Just back from BWV, so I'm joining this thread a bit late. My daughter alerted me since she knew I'd want to post.
I've been in the hot seat three times (and at the top of the list at the end of play a number of other times). Each time was the result of being at the top of the fastest finger list when the first contestant missed a question. First time in the hot seat, I answered the first 10 questions without using a lifeline. We ran out of time, so I had to wait between games and resume after what seemed like a really, really long break (I don't think they interrupt a contestant mid-game any longer). After the break, I answered the 64,000 and 125,000 point questions correctly, using my fifty-fifty lifeline on the 125,000. Then I used my final two lifelines on the 250,000 point question, but still got it wrong. I decided that the audience is pretty unreliable on the high point value questions and resolved to use better lifeline management "next time".
The second time, the first contestant at the first game of the day reached the 32,000 point question and missed. I used my poll the audience lifeline on the 16,000 point question even though I was pretty certain of the answer, just so I wouldn't be tempted later. The fifty-fifty was used on the 64,000 point question and my complete stranger was really helpful on the 125,000 point question. I knew the answer to the 250,000 point question and proceeded to guess my way through the 500,000 and 1,000,000 point questions to win the cruise. This was October of 2003 and we enjoyed the cruise in October 2004.
Our next trip after the October 2003 win was January, 2004. I again made it to the HS and managed to reach the 125,000 point question before going out. I always claim my heart wasn't really in it this time since I was ineligible for the grand prize for a full year after winning the cruise, but the fact is I didn't really have a clue as to the answer and was already out of lifelines. Although you can be in the HS again after 30 days, you cannot win the cruise for a year. I spent the rest of the day trading away the pins I won this time.
At the one game I took in last week, the second contestant reached the 1,000,000 point question and missed. It was a really tough question.
Ralph