A new episode of The Amazing Race airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap here.
For this leg of the race, the teams must drive themselves to Sofia, Bulgaria. Once there, they must find Lake Ariana for their next clue. In addition, there is an Express Pass in play. In order to win it, a team must walks across hot coals. Alyssa & Josiah depart first, and they decide to go for the Express Pass. Brett & Mark and Jonathan & Ana depart next. They don’t go for the Express Pass since they know Alyssa & Josiah are in first place.
Alyssa & Josiah reach the fire walking location. Alyssa is excited, but Josiah is dreading the task. He doesn’t like anything hot. He adds that he drinks hot chocolate lukewarm since he avoids hot things as much as possible. Nonetheless, they complete the task and win the Express Pass. They know they are no longer in the lead, but they only fell to third place.
Han & Holden depart next in fourth place. They are followed by Melinda & Erika and Carson & Jack. Meanwhile, Brett & Mark are the first team to find the clue box at Lake Ariana. They learn they must make their way to a Jordan’s Day Festival. They must retrieve a cross in the river and bring it back to a priest. Brett & Mark complete the task before any other teams arrive. They get their next clue and learn they must proceed to Russian Monument Square. They must find a klek shop to get their next clue. They also learn they cannot take anymore taxis for the rest of the leg.
Alyssa & Josiah and Jonathan & Ana complete the Jordan’s Day Festival task next. Meanwhile, Han & Holden, Melinda & Erika, and Carson & Jack are still driving. Melinda & Erika get lost, and they stop to ask for directions.
Brett & Mark find the klek shop and get their next clue. They must proceed to St. Kliment Chridski Central Library. Alyssa & Josiah find the shop shortly afterwards too. Later, Jonathan & Ana arrive there too. They keep walking past the shop until they finally realize where it is.
Brett & Mark arrive at the library. They learn they have a task to complete. They must use a cyrillic cypher to figure out what is written in an ancient book. As they get started on that, Han & Holden complete the Jordan’s Day Festival task, and they are followed by Melinda & Erika. After Melinda & Erika complete the river task, Erika misreads the clue. They are not allowed to take taxis for the rest of the leg, but Erika thinks they must take taxis for the rest of the leg.
Brett & Mark complete the task. As they leave the library, Alyssa & Josiah arrive. Brett & Mark read their next clue and learn they must make their way to the Museum of Socialist Art. Meanwhile, Han & Holden find the klek shop. Jonathan & Ana join Alyssa & Josiah at the library. Alyssa & Josiah still don’t realize how to use the cypher.
Carson & Jack are the last team to complete the Jordan’s Day Festival task. Meanwhile, Jonathan & Ana figured out how to use the cypher while Alyssa & Josiah are still struggling. Alyssa ponders using the Express Pass. Jonathan & Ana decipher the text without letting Jonathan & Ana know how to use the cypher. The English translation is on the back of the cypher, which Alyssa & Josiah still don’t realize. Additionally, Melinda & Erika struggle finding the klek shop, but they finally find it. However, they take another taxi, which will cost them a penalty if they don’t realize their mistake.
After Jonathan & Ana get their clue, they let Alyssa & Josiah know they need to flip over the cypher. Shortly afterwards, Alyssa & Josiah complete the task before any other teams arrive. They are thankful Jonathan & Ana helped them. After they leave, Han & Holden arrive at the library. They also don’t know they need to look at the back of the cypher, and they get frustrated trying to figure out the task.
Brett & Mark are still in the lead as they reach the next clue box. They learn they must proceed to the Central Military Club. Back at the library, Melinda & Erika join Han & Holden. The two teams agree to help each other, but neither of the teams know they need to flip over the cypher.
Carson & Jack are still in last place. They keep walking by the klek shop until they finally notice it. They can now proceed to the library. Meanwhile, Alyssa & Josiah manage to get ahead of Jonathan & Ana. Jonathan & Ana tried to make their way by foot, but a local lets them know they should take a bus.
Brett & Mark reach the Central Military Club. They learn they have a Roadblock. One team member must learn a choreographed folk dance with a line of people to receive their next clue. Mark chooses to do the Roadblock.
Carson & Jack arrive at the library while Han & Holden and Melinda & Erika are still there. Han & Holden and Melinda & Erika still do not realize they need to look at the back of the cypher for the English translation. Carson & Jack realize to look at the back of the cypher, and Holden notices them. After Melinda & Erika attempt to give an answer, Han & Holden and Carson & Jack agree to work together.
Jonathan & Ana find the clue box as Mark gives his first attempt at the Roadblock. He passes on his first attempt. Brett & Mark can now proceed to the Pit Stop: St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. After they leave, Alyssa & Josiah arrive. Josiah chooses to do the Roadblock.
Melinda & Erika are still struggling with the library task while Han & Holden and Carson & Jack make progress. Han & Holden also pretend they’re still struggling when Melinda & Erika ask how they’re doing. Eventually, Han & Holden and Carson & Jack decipher the passage and get their next clue. Han & Holden want to go back and tell Melinda & Erika to flip over the cypher, but Carson & Jack think it wouldn’t be a wise choice since they’re the teams at the back of the pack. They choose to let them know anyway, and Holden also gives them the first few words of the passage too.
Jonathan & Ana arrive at the Roadblock. Ana chooses to do the Roadblock. When she begins rehearsing, Josiah gives his first attempt. He doesn’t pass, so he must try again. Back at the library, Melinda & Erika finally complete the task.
Brett & Mark reach the Pit Stop. Phil gives them the good news. Brett & Mark are Team #1! They each win $7,500. Back at the Roadblock, Josiah completes the task on his third attempt. He and Alyssa can proceed to the Pit Stop. Ana completes the Roadblock next. She and Jonathan can proceed to the Pit Stop too.
Carson & Jack and Han & Holden agree to work together to find the Museum of Socialist Art. Eventually, they get separated after Carson & Jack stop to ask for directions. They also get ahead of Han & Holden too. They reach the Roadblock next, and Jack chooses to do the Roadblock. Han & Holden arrive shortly afterwards, and Holden chooses to do the task. Meanwhile, Melinda & Erika wait to hail a taxi to their next location, still not realizing they’re not supposed to be taking any taxis in this leg of the race.
Alyssa & Josiah reach the Pit Stop. Jonathan & Ana join them before Phil lets them know they are Team #2 and Team #3. Meanwhile, Melinda & Erika arrive at the Roadblock. Melinda chooses to do the Roadblock. As she starts rehearsing, Jack fails his first attempt. However, Jack passes his second attempt. Carson & Jack can now make their way to the Pit Stop.
Holden also passes on his second attempt. He and Han can proceed to the Pit Stop. After they leave, Melinda also completes the Roadblock.
We next see Carson & Jack greet Phil at the Pit Stop as Team #4. It’s between Han & Holden and Erika & Melinda now. Eventually, Han & Holden greet Phil as Team #5. After they leave the mat, Erika & Melinda finally arrive at the Pit Stop. Phil lets them know they misread their clue before giving them the bad news: Melinda & Erika have been eliminated from the race. They say the experience has been a dream, and they are grateful for the time they’ve spent together.
Episode Summary
1st place: Brett & Mark
2nd place: Alyssa & Josiah
3rd place: Jonathan & Ana
4th place: Carson & Jack
5th place: Han & Holden
Eliminated: Melinda & Erika
And that wraps up tonight’s episode of The Amazing Race. Thanks for reading, and come back next week for another live recap.
