‘Wheel of Fortune’ player loses $100K after game show comes up with baffling bonus round phrase yet again
With Ryan Seacrest stepping in as the new host in place of Pat Sajak, 'Wheel of Fortune' Season 42 is making major headlines. The show continues its long-standing legacy by keeping its classic excitement and fun. However, there's one recent instance that didn’t sit well with fans. A contestant failed to solve a tricky bonus puzzle, and many viewers accused the makers of making it hard, with some even suggesting the show might be rigged.
'Wheel of Fortune' Season 42 took a controversial turn when contestant Kristyn Hobbs from Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, missed out on a $100,000 prize during the bonus round. Turns out Hobbs couldn't solve the difficult puzzle "Rummaging in the backyard," per Opposing Views. Even host Ryan Seacrest acknowledged, "It’s a big puzzle to solve," but for many, that was an understatement. Viewers were just as shocked, with many calling the phrase overly obscure and unfair in the comment section of the YouTube video.
A fan commented, "That’s gotta be one of the toughest bonus puzzles I’ve ever seen," while another added, "I got rummaging, but I couldn't get 'backyard' obviously because nobody rummages through their backyard." A fan noted, "Looking at this week, the puzzle writers were thinking: let's put the impossible puzzles on the categories that are most likely going to be picked by the champions. Lo and behold, they did exactly just that." A fan shared, "I'd like to know what people keep in their backyard that they can go rummaging through."
Meanwhile, a fan remarked, "My goodness, these producers really wanna flex their vocabulary and see if the contestants can get these puzzles." Another commented, "Next it's going to be "Supergluing a family photo above the fireplace." These puzzles are so obscure and nonsensical sometimes. Thats before taking into account the fact that contestants have only 10 seconds and are under intense pressure in the public eye." Another added, "Another typical ridiculous bonus round puzzle with some phrase NOBODY ever says."
Notably, this controversy has also ignited an ongoing debate about fairness in the game. While the format is usually praised for testing wit and luck in a balanced way, this particular puzzle was viewed as a misstep by many. The phrase, which seemed unfamiliar and even nonsensical to viewers, was seen as a near-impossible challenge, leaving the contestant stunned and disappointed, per ScreenRant. Critics argue that puzzles should be based on actual phrases that people recognize, not obscure or seemingly improvised expressions.
The sentiment is that this puzzle felt randomly generated, undermining the contestant's efforts and the spirit of the game. Fans are also urging producers to be more mindful of puzzle difficulty and realism, suggesting they consider how crushing it must feel for contestants to miss out on life-changing money due to something that feels unfair. Although this isn't the first time 'Wheel of Fortune' has faced such backlash, this puzzle stands out for how widely it was rejected by the audience. However, the makers haven't made any official comment yet.