Lingo

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LINGO
Opening logo for both the 1987 version and the current version of Lingo.
Airdates:	Syn. September 1987 - September 1988, GSN August 2002 - Present
Hosts:	Michael Reagan, Ralph Andrews, Chuck Woolery
Co-Hosts:	Dusty Martell, Stacey Hayes, Shandi Finnessey
Producers:	Ralph Andrews Productions (1987-1988), Laurelwood Productions (2002 - Present)

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Syndicated version 1.1.1 Front Game 1.1.2 Bonus Round ("No Lingo") 1.2 GSN version 1.2.1 Front Game 1.2.2 Bonus Round 2 Notes

Gameplay

Syndicated version

Front Game

Two teams of two competed. Each team began the game by receiving a Lingo board with 25 numbered squares. Seven of these squares are marked off of both teams' boards at the outset. Starting with the challengers, one team is presented with the first letter of a five-letter word. One player then attempts to guess the word, spelling the word appropriately. The team is then told which letters are present in the word (denoted by a yellow circle), and which letters are both present and in the correct position (denoted by a red square, and the letters being automatically filled in on subsequent guesses). If the team fails to figure out the word after five guesses, takes more than five seconds to make a guess, misspells a word, uses a word that doesn't fit, or attempts a guess that does not use the provided first letter, control passes to the other team, who receive a bonus letter in the first available spot. If a team correctly identifies the word, they get control of their board; guessing the word on the first try wins a $1000 bonus.

Upon getting control of their board, each player draws one ball from the pool within the team podium. The number on the ball is then marked off the team's Lingo board. Several prize and cash balls are also added, which can be redeemed only if the game is won. However, each pool also has three red balls; if a red ball is drawn, control is immediately forfeited to the other team. The first team to capture five squares in a row on their board wins the game and advances to the bonus round. Originally, all Lingos paid out $250; later during the run, a horizontal or vertical Lingo paid $500, a diagonal Lingo paid $1000, and completing two Lingos with one ball won $2000.

Bonus Round ("No Lingo")

In the bonus round, the team would be presented with another Lingo board, in which 16 of the squares are already marked off in a pattern so that the center square would complete a Lingo on the center row and center column, as well as both diagonals. The team starts with a $500 stake, which they can decide at the outset to keep and forgo the bonus round, or risk to play on. The team is then shown another word, with two letters (including the first visible). For every attempt that is necessary to deduce the word, the team must draw one ball, and an additional two balls (for a total of seven) must be drawn if the team fails to solve the word after five tries. However, not all of the numbers available to be drawn are present on the board, and if such a number is drawn, no space is marked. In addition, a gold ball is hidden inside the hopper, which immediately halts any further draws. If a Lingo is completed at any point with one of the draws, the round ends and the money is lost; otherwise the money is doubled and the team is allowed to play on. This can continue up to a total of five times, which makes the maximum possible value of the round $16,000 on a team's first visit. On subsequent visits, the team's inital stake is doubled, making the potential value of each visit to the bonus round worth $32,000 and $64,000, respectively. Champion teams remain on the show for a maximum of three games.

At the same time that the payouts for the main game Lingos changed, the payout format for the bonus round changed as well, so that the winnings earned in the main game were used as the stake for the bonus round. In this format, teams remained on the show until they lost twice in the main game.

GSN version

Front Game

Two teams of two compete once again. Each team now begins with a Lingo board with 10 numbers marked off at the start. The winner of a coin toss begins the game. The game was played as two timed rounds: in the first round, each solved word earned 25 points, and each Lingo was worth 50 points. These point values doubled for the second round. In addition, three wild card balls were added to each player's bowl in the second round, which could then be used for any space on the board. The team with the most points after two rounds won the game and played the bonus round. In the event of a tie, both teams were shown the first and last letters of a seven-letter word. If nobody guessed, further letters were revealed until one team locked in. If the team memeber that buzzed in solved the word, that team won the game; otherwise, the other team got another letter and a free guess.

Bonus Round

In the bonus round, the team would have two minutes to solve as many words as possible; each word began with two letters revealed. Starting in season two, the team was also entitled to one bonus letter for use at any time, as well as an additional bonus letter for each Lingo completed in the main game. A maximum of 10 words were played.

After the speed round, the team was presented one final Lingo board, with 12 numbers marked off in such a way that one of the remaining numbers would complete a Lingo on the first pull. The team received one draw for each word solved. If they completed a Lingo, they won $5000. (In the first season, 13 numbers were marked off, and a Lingo won $4000 in prizes during the first season); otherwise, they won $100 for each word solved. If the team completed a Lingo on the first draw (possible from season two onward), they won $5000 and a trip to Jamaica for each player in season two, season three offered $5000 and a trip to Lake Tahoe, season four offered $10,000 cash, and subsequent seasons awarded a cash jackpot that started at $10,000 and grew by $1000 each day until won.

Notes

• The syndicated run was caught up in scandal when it was revealed that some of the contestants did not receive their winnings

• Michael Reagan, son of then-president Ronald Reagan left the show midway through the season to promote a book of his, leaving producer Ralph Andrews to take over hosting.

• The first season of the GSN version was taped in the Netherlands, using the set for the Dutch version of the show while a set was being constructed in the United States. This practice would be repeated for another GSN original, That's the Question.

• The largest jackpot won on the GSN version was $41,000 by Amy and Laura Kelly in the fifth season. Amy Kelly would later appear as a contestant on GSN's Grand Slam.

• In the current version, it is mathematically impossible to not win the bonus round with nine draws or more. Nonetheless, no indication is made by either the host or co-host of this situation when it arises.