A Wheel of Fortune contestant lost out on winning a car during the Bonus Round due to a tough puzzle. Fans said he didn’t have enough letters to solve it.
The game show also announced a new element at the beginning of the show. Due to the “Year of Fun,” Social Media Correspondent Maggie Sajak announced the new “Year of Funds” Giveaway for viewers. Every time someone on stage said the word “fun,” $1,000 got added to the prize pot. A ding went off every time someone said the word to keep track of it. The “Year of Funds” Giveaway will be an ongoing thing throughout the season.
Jimmy Alexander, from Fredericksburg, Texas, played against Rebecca Merkel, from Hoover, Alabama, and Genvieve Martin, from Coffeeville, Mississippi, on Wednesday, September 10.
Merkel, who has watched WOF with her parents since the 1980s, solved the first Toss Up. Alexander, who goes to casinos to play the Wheel of Fortune slot machines, solved the second.
Alexander took a wide lead during the first puzzle when he landed on the $2,500 wedge three times. He also turned in his Wild Card to guess the letter “C,” in which there were three of them. He solved the puzzle — “Electronic Dance Music” — and put $21,250 in his bank.
Martin, an esthetician who specializes in Brazilians, got on the board with $3,300 in the next round. She also solved the next puzzle — “Travel Through Time” — and rode the express train, adding $1,000 to her bank for every letter. Since it was the Prize Puzzle, she won a trip to the Scottish Highlands and had a total of $21,700, putting her in the lead.
All three contestants solved one each of the Triple Toss Ups. Alexander solved the final puzzle — “Caribou Crossing” — and took back the lead with $28,650. Martin ended with $23,700. Merkel left with $3,000.
For the Bonus Round, Alexander chose “Around the House.” He brought his wife, Alicia, and his daughters, Lauren and Kristen, with him.
After being given “R,S,T,L,N and E,” he chose “M,D,G, and O.” Only one additional letter popped up, making his puzzle look like “_OR_ _EN_ _.”
As the clock counted down, Alexander stayed silent. “Tough to come up with this,” host Ryan Seacrest said. The puzzle was revealed to be “Workbench.”
“How would you have gotten there, huh?” Seacrest asked. He revealed the envelope to have the Mazda in it. The “Year of Funds” pot totaled $9,000 by the end of the episode.
“Well, not enough letters to help Jimmy, but he had a good night,” a YouTube user wrote.
“Not enough letters to get it,” said another.
“Failed at the car :(,” a third said.
Wheel of Fortune, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock