$56K puzzle mistake has ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans pointing fingers — and Ryan Seacrest is in the hot seat
‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans often analyze the odds and discuss game play online. Fans recently expressed frustration online, blaming Ryan Seacrest for a $56,000 loss. ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is airing reruns ahead of its upcoming season. One rerun, originally aired on March 31, was rebroadcast on June 16. The contestants were Todd Meyer (Las Vegas), Latricia Randolph (Franklin), and Sheree Corder (Tampa). With Corder solving both the initial toss-ups, “Expect the Unexpected” and “Model Airplane Kit,” she won $3,000. Corder also won the next puzzle, bringing her total to $6,600 and earning a Wild Card.
Next came a rare “crossword” puzzle, where all the answers were related and intersected, according to TV Insider. The category was “Party,” and the contestants had to guess four words. Randolph came up with her guess and selected the letter “G” to begin with. When Meyer tried solving the puzzle with “Party Time,” “Party Animal,” “Party Decorations,” and “Party Bus,” Seacrest told him it was incorrect. Meyer lowered his head and rested his hands on the podium in disappointment. Corder then solved the puzzle correctly, “Time, Animal, Decorations, and Bus," and was declared the winner. Seacrest later explained that answers must match the board exactly. Addressing Meyer, the host stated, “It’s a shame she stole it from you.” Sheree eventually went on to play the Bonus Round, only to lose it and take home a total of $16,600. Meanwhile, Meyer won only $10,000, and Randolph made $12,190 on the game show.
However, this did not go well with the Reddit users, as one came up with a post, “Ryan Not Reminding the Contestants About Crossword Solves, makes me mad every time!” The post continued, “Sometimes he reminds contestants how to solve these puzzles properly, and sometimes he doesn't. Doesn't seem fair. Oh, and this contestant today looked PI***D!” Another one jumped in the comment section of the original post, sympathising with Meyer, “Same. Felt bad for the guy. Like…come on. He knew this. He was filling in the blank.” A few other comments read, “I did feel bad for the guy that messed up because I think he realized his mistake as soon as he said ‘party.’”
Seacrest surely had big shoes to fill. Since replacing Pat Sajak, Seacrest has faced criticism from longtime ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans. Many have even complained about “forgetting to remind the player to dump the wild card after landing on bankrupt.” The January 27 episode even sparked a debate online, with some viewers stating, “I think the more annoying thing is when he doesn’t remind them to call a letter before they solve it in the last round when time is running out.” According to Daily Express US, a source close to Seacrest stated that the host is seeking therapy as he “hates being hated.” "Ryan's a lot more sensitive than people give him credit for," the insider stated. ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Season 43 will be aired in September with Seacrest returning to handle the hosting duties.
