Two new contestants competed each week. Host Rayburn reads a funny fill-in-the-blank statement (e.g., "The advertising executive was fired today because he used Dean Martin in a commercial for *blank.*). The six celebrity panelists wrote their responses with a word or phrase which they thought best completed said statement; the contestant was then asked for his/her answer. A correct match was worth one point each. Three rounds were played, with celebrities sitting out the later questions if they matched one (or both) of the contestants. The contestant having the most matches after three rounds became champion and played the "Super Match" for up to $10,000. In the "Super Match," Rayburn read a simple fill-in-the-blank phrase (e.g., "cheese *blank*"), to which a previous studio audience had responded the most popular answer was worth $500, with less-popular answers worth $250 and $100. The contestant could ask three celebrities for suggestions, after which he/she could choose one or come up with his/her own response and the audiences' answers revealed. Two such fill-in-the-blank questions were played, after which the contestant could win up to 10 times more (up to $10,000) by matching one celebrity on one more fill-in-the-blank phrase. In 1978, the producers added a Star Wheel to the "Super Match," which the contestant spun to determine: 1. what celebrity they would play with; and 2. if they would be playing for "double" stakes (up to $20,000 possible). |
