Squeeze Play

Squeeze Play
Premiere Date	September 13, 1977 (#2472D)
Pricing Game Location	Turntable
Previous Pricing Game Location	Center Stage
Previous Premiered Pricing Game	Hole in One (or Two)
Next Premiered Pricing Game	Secret 'X'

Squeeze Play is a pricing game played for a 4-digit prize (sometimes a 5-digit prize).

Gameplay

• The contestant is faced with a set of five numbers, one of which doesn't belong in the actual retail price of the prize and must be removed from the group. The contestant cannot remove the first & last numbers, for they are the right numbers and in the correct positions. Once a number has been taken out, the remaining numbers squeeze together. If it's the correct price, the contestant wins.
• Occasionally, cars or other prizes worth more than $10,000 would be played for; when that happens there would be six digits instead of five to look at, giving the contestant a choice of the middle four instead of three.

History and behind the scenes

• Squeeze Play has always played on the Turntable since May 27, 1982 (#4544D); prior to that date, it was played on the stage and concealed by the Giant Price Tag. On March 1, 2001 (#1724K), the board's color scheme changed from blue to gray, the white lines changed to gold and the black outline was added to the Squeeze Play logo. On the 44th season premiere, September 21, 2015 (#7211K), the game was played on stage again behind the Giant Price Tag and was repainted to its original color scheme, although it kept its logo from 2001. On the "Best of 2015" special on December 31, 2015 (#7344K), it was played near Contestant's Row.
• The sound effect for the numbers squeezing together is the same one heard when the safe is opened and closed in Safe Crackers.
• Squeeze Play has been fraught with mechanical problems throughout its history. Numbers have been stuck and misaligned, the "squeeze" has failed to operate promptly, and the door that opens the reveal has malfunctioned several times, usually resulting in then-host Bob Barker kicking it. One memorable playing from February 27, 1980 (#3573D) had Bob having trouble taking out the 2 and once he yanked it out, the remaining numbers were shifted before they could squeeze together and once done, the 9 was tilted and Bob tried to hit the 9 and then kick the numbers; another from January 16, 1995 (#9421D) had the reveal stuck as Bob pushed the button to reveal the price; he kicked the door and then pushed the button again, which not only caused the door to fall open to reveal the price, but also the price to fall to the floor, much to the audience's laughter (this incident was among the many featured on the 50 Years special in 2007). On May 10, 1989 (#7273D), the remaining four numbers even failed to squeeze together and Bob had to squeeze them manually by hand and on June 3, 1992 (#8463D), the reveal also failed to open, but instead of kicking it, he also opened the door manually by hand. On one occasion, Bob called on Roger Dobkowitz to help pull out one of the numbers.
• Squeeze Play was occasionally played for four-digit cars until April 7, 1995 (#9535D).
• Squeeze Play offered a five-digit prize for the first time on February 3, 2003 (#2423K, aired out of order on March 14, 2003).
• On April 1, 2011 (#5505K), as an April Fools' joke, the four numbers failed to squeeze together again, causing host Drew Carey to squeeze them by hand.
• On April 7, 2015 (#7082K, aired out-of-order on March 3), Drew forgot to press the button on the left; the stagehand in the back got tickled as he also took out some numbers after they were squeezed together.
• On the Mother's Day Special that aired on May 12, 2017 (#7935K), an unknown stage hand appeared out from behind the prop before the numbers were squeezed together to wave hello to everyone. On the hand, it said "Hi Mom!" on it.

Trivia

• The most number of times this game was played in any season was 57.
• Squeeze Play is one of three pricing games whose name references baseball. The other two are 3 Strikes and Triple Play.

Pictures

Here's Squeeze Play, played on stage.

Here's Squeeze Play played on the Turntable

...and a win to boot!

Here's another playing from the 20th anniversary premiere week...

...and another win to boot!

Here's another playing from 1996...

...and yet another win to boot!

This is what Squeeze Play looks like these days (2001-2015).

Whenever there's a prize with five digits in the price, we see six numbers instead of five.

In the 44th season premiere during decades week (the show celebrated the 70s that day), Squeeze Play was once again played at center stage and it was repainted blue.

Still another win to boot.

Squeeze Play in front of the contestant's row, as part of the Best of 2015 special.

International versions

• On the Mexican version, it was called "El Apretón", translated to "The Pressure". Rules were the same as the American version.
• On the 1980s UK version hosted by Leslie Crowther, as well as the Dutch version, it was played for a three-digit prize. Five numbers were shown, and thus the contestant had to take out two numbers to make a three-digit price.

YouTube Videos

Squeeze Play's Premiere
Close Call win of Squeeze Play (January 9, 2004, #2755K)