MovieChat Forums > The New Price Is Right (1972) Discussion > Today's 'Pay the Rent': only two solutio...

Today's 'Pay the Rent': only two solutions


Today's 'Pay the Rent' game had only two $100,000 solutions:

The items (with revealed prices):
Trash bags $8.99
Baking mix $6.49
Cat food $4.99
Raisins $4.29
Cocoa mix $3.49
Lime juice 99¢

As always, the single most expensive item must be placed in the 'attic': Trash bags $8.99

Then, just to confirm, the second-highest item can't be put in the 'mailbox' (Baking mix $6.49), because then the 99¢ lime juice can't be combined with any remaining item to yield more than that $6.49.

Further, the baking mix can't be combined with anything OTHER than the lime juice itself to avoid exceeding $8.99; therefore, baking mix and lime juice are a fixed pairing, total $7.48.

Next we see that even the minimum pairing of the remainders, cocoa mix plus raisins, is MORE than $7.48; hence, the baking-mix/lime-juice pair must go in the 'first floor' -- and having the overall second-highest item that low is counter-intuituve, but necessary.

We also see that the two $4+ remaining items together would exceed $8.99; therefore the $3.49 cocoa mix must go in the 'second floor'. Then either of those $4+ items may be paired with it, with the other going in the 'mailbox' at the bottom.

Thus, we have:

Trash bags $8.99
Cocoa mix $3.49 + Cat food $4.99 = $8.48
Lime juice 99¢ + Baking mix $6.49 = $7.48
Raisins $4.29

or

Trash bags $8.99
Cocoa mix $3.49 + Raisins $4.29 = $7.78
Lime juice 99¢ + Baking mix $6.49 = $7.48
Cat food $4.99

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And most people mess up as soon as they put the cheapest item at the very bottom

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The only time I saw someone win that game was when you had to put the cheapest item in the mailbox in order to win. I think they wanted someone to win the game and knowing most people put the cheapest item in the mailbox, they arranged it so that was the only way you could win.

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