Matchmates

Matchmates is an unsold game show pilot, produced in 1987 by Reg Grundy Productions.

Host
Michael Burger

Announcer
Gene Wood

Gameplay
This game, played by two couples, combines elements of Haggis Baggis, The Newlywed Game and Blackout.

Main game
Hidden on the game board is a 16-word puzzle that describes a person, place or thing. Four categories appear above the columns, and letters appear next to three of the rows. The second row is a wild card, which can be any letter except the three displayed.

When a couple have control of the board, they choose a category and a letter. That box on the board is marked with an asterisk, and one spouse secretly writes an answer that starts with the chosen letter and fits the category. If the other spouse correctly guesses the secret answer, the word in that box is revealed and the couple are allowed to guess what the sentence is describing. Otherwise, the opposing couple take control of the board.

To win the game, the couple in control must correctly solve the puzzle from the words displayed thus far. The first couple to win two games advance to the bonus round.

Bonus round
In the bonus round, the winning couple can win a cash jackpot if they solve five puzzles of eight words each within 30 seconds. The first puzzle is worth $200, each of the next three puzzles is worth twice as much as the previous one, and the fifth puzzle awards the jackpot if solved correctly within the time limit.

YouTube videos

 * Full pilot on Wink Martindale's channel