It took me entirely too long to realize that holding the ace was a carryover from the pre-New Card Game format, in which the ace was capped at $1,000. In that version, it made sense to use it in the way Nick describes. When the maximum value of an ace became uncapped, they should have tossed out the ability to hold onto it.

-Jason

I do wonder if a LFaT who played today and got an ace would ask Drew if they still had the option to save it for later. Is Drew even aware that it was ever an option?

Also, I just re-watched the 50th anniversary playing of Card Game and Drew specifically told the contestant that he had to pick at least one card from the standard deck. I don't watch TPIR often enough anymore to know whether he says that with every playing nowadays. Does he? And has that always been the rule, at least since it became New Card Game (not that a contestant with even the slightest concept of car pricing wouldn't)?

Not sure if this fits but on High Rollers, did Alex or Wink ever mention that leaving the 1 unattended is an automatic L? For instance, if it comes down to the 7 and the 1 you obviously want an 8, but did that scenario ever happen?

One instance that comes to mind is below, from 1980, and all Alex adds beforehand is "don't roll a 5", figuring loyal viewers by that point know what he means. (And this further clarifies a common fan wish -- you can't use an insurance marker on a good roll, regardless if it costs you the game/Big Numbers.)

https://youtu.be/603Aog-ELtA?si=2_fBd8EKl-7oq9DY&t=1012

-Jason

Not sure if this fits but on High Rollers, did Alex or Wink ever mention that leaving the 1 unattended is an automatic L? For instance, if it comes down to the 7 and the 1 you obviously want an 8, but did that scenario ever happen?

I think the idea of holding the ace and continuing to draw is this... you keep drawing and then if you have a fear of drawing too large a card and going over, then you use the ace for a finite amount and get your bid right where you want it.

But then again, why wouldn't you just do it to start out with if you know what you want to bid?

/Stay tuned for Catch 22 The Game Show, next over most of these CBS stations...

3or other platitudinous questions.

Platitudinous? Aristophanes!

I've written questions for an online game and hosted with Loog. It is those questions that makes the show interesting since the card play is typically pro forma, though you get enough of the lucky or unlucky stuff that you can never quite tell.

I've asked "do you remember the name of your first grade teacher?" "Would you pay $1,000 to have the chance to win $10,000 on a coin flip?" and maybe my favorite after seeing a picture of Bronson Pinchot and Mark-Linn Baker, asking our respondents to name the situation comedy that starred them both.

Much like excellent questions on Millionaire or Jeopardy spark discussion and thought, so too do good questions on Card Sharks, and the fun of the show is seeing of our guesses match up with the polling group. "We asked 100 inmates, did you do it?" isn't something where you just say "fifty" and leave it at that. Saying that they are platitudinous is disrespectful to the work product.