It's Anybody's Guess

A game similar to Match Game, but with an answer given already and up to the contestants to predict whether or not the panel got it.

Broadcast
NBC 1977

Packager
Stefan Hatos/Monty Hall Productions

Host
Monty Hall

Announcer
Jay Stewart

Gameplay
There are two challengers, one of which was usually a returning champion, the other was a panelist from the previous show. There is also a five-person panel of contestants picked from the audience. At the start of a game, audience members are called to fill vacancies on the panel.

Front game
A question with many possible answers is posed to everyone (for example: "What makes a camel funny looking?") and an answer that was selected by the show's staff is shown to the challenging player in control of the question and the home audience (with the previous example, "his knobby knees" would be the answer shown). The player decides if the answer will be said by any of the five panelists. The player then decides to "play it safe" or go for the "longshot."

Hall then asks the panelists for an answer. If the player plays it safe, then he asks each of the panelists for one answer. Should the player call for a longshot, if he/she said that the panelists would get the answer, he only asks three panelists for an answer. Otherwise, he asks each of the panelists for an answer, then he asks for another answer from two panelists (for a total of seven responses).

If one of the panelists guesses the selected answer, he/she wins a prize. Two points are scored for a correct guess on a longshot question, one point if the challenger in control played it safe. If the challenger is incorrect with their prediction, the points are awarded to the other challenger. Control of the question alternates with each challenger. The first player to score five points wins the game and plays the Payoff Round.

Payoff round
One more question is asked to the winner and the panelists. There are two answers (that are not shown to anyone at first) that are chosen by the staff. Hall asks each panelist for a response to the question. Each incorrect response is worth $300. After five responses, if either of the two chosen answers are not given, the player tries for $5,000 in cash and a new car, but the player must eliminate one of the two chosen answers from play. Now the player can quit after each incorrect response with the accumulated cash. If the panelists still do not say the selected answer still in play, the player wins the $5,000 and the car. If one of the two answers were said prior to the halfway mark of the round, but the second response wasn't said after all ten responses, the player just wins $5,000. If the panelists say both answers, the player loses any cash accumulated in the Payoff Round. Note, a panelist could win more prizes if he or she gives one of the chosen responses.

The panelist who wins the most prizes in the game becomes the new challenger in the next game. The maximum number of games a person can remain on the panel is two, a challenger can play for a maximum of five games (theoretically meaning someone can be on the show for seven games).

Music
Sheldon Allman & Stan Worth

The prize cues were also used on both 1976 and 1980 versions of Let's Make a Deal The main theme of this show was also recycled as a prize cue in the All New Let's Make a Deal.

Inventors
Stefan Hatos & Monty Hall

YouTube Videos
A Full Episode of the Show

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4