The Newlywed Game

The Newlywed Game is the hilarious, long-running game show where unpredictable recently married couples (newlyweds) spill their guts (talk about themselves) in order to win a grand prize or a second honeymoon.

Gameplay
Four newlyweds all of whom were married under two years competed each day, and the game was played in two rounds. In each round, one member of each couple (all of the same sex) was isolated while the other members were asked questions about themselves, their hobbies, likes, dislikes, what they do, what they don't do, and maybe reveal a dirty little secret at times. Many of the questions focused on having sex or as familiarly known as "makin' whoopee". When the isolated spouses returned, they were asked the same questions, and the answers given by the first set of spouses were written on blue cards which were all placed flat on their laps or in front of them. Each time a couple matched their answers they earn points; but each time a couple don't match, they get no points and they would usually argue over their answers.

Round 1
The wives were secluded off-stage while the husbands predicted what their wives will say when they come back. Each match was worth 5 points. Three questions were asked this round.

Round 2
The husbands were secluded off-stage while the wives predicted what their husbands will say when they come back. Each match was worth 10 points. Three questions (later two) were asked this round, and after the second/third question, a bonus question was asked, and that question was worth 25 points. The maximum total score was 70 points (achieved on rare occasions). When the second round questions were reduced to two, the maximum total score was 60 points.

The couple with the most points won the game and from 1966 to 1989, they won a grand prize chosen just for them (in actuality, the couples had requested a certain prize and competed with other couples that had requested the same prize); starting in 1996, the grand prize was always a second honeymoon (a trip).

Prior to the show, each of the day's couples predicted what their final total score would be. Whenever a tie occurred, the tied couples showed their predictions and the couple who was the closest without going over the actual final total won the game. If all of the tied couples' predictions exceed their final total, then the couple who was the closest was declared the winners. Most often there would be two-way ties, less often there would be three-way ties, and very rarely there would be a four-way tie.

Earlier Format
When the show started, the gameplay was slightly different. The wives predicted what their husbands would say in round one, while in round two The husbands wives predicted what their wives would say in round two. Each round had four questions with the final question worth 35 points, for a maximum total of 95 points.

Music
Lee Ringuette, Lyn Barris, Frank Jaffe

Studios
ABC Television Center, Los Angeles, CA

Inventors
Nick Nicholson & Roger Muir

Links
Josh Rebich's Newlywed Game Rules Page

Rules for The Newlywed Game @ Loogslair.net

Mike's Classic TV Games Site: The Newlywed Game