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Cover Up is a game played for a car. The contestant has to cover up the wrong numbers (or, as of June 4, 2013, #6382K, something nonsensical, often with a common theme) with the right numbers to win a car.

Gameplay[]

  • A game board is presented with five spaces at the bottom. Digits are provided above each space-- two options for the first space, three for the second and so on up to six options for the fifth space. The contestant must choose a digit and cover up each space.
  • Once all five digits have been covered, the host asks if the price given is correct. If the answer is negative as signified by a buzzer, any right digits are lit up and the contestant is directed to cover up each of the remaining incorrect digits. This sequence then repeats as necessary. The game ends when the contestant either wins by having the entire price correct or loses by having no new correct numbers in a round of guessing. Often, if it is guaranteed to be the last round, Drew will press the button to reveal the correct price to be more dramatic, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the contestant instead pushes it. Bob only asked if the price is right before pressing the button and for more drama, the camera cuts to the contestant before cutting back to the price, already revealed, although sometimes, all or part of the shot of the price being flipped down is seen, foreshadowing the next generation with Drew. It's possible to have a situation where a win is guaranteed if the contestant gets the fourth and fifth numbers before the second and third. Drew has the contestants play the game out in this situation. If the contestant gets four numbers right, and there's only one number left in the column, the contestant automatically wins the car

History[]

  • Cover Up premiered on September 13, 1993 (#8881D). When it debuted, the lights around the bottom row of numbers were red. The lights were changed to blue on the game's third playing, September 30, 1993 (#8904D), to make them more visible for the folks at home and the studio audience. On the premiere playing's first try, the fourth number was the only one wrong. Contestant James Callaway thought the fourth number was a 1 when it was a 7. The correct price for the Ford Aerostar was $16,379. Also, the game was revealed before the van (a la Bonus Game), and the foghorn sounded along with the losing horns.
    • Due to a CBS News Special Report that aired most of the day (presumably the Oslo Accord), the vast majority of people didn't see this game's debut (which was also the Season 22 premiere). The only people who did see the game were a very select few CBS affiliates in the Eastern time zone who aired the show at 10:00 a.m. (instead of the usual 11:00 a.m. time slot), like WIVB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Buffalo, New York. This episode has left an enigma until it was posted as a studio master recording from Jonathan Spencer on YouTube by David Downs on September 17, 2018 to mark the 25th anniversary.
  • The game received its first win on its second playing-- September 22, 1993 (#8893D)-- which was the first to be seen on all affiliates.
  • On January 11, 1995 (#9413D), a contestant named Clara became the first of five contestants to lose Cover Up by getting all five numbers wrong on the first try (the other four occurred on November 27, 1996, #0153K, with Hatea Paoa on December 20, 2012, #6144K, with Neisha Gipson on December 17, 2019, #8942K and on October 12, 2022).
  • On September 27, 1999 (#1191K), the show held the distinction of having the first handicapped contestant in history-- Paul Rossmann, Janice Pennington managed to cover up the wrong numbers for him and won a Chevrolet Prism on the first try worth $13,475, one of three contestants to accomplish this feature (the other two occurred with Susan on October 23, 2006, #3731K-- the only contestant to win a pricing game that episode, coincidentally, Susan told Bob that the family was out car shopping for her grandson's 18th birthday prior to coming to Price-- and Anna on June 12, 2007, #4032K, the final playing with Bob).
  • Cover Up was won twice out of the five times it was played on the primetime version of the show.
  • On the April 30, 2008 (#030SP, aired out-of-order on May 21) edition of the The Price is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular, Cover Up was chosen as the Million Dollar Game. To win the bonus, the contestant had to correctly set the price of the car in their first attempt.
  • On April 1, 2009 (#4693K), this game used the Match Game think music cue as an April Fool’s joke. Additionally, the Line 'Em Up and Push Over music cue can play rarely.
  • Originally, contestants began the game by covering up a fake price. Starting on June 4, 2013 (#6382K), contestants conceal the symbols that change with each playing. Episode #6411K, which was intended to air on June 24, 2013, featured an actual wrong price, it was taped out-of-order and aired on April 17, 2013, well before the change was made.
  • On May 8, 2015 (#7121K), the losing horns were not played.
  • On September 9, 2015 (#7203K, aired out-of-order on September 8), in keeping with the Back-to-School theme, in addition to the car, $500 worth of school supplies were offered (this was offered to every teacher who made their way up on stage).
  • On February 17, 2016 (#7413K), during Dream Car Week, a Porsche Panamera Edition worth $84,731 was offered, but was lost.
  • On March 24, 2017 (#7865K aired out of order on March 31), the College Rivals episode, a $20,843 car was played for Kate Ceredona (UCLA), but lost and Demontea Thompson (USC) won $1,000 as a consolation prize.
  • On June 20, 2017 (#7992K) and June 21, 2019 (#8805K), during the Summer Beach Party specials, Cover Up was renamed Beach Cover Up.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, the contestant is instructed to push the button to reveal the price if they win or if they don't have any numbers right during a round (and thus, lose).
  • Since September 27, 2023 (#0303L), with the move to Haven Studios, the neon lights now appear to be white due to the studio's lighting.

Trivia[]

  • The most number of times this game was played in any season was 34 (season 24), while the least number of times this game was played in any season was 16 (season 49).
  • This game has been perfected a total of 9 times, the most recent being June 12, 2007.
  • There is a formula for unconditional victory if all five opportunities have been used so far.
  • This game was the second to borrow the think music from Check Game (Make Your Move is the other). On occasion, this game would use Line 'Em Up's think music cue instead.
  • There are a grand total of 720 possibilities for the price of the car.

Strategy[]

  • A possible strategy is to intentionally choose an incorrect digit for the first or second positions in the price, as they are usually the easiest to guess, as it allows the player to guess the numbers correctly in a later round and ensure that the game continues to at least a third round of guessing (if necessary).

Gallery[]

To view the gallery, click here.

Additional Page[]

Cover Up/Base Looks

YouTube Videos[]

Cover Up Perfection (June 12, 2007, #4032K)
Cover Up with the Match Game music (April 1, 2009, #4693K)
A Wipeout from 2012 (December 20, 2012, #6144K)
First playing with the running gags (June 4, 2013, #6382K)
Cover Up for a Jeep Compass Sport SUV (June 24, 2013 #6411K, aired out-of-order on April 17)
First win with the running gags (December 23, 2013, #6541K)
A 5-Try Win from 2014 (May 7, 2014, #6733K)
A Rare Cover Up Win (October 6, 2014, #6831K)
A Disastrous Playing/Early Exit from 2019 (December 17, 2019, #8942K)
A Super Heartbreaking $1 loss (March 1, 2024, #0515L)

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