Steve brings this idea to the other three members of their alliance, and they all seem to feel the same way: they don't want to throw a challenge, both for game play and pride purposes, but if there's anyone in this game it's worth that risk to get rid of as soon as possible, it's Li'l Russell. Julie, whose 50-year-old body is better than mine even though I work out four to six hours a week, is the only hold out. She interviews that she's a competitor and thus isn't used to losing on purpose. She thinks it might be better to "deal" with Li'l Russell than risk giving the other tribe momentum. As they head out to the challenge, the alliance decides to figure out whether or not they're going to throw it at the challenge, and use thumb signals to tell each other the plan.

The tribes arrive at the challenge. Probst takes the immunity idol back from Ralph, who says nothing about how his tribe will get it back soon because he is all about throwing this challenge. Probst explains the challenge: hey, remember just last season when they had that challenge where three people were strapped to a wheel and had to spit water out to fill a tube and release a ball? Well, the crew couldn't be bothered to take that challenge apparatus down or think of anything new, so it's back. This time, though, instead of the ball being used to break tiles, it will race though a channel in a slide puzzle that one tribe member will be responsible for completing. The first team to do that wins immunity and a reward of comfort items: chairs, pillows, blankets, and a tarp. Though the members of Zapato groan in desire over the comfort items, they turn to each other and give the thumbs up of challenge-throwing behind Li'l Russell's back while Probst waits for them to tell him which two members will be sitting the challenge out. Ralph finally says it will be him and the woman whose name he obviously forgot even though she's in an alliance with him (Sarita). We get a rare glimpse of the pre-challenge strategy session for both teams, with Rob telling his tribe not to screw up and leave the puzzle to him and Steve and David trying to figure out the best way they can lose. Steve tells Julie to miss the tube. She nods, but interviews, again, that she isn't thrilled with the idea of throwing a challenge.