Master Key question

[tpirfansince1972]

Just as Half Off has all of the 15 empty boxes weighted down so as to not give away if it is empty or filled with the $10,000, I began wondering about the actual keys for the Master Key game.

The key that is the dud has no magnets in it, the master key has 3 magnets.

If I were playing the game I think I might ask if I could pick up each key first before selecting one.

If the key weights were different, the master key would weigh the most due to it having the 3 magnets in it.

I am wondering if this is the case or if they somehow were able to add some sort of counter weights in the non master key keys, especially the dud key that opens nothing?

[MSTieScott]

Just as Half Off has all of the 15 empty boxes weighted down so as to not give away if it is empty or filled with the $10,000,

The empty boxes are not weighted down. Loose paper is not heavy enough to make a noticeable difference in the weight of what the model has to pick up.

If I were playing the game I think I might ask if I could pick up each key first before selecting one.

And you would be politely told no.

Even if you did pick up each key, it wouldn't help. The majority of each key is made of solid metal, and each key is surprisingly heavy (maybe 1½ or 2 pounds?). The three little magnets in the master key do not appreciably change the weight. Also I think it's possible that where the magnets aren't, there's just more metal, further equalizing the weight.

[LiteBulb88]

I can tell you from experience that the master key and a key that opens a single prize do not have a noticeable weight difference.

[tpirfansince1972]

Thank you very much to you both.  That makes sense, and yes, those keys do look rather heavy and sturdy.

The only reason I thought perhaps they weren't quite so solid was the Master Key blooper where Bob kicked the key that was stuck inside lock #1 and ended up breaking it, getting it stuck inside.  I guess Bob's powerful kick really was that strong.