What I Noticed About The Tiebreaker Game on $25K Pyramid

[CardSharks8689]

Dick Clark usually gives a choice of two letters to start the tiebreaker game. If one of the letters used in the tiebreaker game are either A, D, F, J, M, N, O, and S, there seems to be something in common with those letters.

If either of these letters were used, the first of the seven words starting with that letter would be the name of a month. This morning, I was betting on "February" being the first of seven words beginning with F. During one Friday marathon, J was one of the letters, and I was predicting "July" to be the first word. Both of my guesses were right on the money.

Anyone notice this pattern? And why would they use a name of a month as the first word for the corresponding letter?

[dare2be]

Dick Clark usually gives a choice of two letters to start the tiebreaker game. If one of the letters used in the tiebreaker game are either A, D, F, J, M, N, O, and S, there seems to be something in common with those letters.

If either of these letters were used, the first of the seven words starting with that letter would be the name of a month. This morning, I was betting on "February" being the first of seven words beginning with F. During one Friday marathon, J was one of the letters, and I was predicting "July" to be the first word. Both of my guesses were right on the money.

Anyone notice this pattern? And why would they use a name of a month as the first word for the corresponding letter?

Wow, for someone who watches/records so much classic Pyramid, I never noticed this pattern. Mostly I've noticed the recycled use of categories from 25K to 100K, usually around a 2-year timeframe between re-use.

[Melyssa56]

That's very interesting. I wonder if they did it with the days of the week as well.

Also in the tiebreaker round, there cannot be another tie; for instance, if the first team gets all 7 in 20 seconds, the other team has to get all 7 in 19 seconds, or they lose.

[Lingofan97]

Dick Clark usually gives a choice of two letters to start the tiebreaker game. If one of the letters used in the tiebreaker game are either A, D, F, J, M, N, O, and S, there seems to be something in common with those letters.

If either of these letters were used, the first of the seven words starting with that letter would be the name of a month. This morning, I was betting on "February" being the first of seven words beginning with F. During one Friday marathon, J was one of the letters, and I was predicting "July" to be the first word. Both of my guesses were right on the money.

Anyone notice this pattern? And why would they use a name of a month as the first word for the corresponding letter?

I doesn't surprise me. They want to come up with simple words that will be easy to solve in 30 seconds, or less. And months, seasons, holidays are your best bet.

[MMM717]

I've seen multiple episodes over the years where the tie was tied. I can't remember the particulars at the moment...

[CardSharks8689]

Back on topic, I noticed on a tiebreaker last night that the choices of letters were N and C, and November didn't start the N list, while Christmas didn't start the C list. So much for the pattern.

[Mystic]

I never noticed a pattern, but as soon as I know the letter that's going to be used, I'm pretty certain what words they're going to use.

[dare2be]

I've seen multiple episodes over the years where the tie was tied. I can't remember the particulars at the moment...

The only way I can figure that the tie-breaker was a tie is that neither team got all 7 words (ie. both teams only got 6 words each in 30 seconds). Is that what you are referring to?

[CardSharks8689]

I saw the first of the two episodes today, and there was a tie. One of the letters to choose from was S. I was predicting September or Saturday or Sunday to be the first of the 7 words starting with that letter (September over the others), and my first guess (the month) was right again!

[redsoxguy0627]

I think that's what they're referring to. If both teams got less than 7 in 30 seconds during the tie-breaker (say 6 for example), they would play another tie-breaker. However, I did see once that one team got all 7 in a certain period of time (I forget how much, let's say 22 seconds in this example), the other team got the last word Idol in their set of words at the buzzer, or at the 0 second mark, therefore taking exactly as much time to get their 7 words. That is the only situation where both teams can get all 7 answers in the 80s version and go to another tie-breaker. Somebody correct me on the official rules, but I think I'm right on all of this. If it was less than 7 and they tied, another tie-breaker. If tied at 7 and both teams take the exact same amount of time to get all 7, another tie-breaker. This is obviously the 80s versions I am talking about.

[Lingofan97]

Back on topic, I noticed on a tiebreaker last night that the choices of letters were N and C, and November didn't start the N list, while Christmas didn't start the C list. So much for the pattern.

It's not always first, but it's common, even in a category in the main game "Words that begin with NOV", which those types of subjects are on often. I would count on "November" being in the category "N", but I doubt we will find these months to always appear first.

[dare2be]

I think that's what they're referring to. If both teams got less than 7 in 30 seconds during the tie-breaker (say 6 for example), they would play another tie-breaker. However, I did see once that one team got all 7 in a certain period of time (I forget how much, let's say 22 seconds in this example), the other team got the last word Idol in their set of words at the buzzer, or at the 0 second mark, therefore taking exactly as much time to get their 7 words. That is the only situation where both teams can get all 7 answers in the 80s version and go to another tie-breaker. Somebody correct me on the official rules, but I think I'm right on all of this. If it was less than 7 and they tied, another tie-breaker. If tied at 7 and both teams take the exact same amount of time to get all 7, another tie-breaker. This is obviously the 80s versions I am talking about.

I don't think so. Usually if the first person takes, for instance, 18 seconds, they will put 17 seconds up for the other player, thus even if the 2nd player gets all theirs at exactly the buzzer, they still took less time to complete than the first person. I've seen 2nd contestants make their tie-breaker just at the buzzer and they were always declared the winner.

[Lingofan97]

I've seen 2nd contestants make their tie-breaker just at the buzzer and they were always declared the winner.

It's a good system, but it's still unfair if the second player gets 7 out of 7 at "0" seconds, right at/before the buzzer. That's when we need a second tiebreaker, since technically they both had 7 out of 7 in the same # of seconds

[dare2be]

Did you read the entirety of my post? If they get 7 out of 7 at "0" seconds, then they did it in less time.

[Lingofan97]

Did you read the entirety of my post? If they get 7 out of 7 at "0" seconds, then they did it in less time.

I did. And usually if the first group gets 7 out of 7 in 10 seconds left on the clock, I've seen them put 20 seconds on the clock. The way you explain it is much more fair, and is used in some episodes.

It's usually the right way to do it.