ARTH__ W_LL_SL__

DUK_ OF W_LLINGT__

In the audience, Dan threw up his hands to gesture that there wasn’t anything more he could do. Someone smothered a cough. Franco the law student moved in discomfort. Then Mel, who’d banked $2100 in the three speed rounds, rolled the wheel to Lose a Turn.

‘Oh no!’ said Marjorie. ‘This is tearing my heart to bits. Lucky needs to land some cash.’

Lucky brought up $1000. ‘I’d like to solve this. I’m ninety-five per cent sure it’s Arthur Wellesley Duke of Wellington.’

‘Bravo! Now we have a game. Two more puzzles. Our carryover champion Lucky needs to win both of these to capitalise on his Day of Fortune.’

Lucky, refusing to meet Marjorie’s eye, paused before he spun the wheel. He called out a letter.

‘N.’

He rolled again. He nominated ‘G’. After the next spin he called for ‘V’. Then ‘S’ and ‘T’. Aspiring barrister Franco bunched his hands into fists and clamped them under his arms. Mel, of the Adelaide Hills, assumed a look of distaste. Lucky’s eyes were closed in data-search. He saw the answer in the colour of gold and a font similar to the franchise sign.

‘Lucky? Lucky!’ said Marjorie.

‘Yes?’

‘Give me your next letter now. Game on, mate.’

‘C.’

There was silence. Dan mouthed the words ‘fucking fuck’. The category was What Are You Doing.

G_V_NG _ __S_C_N

_N _NST____NT ___

C___ST__S

‘I know the answer,’ said Lucky. ‘But—’

‘Then give us the answer! Now is the time for solutions!’

‘The answer is Giving a musician an instrument for Christmas. But the word “musician” is misspelled on the board. I think you’ve made a mistake.’

‘Let’s have a look, shall we?’ said Marjorie, and she waved magically at the board, which lit up:

GIVING A MUSICAN

AN INSTRUMENT FOR

CHRISTMAS

‘Dear Lord, I see what you mean,’ she said, turning to the audience. ‘That puzzle can’t go to air. That’s a DVD extra, people. That’s why it pays to be in the studio audience!’

The director looked at his notes. Dan got out of his seat and scooted over to Marjorie. He shook his head; she shook her head. A new puzzle was required. Lucky’s winnings for that phrase were erased and he gave up an unpersuasive smile. He looked like he’d lost the game already. Marjorie, genuinely upset, apologised briefly for what happened, said she was proud of Lucky for being a good sport about everything. Nothing like this had happened in all the episodes she’d hosted. Nothing ever went wrong on the board. She hugged him. The audience’s grumbling continued for a few minutes. The cameras rolled when they went quiet.

The category was Book and Author. Lucky turned over seven consonants and then rolled Bankrupt.

‘Total disaster!’ said Marjorie. ‘Oh my, this truly is a Greek tragedy.’

‘I’ve lost,’ said Lucky.