The Challenge Vet & New Threats: Top Moments from Episode 13

Teams are disappearing and the cast is getting smaller. Who’s next on the chopping block?

A Phony Start

Some of the competitors get to call their friends and family at home. We see Leroy talking to Kam, America talking to her boyfriend Cory, Justin talking to his mom, and Jake talking to his dog. Olivia also gets to chat with Ryan Kehoe (for some reason), and she seems stressed out. She complains that she’s not working well with her partner, and Will also knows this is true. While talking with his friends, they acknowledge that Will needs better communication with Olivia, because so far their poor collaboration has prevented them from winning.

Come Hay or High Water

The daily challenge is called Haystack Heist and there are nine lanes with stacks of hay bales in the middle, one lane per team. Underneath the bales are two treasure chests. Competitors will need to carry their bales to create stairs and retrieve two keys on two different 20-foot poles — one on either side of their lane — and of course the partners are tethered together. The first team to collect both keys and unlock both chests wins. Once TJ sounds the horn, some teams carry three bales at a time. Other teams take two at a time, but Leroy & America struggle to carry one bale of hay at a time because America is so small. Theo & Adrienne are the first team to collect a key, then more follow, like Ashley & Leo and Justin & Nany. Teams start to realize that Aviv & Turbo & Sydney are lagging behind, but eventually, they get their first key.

The Key to Success

As teams try to retrieve their second key, it’s clear that Theo & Adrienne have set the pace because they’ve transported the most bales of hay. Other teams try to employ different strategies so they can get their keys faster, like Nany & Justin who stack some bales on their sides to get more height. This strategy works, because cheerleader Justin can jump and retrieve his second key. This allows Justin & Nany to be the first team to their treasure chests. Theo & Adrienne aren’t far behind, but they end up in second place. The UK duo are frustrated, because they likely lost due to Theo wanting to get an extra hay bale, which he likely didn’t need and cost them unnecessary time. Other teams continue to unlock their chest, until Olivia & Will come in seventh place (and he’s pissed). It boils down to Leroy & America vs. Turbo & Sydney, and it’s a neck-and-neck race to uncover their chests and unlock them. In the end, Turbo & Sydney get their chests unlocked, sending Leroy & America to the Arena.

The Scramble for a Strategy

After the challenge, Will and Cedric are talking. Will is frustrated with his partner, but Michaela chimes in to note that Yeremi, Aviv, and Ashley are chatting together in another corner of the house. She proposes that the house take a strike to vote out Aviv & Yeremi, though many people seem to have a target on Turbo & Sydney. Michaela wants to keep Turbo around, because his rivalry with Theo offers her a level of safety. At the club, Sydney is surprised that people are considering voting in her & Turbo, but Turbo noticed that no one congratulated him when he avoided last place, they were only consoling Leroy. This is a sign that they are not as important to their alliance as they thought they were. Yeremi also discusses the vote with Cedric at the club, and Cedric claims that he has no plans, even though Michaela made it clear that she wants to vote in Yeremi & Aviv.

Same Ol’ Vote

At the nomination ceremony, TJ asks if anyone wants to stake a claim, but no one does. Olivia chose not to, because her vote to protect Theo is more valuable at this point. Then, the cast votes and Theo gives an empowering speech, warning people that Turbo & Sydney are the best team and they may never get another opportunity to vote them in. Even Turbo’s allies acknowledge there may be some logic here, but ultimately, the upstairs alliance votes in Theo & Adrienne.

A Puzzle Twist

The Arena game is called Think Alike, and it’s just a big puzzle competition. Each team has two puzzles, and they’re standing on a spinning platform. The teams will need to solve both puzzles as the platform rotates but the stations stay still, meaning both competitors will have to work at each station. America wanted a puzzle, but this is a game that requires a lot of communication, which she seems to be lacking with Leroy. Meanwhile, Theo isn’t the best at puzzles, but he and Adrienne are the first team to complete one. Leroy & America seem to be moving a lot of pieces, undoing any progress the other makes. After 45 minutes, TJ announces the competitors are in Phase 2. Each person gets 1 minute at each station before rotating. In her first minute, America solves the first puzzle. This ties the score, though Leroy and Theo seem to be little use. America seems close to solving the second puzzle, but Adrienne solves her second puzzle, keeping herself & Theo in the game.