Episode 2186

	Sesame Street
	Elmo's rhyming game
Air date	March 24, 1986
Season	Season 17 (1985-1986)
Written by	David Korr
Production	January 17, 1986
Sponsors	I, V, 6

Picture	Segment	Description
	Muppets	Snuffy shows Big Bird the cloud costume he's going to wear in his Snufflegarden class's upcoming pageant about the sky, and even sings the song that accompanies it, while Big Bird imagines him as a cloud. (First: Episode 2082)
	Film	An I-beam is molded at a steel factory as heavy industrial-type music underscores the action. The segment ends on a video freeze of the finished beam, which is shaped like the letter "I." (First: Episode 1077)
	Muppets	Harvey Kneeslapper asks a man, "Do you want me to keep an eye on your hat?" The man says yes. Harvey then puts a letter I on top of the man's hat, crushing it in the process. (First: Episode 0288)
	Cartoon	A person of short stature tries to get on top of a horse. (First: Episode 1450)
	Film	Olivia (in voice-over) identifies different vegetables. (First: Episode 1612)
	Muppets	Sesame Street News Flash: Cinderella at the Ball — Kermit interviews Cinderella and Prince Charming at the ball. (First: Episode 0516)
	Film	Kids at school help make cornbread. (First: Episode 1218)
	Insert	Oscar hosts "Real Grouches," the show that showcases talented Grouches from around the world. First, Romeo Scuggs plays his screechy violin. Then, Luba Merquit performs a song on a screechy blackboard. Finally, the mysterious "Bob the Blob" appears, playing a nice song on his flute. It turns out to be Bob in disguise. (First: Episode 2147)
	Cartoon	Six camels Artist: Owe Gustafson (First: Episode 1503)
	Muppets	Grover's rowboat - part 1 Grover and a group of monsters, including Herry Monster, Fenwick and Billy, get into a rowboat. The monsters all gather at one end, causing the boat to tip over and sink. (First: Episode 0281)
	Cartoon	A young bespectacled man with an accordion asks how much it costs to cross the bridge. The Bridgekeeper says admission is free, but requires that the young man show him three triangles. Two of them are found in the bridgework, and the man uses the bridgekeeper's staff to draw a third triangle in the dirt. Although the bridgekeeper has his order filled, he asks the man to play a tune on his accordion. This additional request takes the young man by surprise, but he is told to do so for the opportunity to cross the bridge. (First: Episode 1572)
	Muppets	Grover's rowboat - part 2 The monsters gather on the other end of the boat, and it sinks again. (First: Episode 0281)
	Cartoon	A boy and a dog fight over a letter "I." (First: Episode 0143)
	Muppets	Grover's rowboat - part 3 The monsters finally spread out over the boat evenly, and row away. (First: Episode 0281)
	Song	"Me and My Chair" (First: Episode 1706)
	Cartoon	An elephant (voiced by Marshall Efron) asks Nesbitt (voiced by Don Arioli) for directions to the zoo, but won't listen to him long enough. Artist: Janet Perlman (First: Episode 1631)
	Celebrity	Loretta Lynn sings "Songs Are For Singing" to some kids. (First: Episode 2010)
	Cartoon	A cat desperately tries to open a can of cat food by himself while his mistress is on the phone. Artist: Dan Haskett (First: Episode 2151)
	Film	Parts of a clown are shown in close-up as kids guess what it is. Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0428)
	Animation	Sand V/v (First: Episode 0637)
	Cast	The Great Addini (Maria) performs her famous bottle-balancing trick with her assistant Bill (David), who is doubtful the stunt will work. (First: Episode 1937)
	Cartoon	"Pinball Number Count" #6 Artist: Jeff Hale (First: Episode 0983)
	Insert	Jump Insert C - Turning (First: Episode 1424)
	Film	Kids compete in a speed skating competition (version two). Music: Joe Raposo (First: Episode 0414)
	Muppets	Kermit attempts to direct a scene from Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but he is having problems with both the stagehand and Goldilocks, who has problems showing surprise and fear. (First: Episode 2151)
	Cartoon	The dot gets on top of the lowercase letter i. Artist: Fred Garbers (First: Episode 0462)
	Film	A male frog hops around and bulges his throat. (First: Episode 0469)
	Cartoon	Speech Balloon - I: An iron irons the word. (First: Episode 0314)
	Muppets	Ernie counts 3 Honkers as they arrange themselves in different ways. (First: Episode 1746)
	SCENE 1	Elmo enters the Fix-It Shop where Luis is busy fixing a clock. Luis asks, "What's new?" which prompts Elmo to fetch a shoe. It's part of the rhyme game he's playing, and he follows it by bringing in some wood and a rock when Luis says the words "good" and "clock" during their conversation. Elmo zips off again after Luis says "all," and Luis realizes he's got the beginning of a problem.
	Cartoon	Two people think they hear a BARK in the DARK. Artist: John Korty (First: Episode 1941)
	Muppets	"The AN Family Song" (First: Episode 0181)
	Cartoon	One of these shoe pairs ... (First: Episode 0503)
	SCENE 2	Luis has tried to stop Elmo from playing his rhyming game, but each response has been met with yet another rhyming object (all piled inside the store). He thinks he's stumped Elmo by ending a sentence with Elmo's name, but Elmo comes back with his cousin Zelmo (one of many rhyming cousins he has). "Oh no," says Luis, prompting Elmo and Zelmo (Martin P. Robinson) to go find some snow.
	Animation	Three balls compare sizes. An orange ball (voiced by Daws Butler) boasts that he's the smallest, until his little brother comes onto the scene. (First: Episode 0786)
	Muppets	Grover applies to be a lifeguard, demonstrating to the employer that he has what it takes. He soon learns that there's only one thing he needs: swimming lessons. (First: Episode 1951)
	Cartoon	A mouth whistles Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. (First: Episode 2086)
	SCENE 3	The Fix-It Shop is filled to the brim with various things Elmo has fetched for his rhyming game. Luis finally finds a way to get it to end - by not speaking at all. He communicates silently with Elmo that he doesn't want to play anymore and wants all the stuff removed. He ends up speaking again and Elmo switches the game around, now removing an item that rhymes with what Luis says.
	Animation	Six spaceships are counted, then subtracted. (First: Episode 1245)
	Muppets	Muppet & Kid Moment — John-John and Herry Monster count to twenty. (First: Episode 0441)
	Film	A man makes a shadow puppet of a rabbit. (First: Episode 0614)
	Cartoon	Two men, one named Virgil Veep, discuss the letter V as they stand atop a capital V. (First: Episode 0110)
	Transition	Bridge #9 - Rectangle Bridge C (First: Episode 0290)
	SCENE 4	The shop is now emptied of all Elmo's things. Maria comes by and Luis tries to explain how his day is gone. Maria thinks handling Elmo during one of his games is easy and when he returns, he fetches a shoe to rhyme with Maria's greeting. Sensing a pattern, Luis makes his escape, and with the mention of his name Elmo brings Zelmo back in as Luis announces the sponsors. The mention of the Children's Television Workshop sends Elmo and Zelmo off to look for a pork chop.