $1,000 Toss-Up is Things, and the Bonus Round is Thing.
• On January 21:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up, L'EGGO MY EGGO, is the first of four known instances of Slogan being used as a Toss-Up, and a rare instance of said category not using its bonus question due to the product being part of the answer.
  • Round 2 is Title/Author, even though an Author/Title puzzle was used in Round 2 on January 1.
• On January 23:
  • It is the actual 4,000th episode, although this is not acknowledged.
  • The 2000 theme plays during the credits.
• January 26 is Coast to Coast.
• The week of January 26, likely due to being taped before the December 29 episode, uses the Mystery Round copy from the beginning of the season.
• On January 28, the $2,000 Toss-Up PURPLE LILACS (itself a redundant answer) is inexplicably categorized as Things instead of Living Things.

February 2004

• February 2 is Aloha Week. It is also the Aloha Sweepstakes, in which home viewers may submit each episode's bonus puzzle to the show's website for a chance to win a vacation to Hawaii.
• On February 2, no vowels are bought in Round 3.
• On February 3, six rounds are played.
• On February 4:
  • Pat does not state the category of the $1,000 Toss-Up (Place).
  • Pat says "Try that again" when contestant Brinda hits the Gift Tag despite her not being shown hitting it earlier, indicating that she hit it once as part of a "null" cycle that was edited out.
  • There is an $8,100 Jackpot win.
  • Round 5 and the Bonus Round are Living Things.
• On February 5:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up BABY'S HIGHCHAIR is misspelled (should be "high chair").
  • After Round 3 is solved, Pat asks for the Mystery chord to sound again.
  • After the $3,000 Toss-Up is solved, the cue for a correct answer to a "bonus" question plays by mistake. Also, the answer can be seen being cleared from the board before cutting to the contestant who solved it.
• On February 6:
  • Six rounds are played.
  • The bonus puzzle A NEW JOB is inexplicably categorized as Phrase instead of Thing.
• The weeks of February 9-23 are taped at the Dodge (now Arizona Federal) Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. The "PHOENIX" and "ARIZONA" signs from the February 1997 shows are re-used. During these weeks:
  • The inner frame of the puzzle board is orange.
  • The Jackpot display is in the lower left-hand corner instead of the upper left-hand corner.
• February 9 is Sweethearts Week.
• On February 9, there is a $100,000 loss.
• On February 10:
  • Round 4 is the first of only seven known instances of Occupations (MANICURIST & PEDICURIST).
  • In the final segment, Pat and Vanna discuss the Round 1 puzzle THE FAMILY CIRCUS CARTOON, and show the Family Circus strip from June 2, 2000 due to it referencing Pat.
• On February 13:
  • Nobody solves the $1,000 Toss-Up CORNER BARBERSHOP.
  • Contestants Kerrie and Todd technically sweep the game (disregarding the unsolved $1,000 Toss-Up) and wins $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
  • Contestants Kerrie and Todd fill in the bonus puzzle A CLEAN SHAVE completely.
• February 16 is Phoenix Week.
• On February 18:
  • One of the contestants is picked out of the audience.
  • The same contestant tries to call T, N, S, and R in the Bonus Round.
• On February 20:
  • After the Round 2 Slogan puzzle OUTWIT OUTPLAY OUTLAST, the "bonus" is thrown out when an audience member shouts out the correct response of Survivor.
  • Pat stands over the Bonus Wheel and makes bizarre, pseudo-Native American chants before the contestant spins it.
• During the week of February 16, all five winners are female.
• February 23 is Teen Best Friends. During this week, the contestants introduce their best friends in the audience.
• On February 25:
  • There is an $8,550 Jackpot win.
  • Contestants Julie & Alx spin only twice in the entire game, calling a wrong letter in Round 1 and landing on Bankrupt in Round 3.

March 2004

• March 1 is Aruba, with a sweepstakes sponsored by the Aruba Tourism Authority. During this week:
  • There is a cold open in which Vanna says, "We're celebrating Aruba this week, and you could win a trip to this beautiful Dutch Caribbean island. Find out how tonight!"
  • Home viewers may submit each episode's bonus puzzle to the show's website for a chance to win a vacation to Aruba.
  • After Round 2, Vanna does a bumper from the puzzle board, which reads TONIGHT WIN A TRIP TO ARUBA.
• On March 4, the Round 4 puzzle DON ADAMS AS MAXWELL SMART is categorized as Classic TV instead of Star & Role.
• During the week of March 1, three contestants get no help from their letters in the Bonus Round.
• March 8 is Ultimate Adventures.
• On March 9, after the Round 4 puzzle SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (Fictional Character) is solved, Pat says, "What do you mean, 'Fictional Character'?" and quotes the entire SpongeBob SquarePants theme song. This has been seen in several retrospectives.
• On March 12:
  • Contestant Rich solves Round 1 with only the $10,000 Wedge.
  • The chord does not sound when contestant Jolene lands on one of the Mystery Wedges.
  • On the Menu appears in the Bonus Round for the first time.
• March 15 is Party Time!
• On March 15:
  • Several clear arches are added to the back of the set. The arch behind Pat has a smaller video screen which displays an identifying animation, which resembles the Season 17 main title animation in that it features the wordmark in gold with a normal-looking "O" in "of", atop a graphic of a spinning Wheel. However, unlike the Season 17 logo, this animation presents the Wheel accurately.
  • In Round 3, contestant Kimberly manages to make four incorrect guesses on what the Clue puzzle A ROMAN GOD OR THE PLANET NEAREST THE SUN describes (Mercury).
  • Wheel Watchers Club members now have a chance to win the prize offered in a Prize Puzzle with an assigned SPIN ID number. After Charlie finishes the prize plug, he reads a SPIN ID that is randomly drawn and announced in post-production. Home viewers who see their SPIN ID on the show may go to the show's website to confirm their ID and claim the prize. New SPIN IDs are edited into reruns.
    • The original SPIN ID reveal plug features a background with a transparent, bare Wheel template and several stars in random places, which comes in one of four different color schemes: yellow, green, blue, or purple. After the Prize Puzzle prize is revealed, Charlie congratulates the contestant and says, "If you're a Wheel Watchers Club member and your personal SPIN ID is [SPIN ID number], you're a winner. You have 24 hours from now to log on to wheeloffortune.com and claim your [prize description]!" The plug reveals as follows: a "spark" turns the screen white; this then fades into a couple of colored bare Wheel templates which reveal the wipe itself. The Wheel drawing in the background is already in place, and the words in the club's name zoom onto place, along with a "mini-board" displaying the SPIN ID, designed like a miniature puzzle board with a cyan inner frame and a purple outer one. "SPIN I.D." is displayed in Impact, with a green "blank screen" representing the space. At the bottom of the screen is the Prize Puzzle bug and an eligibility disclaimer. The SPIN ID itself is revealed with the words "SPIN ID" backing away, and the spaces spinning like slot machine tumblers and stopping one at a time. The ID itself is in Rockwell Condensed, the font of the trilon-based board, but in the regular unbolded version.
  • The bonus puzzle A GROUP HUG is categorized as Event. The next two times this answer appears (February 27, 2006 and January 12, 2010), it is categorized as Thing and doesn't have the A.
  • During the post-game chat, Pat reminds Vanna that during a chat in November, she wished that Thanksgiving could be at another time, such as March. He then reminds her it is now March, and surprises her with a turkey dinner.
• On March 17, contestant Yolanda sweeps the game and wins a Chrysler PT Cruiser in the Bonus Round. At $19,715, this is the least-expensive bonus prize known to be offered since the introduction of the Bonus Wheel.
• On March 18, the second-place contestant has $26,900.
• On March 19, after the Headline puzzle FORMER E.T. CHILD ACTRESS GETS WALK OF FAME STAR, Pat asks who the puzzle is referring to (Drew Barrymore).
• March 22 is Travel USA.
• On March 25, there is a $100,000 loss.
• March 29 is Sand & Sea. During this week, Pat and Vanna read letters from past winners in the final segment, which is dubbed "Wheel Changes Lives".
• On March 29:
  • Round 3 has a very rare instance of a contestant losing their turn with only vowels remaining: with only the A's missing in the Next Line Please puzzle I DO NOT LIKE THEM SAM-I-AM, a contestant buys U.
  • After the next contestant solves (presumably for the house minimum), Pat tells her that the line is followed by "I do not like green eggs and ham" when she does not guess the next line. The fact that these lines are far more commonly used and quoted in the reverse order ("green eggs and ham/Sam-I-Am") may have misled the contestant, as the book itself only uses the "Sam-I-Am/green eggs and ham" order once.
• On March 30:
  • The Round 2 Headline puzzle THE LORD OF THE RINGS GETS OSCAR CLEAN SWEEP is followed by a bonus question asking how many Oscars that film won (eleven).
  • The 2000 theme plays during the credits.
• On March 31, a contestant mispronounces the second word of THICK PLUSH BEACH TOWELS as "plus". Against precedent, she is asked to say the answer again, and pronounces it correctly the second time. Pat then explains that she was allowed a second chance because the puzzle is a tongue twister.

April 2004

• On April 1:
  • For the second of only two known times, the Mystery prize is a trip: specifically a $15,600 Alaskan cruise.
  • Contestant Janice incorrectly solves the fully-revealed Round 3 Clue puzzle OVERHAND SQUARE & SHEEPSHANK ARE TYPES (knots) by mispronouncing the third word.
  • The High Rollers chimes sound twice in Round 3 when Pat asks for the answer to the Clue.
  • The $3,000 Toss-Up is The 70s, a seemingly-rare use of a "decades" category as a Toss-Up.
  • Janice spins over the Final Spin bells at the start of Round 4. She is allowed to complete her turn, and the bells sound again before Pat does the Final Spin.
  • Round 4 and the Bonus Round are Event.
  • The bonus puzzle JOB FAIR uses only one line.
• On April 2, contestant Heather makes a second appearance because of an error on her first episode. She finishes this episode in third place with $2,050.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of March 29, part of an eight-day losing streak.
• Between January 17 and April 5, Fictional Place appears four times, when it normally appears no more than once or twice in an entire season.
• April 5 is Great Outdoors.
• On April 9:
  • One of the contestants is Lori Ryan (now Lori Vallow Daybell), who would later gain infamy for her 2020 arrest in a murder case involving two of her three children. Home-recorded clips of this episode were shown in the 20/20 documentary The Gravedigger's Wife on ABC.
  • The third- and second-place contestants have $15,845 and $17,500 respectively.
  • The Bonus Round puzzle MYTHS is the third of only three known puzzles not to have A, E, I, O, or U in it.
• April 12 is Wheel Around the World.
• On April 12, the theme to the Australian version is used as a cue for the Prize, a trip to Australia.
• On April 13, there is a $13,600 Jackpot win.
• All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of April 12, three of which have the players getting no help from their letters. The losing streak extends to the 20th.
• April 19 is Mexico Week. During this week, the Mystery Round prize is $10,000 toward purchases from Sony Style.
• On April 19, I'D LIKE TO BUY A VOWEL is the Round 1 puzzle.
• On April 21, one of the Mystery wedge is accidentally placed on the orange $300, resulting in two consecutive $500 spaces. This also results in contestant Erin landing on it and subsequently lifting it. Although it hides a Bankrupt, this ultimately does not affect the game's outcome.
• On April 22, in an unusual move, Vanna walks over to help console the contestant after he loses the Bonus Round.
• April 26 is Spa Week.
• On April 26, a contestant (who does not solve the bonus puzzle) misses the $100,000 by one envelope.
• On April 27:
  • Vanna wears a suit.
  • The Round 1 puzzle SOAP-ON-A-ROPE is incorrectly hyphenated.
  • No vowels are bought in Round 1.
  • The Mystery Prize is $10,000 credit to hsn.com.
• On April 28, Round 2 is the last appearance of Fill In the Number. It is also the third of only three known Fill In the Number puzzles to have two different numbers in it (# SCORE AND # YEARS AGO) (4, 7).
• The month of April has three five-letter bonus puzzles: MYTHS on the 9th (itself only the second known instance of a puzzle without A, E, I, O, or U), VOGUE on the 12th, and FIBER on the 20th.

May 2004

• The weeks of May 3-17 are taped at Moscone Center in San Francisco. These episodes are the source of a frequently re-aired blooper reel where Vanna repeatedly flubs the line "highlight your nightlife" while shooting a bumper.
• May 3 is Mom & Me Week, with mother/son and mother/daughter teams. During this week, the post-Round 2 bumper includes childhood photos of the contestants.
• On May 3:
  • The $1,000 Toss-Up, CHOOSY MOMS CHOOSE JIF, is the second of four known instances of Slogan being used as a Toss-Up, and a rare instance of said category not using its bonus question due to the product being part of the answer.
  • The Prize is a $6,000 Michael C. Fina shopping spree.
  • Willie Mays makes a guest appearance after the Round 2 puzzle BASEBALL HALL OF FAME.
• On May 4, despite having been an active category since Season 14, Classic TV makes its first of only two known appearances in the Bonus Round.
• May 10 is San Francisco Week.
• On May 10:
  • The lights briefly go out during a round. Gameplay is simply picked up from where it left off, and the show is edited.
  • The Bonus Wheel spin is reshot because it did not go all the way around the first time, with the original spin edited out.
• On May 13:
  • Round 1 (CRODODILE DUNDEE) is categorized as Fictional Character instead of Title or The 80's.
  • The Round 2 Prize includes a shopping spree at the Sony Metreon (now just Metreon) shopping mall in San Francisco.
  • The Round 2 puzzle SEARCH ENGINES GOOGLE AND YAHOO! is the first known use of an exclamation point.
  • The Mystery Prize is $10,000 credit to Sony Style.
  • In Round 3, the 1997 puzzle-solve cue is accidentally used when the correct answer to the Clue is given.
  • The Round 4 puzzle I WOULD IF I COULD is a rare instance of a puzzle with none of the five most common consonants in it.
  • The second-place contestant has $20,600.
• May 17 is College Week. During this week:
  • University of California's marching band plays music bumpers.
  • All of the Wheel Prizes are trips sponsored by Contiki Holidays.
  • The Mystery Round prize is $10,000 credit to Sony Style.
• On May 17:
  • There is an $11,550 Jackpot win. In a rather rare occurrence, it comes with only vowels remaining.
  • Round 3 is the third of only four known instances of a Prize Puzzle offering something other than a trip: specifically, the puzzle AN EVENING YOU'LL NEVER FORGET offers $3,500 towards purchases from TicketsNow.com.
• On May 18:
  • The Round 2 puzzle BICYCLE BUILT FOR TWO LEFT FEET is the second Prize Puzzle to be categorized as Before & After, and it awards both a Jeep mountain bike and a trip to Monterey.
  • Contestant Tracy solves the bonus puzzle MY GIFT TO YOU at the last second with only the T's and O's revealed.
• On May 20, there is a $7,200 Jackpot win.
• On May 21, a contestant wins by $50.
• May 24 is Wheel Goes to the Movies.
• The weeks of May 24 and 31 have themed backdrops for the split-screen during Pat and Vanna's talk, despite these weeks being taped in Culver City.
• On May 26, Round 2 is the last appearance of Clue; the above-mentioned "Mercury" and "sheepshank" incidents on March 14 and April 1 may have been reasons behind the category's retirement.
• On May 27:
  • The Round 3 puzzle BEN STILLER & OWEN WILSON AS STARSKY & HUTCH is the first of three known appearance of Stars & Roles, and the second of only six known puzzles to have more than one ampersand.
  • During the Speed-Up, contestant Genelle appears to call either M or N during one turn, but she quickly changes to H. Against precedent, she is held to her first letter despite it not being clear what she called. Following this ruling, Genelle says M, but Pat says it was initially heard as an N before she is finally credited with an M. While the puzzle (LAST-DITCH EFFORT) does have an H but not an M, this ruling ultimately does not affect the outcome as Genelle wins anyway.
• On May 28, contestant Pam sweeps the game but loses $25,000 in the Bonus Round.
• May 31 is Back to the Beach.

June 2004

• On June 2:
  • Contestant Holly solves the Round 1 puzzle THE LIFE OF THE PARTY with only the T's and H's showing.
  • The Mystery prize is a $10,000 Cartier gift certificate.
  • Unusually, a shot from behind the contestants' backs is used when Round 3 is solved.
  • The buzzer sounds twice on an incorrect D in Round 6, although the second buzzer is much quieter. Between this and Pat's remark of "What does that sound mean?" which get cuts off partway through, it appears that there was an edit while the judges determine what letter was called.
  • Seven rounds are played.
  • The scoreboards malfunction during the Speed-Up. Holly's goes blank after she calls S, then displays $2,600 and finally $1,300 even though she had $3,900 at the time; after this, Robin's does not display her score of $1,300, leaving Pat unable to determine the final scores. The correct scores finally appear just before the throw to commercial.
  • The bonus puzzle IN A FOG uses only one line.
• On June 3:
  • There is a $9,300 Jackpot win.
  • The Bonus Round contestant says the words "boiling" and "point" at various times among his guesses, but bizarrely never says the right answer of BOILING POINT.
• On June 4, Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.