Not only that, but as the sell to the front game was to test the players' abilities to "judge human nature", it becomes really boring really quickly if there's nothing something to add personality behind the guesses the contestants make.  Particularly with the NBC version (since it's the one I've seen the most of and enjoyed the most that I'll comment upon it), they were good at casting energetic personalities who could spin good yarns for why they think thirty kids out of a hundred (or more or fewer than that) have ever been bullied out of their lunch money, or other platitudinous questions

That is kind of what happened on Classic Concentration:  In the rebus games, it seemed like the contestant's were "encouraged" to say a few words before calling out the number.  Of course, the car game was pretty much calling numbers only.

Oh God yes I’ve had the subscription now for 7 years.  It’s how I found (and befriended) several Woolery and 80s Wheel players, scoop on Price is Right shows, and even tea on prize suppliers and their subsequent legal battles (like Classic Roadster).  I know the State Historical Society of Missouri is partnering with NDC on digitizing their holdings of smaller town MO papers which is great.  The digital archive site on SHSMO is horrible to search.

One improvement they need is allow us to use Booleans, and after reading lots of news stories I’ve learned extra keywords to include.  Example: you search Price is Right, include a pricing game, “come on down”, “showcase”, or “Bob Barker”.  Also use “(insert network) game show” before or after a title.

Christmas for me is when a new title gets added to NDC or Genealogy Bank.  The latter just got the Savannah GA newspapers and I’m over the moon.  Also, go to The Ancestor Hunt blog that lists free digital newspaper archives by state.

Quote from: PYLclark86 on November 23, 2025, 01:49:42 PM

Speaking of Whew!, I don't recall them ever mentioning that you had to place your blocks from bottom to top. Per the contestant agreement:

Quote

17. When blocking, I may start on any level, but having selected a level, I can not put a block on a lower level.

I think they ended up dropping that when the celebs came on.

Yes.  Often the first block placed was the Level 6 block by the civilian.

I think the producers encourage the contestants to give some sort of reasoning behind their guess. One very good reason is to be sure they understand what's being asked. Sometimes I've seen a contestant misunderstand a question and give a reason that goes against the context of the question, in which the host advises the player what the question is asking as their reasoning doesn't match.

Looking at it through childhood eyes, when first watching the show in reruns (back when stations like KYW and WABC ran it in the morning), I hated the explanations and wished it moved faster. Through adult eyes, it would be painfully boring.

Host: How many of them said that they WOULD ___________
Contestant A: 58
Contestant B: lower
Host: It's actually HIGHER. Contestant A, you can play this card or change.

We'd have games moving at lightning speed. I don't think that's what the producers would have wanted.

There was a piece a couple of weeks ago about the death of channel numbering, and how getting rid of those reserved, memorable spaces means that platforms can just quietly yoink a channel whenever and all but the most ardent viewers of it won't notice until it's long gone. So it's more likely that you just lost your channel and not your marbles.