I don’t ever recall anyone hitting Add-A-One in the original version either when $10,000 was won prior to that. Granted it was only around for a year. The thing is that the CBS limits were $25,000 and $50,000 during PYL’s 80s run, so in the event that someone would have hit five digits in the first half, they probably would have taken A-A-ONE of the board.
I think five figures have definitely been won in first half, but as mentioned, it’s difficult. Not many money and a spin spaces in Round one. If someone were to do it in the 80s, they would have to accumulate a lot of spins (not easy) and hit the big bucks about 6-7 times. Both are possible, but what’s more likely is doing both while hitting a whammy in-between that run.
I used to love the A-A-ONE back in the day, even during the USA airings. Personally, I could take it or leave it. I was pleasantly surprised that it was hit to get to a total exceeding $100,000 (though I feared that a whammy would wreck that historic moment). From there I think it was a mistake to remove it from the board. I think it should’ve been made available for the other contestants. It’s cash, not a car or some other prize. That way it opens the door for someone else (or everyone) to hit it for six-figures. That, and I won’t have to root against a contestant that has no shot at winning short of a whammy costing the leading contestant money that he or she won’t reach, win or lose.
Again, nice win within a great episode. I don't think we'll see that again