The episode featured three players: Michael Soltis of Pittsburgh, Eimi Smith of Austin, and LaShauan Swift of Chicago. Soltis, who has spent more than two decades working as a union carpenter, got off to a slow start as Smith seized control early. The Texas soccer fan swept both toss-ups and then added more to her total by nailing the first full puzzle, “Accidentally on Purpose,” pushing her score to $9,050. She stretched her lead to $10,350 by also grabbing the phrase “Sleeping Bag of Tricks.”

Momentum shifted in the Prize Puzzle round. Soltis picked up a Wild Card and correctly gave the song title “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” earning himself a trip to Africa and bumping his total to $14,690—suddenly putting him ahead.

He later locked in two of the three triple toss-ups, showing a surge in confidence and skill as the game progressed.

Meanwhile, Swift—a retired Chicago Fire Department paramedic—finally entered the board by solving one of the triple toss-ups, marking her initial breakthrough in the match and signaling that the competition was far from over.READ MORE BELOW