There has been many rumors that a voted out player returns to the game. Most people seem to believe it as fact and most of the rumors have Lil as the returning player. However, something doesn't make sense about that theory.

The CBS web site says the following "For 39 days, beginning in September 2003, 16 strangers will be stranded on a remote island off the coast of Panama."

If we assume that they continue to vote someone off every 3 days, the show should last 42 days (and not 39 days) if someone rejoins the game unless one of the following happens:

1) There is a week that 2 people are voted off
2) The final episode of the show involves 5 people
3) people will be voted out in less than 3 day intervals before the final 4
4) The returning player replaces an existing player (i.e., an injury or rule violation) duirng an episode and later in that same episode someone is voted off.
5) The CBS web site is wrong

I have trouble believing either choice 1, 2 or 3 can be true. Choice 4 seems the most likely to be true, but if there was an injury or rule violator, I would expect the show to kick that person off (like Mike from Australia) during the episode that the injury or infraction took place, not replace the injured party. I believe I have heard television advertising about the show being 39 days long, so I also don;t believe choice 5 can be correct

That leads me to believe that either the spoilers are wrong and no one is returning or I am missing a way for MB to make the show last 39 days and not do any of the above choices.

Can anyone else explain to me how the show can be 39 days long and have a survivor return