Figure it Out

"In a few seconds, these celebrity panelists will try to uncover some highly unusual/seriously freaky secrets (while being seriously covered in slime). So if you want to guess/play along with the panel, cover your ears and close your eyes/cover your eyes & ears, because here comes our first secret/contestant now! (insert contestant's self introduction & secret); It's FIGURE IT OUT, the only show where... (insert funny remark)/You wanna know a secret? Well I'm not telling! (raspberry) Because you've got to FIGURE IT OUT! Our celebrity panel's job is to figure out why our contestants are here, the catch is, they must ask only yes or no questions. And here is our panel (insert panelists) Let's watch as they try to, Figure It Out! Now here's your host, Summer Sandeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrsss!!!/ (insert funny coment), Jeff Sutphen!"

The Nickelodeon panel game show where child contestants has some amazing secrets.

Sanders Era
Lori Beth Denberg

Danny Tamberelli

Phil Moore

Mike O' Malley

Moira Quirk

Amanda Bynes

Josh Server

Marc Weiner

Kevin Kopelow

Preslaysa Edwards

Irene Ng

Nicolas Harvill

Alisa Reyes

Kel Mitchell

Shane Sweet

Erin J. Dean

Arjay Smith

Rondell Sheridan

Kenan Thompson

Taran Noah Smith

Jenna Lee Green

CatDog (Wild Style)

Cousin Skeeter (Family Style)

Summer Sanders (first half of a 2000 episode)

Sutphen Era
Jennette McCurdy

Halston Sage

Mikey Reid

Kendall Schmidt

James Maslow

Logan Henderson

Carlos Pena

Lucas Cruikshank

Avan Jogia

Drake Bell

Matt Bennett

Cymphonique Miller

Ryan Ochoa

Carlos Knight

Elizabeth Gilles

Jake Weary

Gracie Dzienny

Lulu Antariksa

Chris Colfer

Leon Thomas III

Ashley Argota

Christopher O'Neal

Ana Mulvoy Ten

Jade Ramsey

Victoria Justice

Ciara Bravo

Max Schneider

Eamon Pirruccello

Brianna Gentilella

Angelina Wahler

Reyna Shaskan

Jelani Imani

Christopher Borger

Zachary Gordon

Gameplay
A panel of four celebrities (mostly from Nickelodeon shows) faced one child contestant. The contestant came in with a secret which was always a talent, skill or achievement. The secret was hidden as a puzzle on a game board known as "Billy the Answer Head" (in Summer's era) or the "It" board (in the current Sutphen era). The words in the puzzle were hidden behind blanks. The panel's job was figure out was the secret is.

The game was played in three rounds all of which lasted for one minute (60 seconds) in the Sanders Era, while the Sutphen Era had just the first round last for one minute and 45 for the last two. In each round, the panelist in control asked yes-or-no questions in an attempt to "Figure it Out". Each time the panelist got a yes answer, his/her turn continued and as soon as he/she got a no answer, control went to the next panelist in line. The panelist in control can voluntarily pass control should he/she gets stumped. Sometimes, a panelist's question would be one the contestant wouldn't understand in anyway; whenever that happened, host Sanders asked the judges for the answer. During a panelist's turn if he/she said a word in the secret, it was turned over on Billy the Answer Head or for the "It" Board, one of the screens would reveal the word. During each round, the panel was given clues (one in each round) to help them in guessing the secret. The clues appear in many ways like on a train called the "Clue Express", by the studio audience or by the "Charade Brigade" which always showed up in round three. The Charade Brigade was only used in the Sanders era. Clue Force 3 replaced the Charade Brigade for the Sutphen Era, plus they also drew the clues not just act them out. Also, the Clue Express was replaced by The Clue Coaster for the Sutphen era. For each round the panel couldn't solve the secret in, the contestant won a prize. If the secret was not guessed after the third round, each panel member was given one final guess with correct words still revealed when said. If the panel stumped after each member took a turn at a final guess, the contestant won a grand prize. If the secret was guessed at any point in the game, the contestant still got to keep the prizes he/she did win.

Secret Slime Action
Starting in round two and continuing through the end of the game, a special action called "The Secret Slime Action" was activated. If at anytime any panel member performed that action, those panelists got slimed, and a randomly selected audience member won a prize. Some of the actions including touching your hair, touching a clue, looking to the left (this was a reflex, as the charade brigade ran to the exit stage left), saying a certain word, or even being a panelist would cause someone to get slimed. In the Sanders era, a contraption called the "Slime Spewer" dumped the slime, in the Sutphen era, the slime either comes out from the panel desk or from another "Slime Spewer" (the holes to which the slime comes out of are shaped like plus signs and that "Slime Spewer" doubled as a clue drop), or both. There were some bogus ones as well (such as thinking about coconuts or mushroom soup). Contrary to popular belief, the action was "not" always preformed. Sometimes, the host would trick the panelists to perform the action (for example, with actions involving touching hair, host Sanders would touch hers and ask the panel "Have you done something to your hair?" then the panel would touch their hair in succession). On three shows of the original, the host, contestant or judges would make a choice as to which panelist would get slimed.

Word of Honor
On certain games for the current Sutphen era, one of the words in the puzzle was dubbed the "Word of Honor"; and if any panelist says that word, the contestant got slimed. While most other words appeared on a basic white background, the "Word of Honor" appeared on a green background.

Performing the Secret
At the end of the game, the contestant performed or demonstrated the secret in question. The panel asked questions while it was going on.

Family Style
Around Season 3, Figure It Out became Figure it Out: Family Style where it featured the contestant plus a couple of family members or related family members. Sometimes in Round 2, the Charade Brigade's family members would come out and do the charade. Also during that time, not only there was Billy the Answer Head, but also a miniature replica of Billy the Answer Head known as "Little Billy". After Billy the Answer Head has all the words revealed, Summer reads the question to the panelists and they try to answer an impossible answer. If the panelists cannot figure it out, then Little Billy will reveal the answer and gives the family another prize.

Wild Style
For the 4th season, the show was changed once again to Figure it Out: Wild Style where it would involve the contestant and animal talents. Billy the Answer Head was different shapes of animals each episode. Sometimes a orangutang named "Bailey the clue Orangutang" would show off the prizes and give out clues. Also, a chimpanzee named "Crush the Chimpanzee Cluemaster" was also featured on the show and did the same occupation as Bailey.

Mini Games
Here are a list of mini games that a lucky contestant (chosen by J) would play with the panelists and Summer:


 * Name that Thingy- a game where the panelists are hiding a thingy on the clue express and the contestant must find out what that thingy is
 * Name that Critter- Featured on the Wild Style version. The gameplay similar to To Tell the Truth. The contestant must find out who is telling the truth about the critter.
 * The Drench Bench- A game where the contestant must aim in the center of a target with a plunger. The panelist is sitting on the drench bench. If he/she hits the target, then the panelist gets slimed in the drench bench.
 * The Last Laugh- A game where the control panel to activate the slime spewer comes down and the contestant hits the button. Afterwards, one of the panelists will get slimed. Note: A lucky audience member is not selected in this game, only the contestant who performed the secret earlier.
 * Lightning Letters
 * The Secret Panel Matchup

If the contestant won the mini game, he/she would take home a grand prize. If the contestant did not win, then there would be a consolation prize for him/her. Most likely Figure it Out apparel.

Music
Rick Witkowski

Inventors
Kevin Kay & Magda Liolis

Merchandise
Two board games were produced by Cardinal Game in 1998. The regular version and the Wild Style version.

Clothing and apparel was made for Figure It Out such as shirts, T shirts, jackets, sweaters having the show's logo on it.

Trivia
While doing the show, Summer Sanders and Danny Tamberelli as well as legendary footballer John Elway did a commercial for Sound Bites lollipops.

During the 1998-99 NBA Season, Summer Sanders visited a Utah Jazz game and talked with the Jazz players, fans, and staff.

This is a kid's spinoff of What's My Line? & I've Got a Secret.

Catchphrases
"Blank Blank Blank Blank Blank Blank" - Summer Sanders

"I DON'T KNOW!" - Panelist Danny Tamberelli

"Welcome back to Figure It Out, and here's your host, Summer Sandeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrssss!!!" - J (1997-2000)

"Welcome back to Figure it Out, here's your host, Jeff Sutphen!"- Elle Young (2012-present)

Taglines
"We'll see ya next time on Figure it Out, the only show where it's cool to be weird!"- Summer Sanders (1997-2000)

"We'll see ya next time on Figure it Out, the only show where kids do really cool things!"- Summer Sanders (1997-2000)

"We'll see you next time on Figure it Out where (insert rhyming phrase)!" - Jeff Sutphen (2012-present)

Links
Rules for Figure it Out

Official Figure it Out website

YouTube Videos
Summer Gets Slimed TWICE!!!!!

1st Time

2nd Time

A showcase of Danny Tamberelli geting slimed.

Check Out Danny having a meltdown.

Y2J Gets Slimed

A Showcase of Slimings

Promo for The New Figure it Out

Figure it Out 2012 Preview Promo

2nd New Figure it Out Promo