'Wheel of Fortune' Under Fire After Tiny Technicality Costs Contestant Nearly $10,000
A Wheel of Fortune contestant lost out on nearly $10,000 worth of cash and prizes because of a tiny technicality on Thursday’s episode, causing fans to call for a rule change.
Contestant Kristen Shaw was attempting to solve the “crossword puzzle” challenge, Yahoo Entertainment reported. For this challenge, the contestant must list the words that appear. The words that appeared in Shaw’s case were “right,” “football,” “left” and “Sally.”
Shaw gave the following answer: “Right, football, left and Sally.”
However, the rule says that contestants can only say the words in the puzzle and nothing else; Shaw added the conjunction “and” to her answer.
The small mistake cost Shaw a trip to Nashville valued at over $8,000 and $1,950 in cash. The next contestant was able to answer easily and take home the big prize.
Host Pat Sajak said that he usually reminds people not to add anything to their answers, and told Shaw “you maybe didn’t even hear yourself say it but you threw an ‘and’ in there with the last thing and we have to go by the rules.”
“Our long-standing rule is that in order to have a correct puzzle solve, a contestant must say only what is on the board without adding words,” a spokesperson for the show told Fox News.
“Contestants are thoroughly briefed prior to the show, and Pat often reminds them of this rule when solving a puzzle in this particular category.”
However, after the technicality, fans have begun debating online about whether the rule should be changed or upheld.
“Utterly ridiculous that you didn’t give credit to Kristen for the ___ field puzzle because she said ‘and’ before the last word of the list. Functionally no different from the pauses you allow. You know she knew the puzzle,” a Twitter-user complained.
Utterly ridiculous that you didn’t give credit to Kristen for the ___ field puzzle because she said “and” before the last word of the list. Functionally no different from the pauses you allow. You know she knew the puzzle @WheelofFortune Not cool. #WheelOfFortune
— Dr. Porter-Stransky (@NeuroVixen) November 22, 2019
“They can easily change the rule to allow ‘and’ as part of your verbal answer. Conjunctions are natural parts of speech an should be ok for crosswords,” another user agreed.
They can easily change the rule to allow “and” as part of your verbal answer. Conjunctions are natural parts of speech an should be ok for crosswords. #WheelOfFortune
— Total D (#44) (@drewbreess) November 22, 2019
Other Twitter users argued that even though she was close, she still didn’t answer according to the rules.
Anybody who watches WOF knows not to add anything. The rule is fine it’s a world where we must fix everything to win is wrong.
Yahoo Celebrity: ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans call for rule change after technicality costs contestant a win.https://t.co/PG1zfGK3oovia @GoogleNews
— Rlw618 (@rlw618) November 22, 2019
“Anybody who watches WOF knows not to add anything. The rule is fine it’s a world where we must fix everything to win is wrong,” one person tweeted.
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