This week brought some Wheel of Fortune controversy as one contestant lost on a wild technicality. David Pederson was really close to solving the puzzle to seal a victory, but some weird rules about the word “and” got in the way. Back in 2016, the crossword puzzle format was introduced to the long-running game show. When dealing with crosswords, the answers have to be in a list, but you can’t use the word “and” in your answer. So, Pat Sajak asked Pederson about varieties of fish, and the contestant answered, “Sole, Flounder, Cod, and Catfish,” which lost him the game. The next contestant gave the exact same answers and netted the victory. It was wild to see, but the rule has been in place for some time. There were people online absolutely stunned by the technicality. Maybe it’s time for a rule change? If not, you can bet there will be some more people upset when it inevitably happens again.
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Fox News managed to contact a Wheel of Fortune spokesperson about the rule. On the show’s side, they say that contestant are given a heads up before the cameras begin rolling. “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, “the spokesperson explained. “Contestants are thoroughly briefed prior to the show, and Pat often reminds them of this rule when solving a puzzle in this particular category.”
There’s nothing colder than @WheelofFortune dinging folks for adding the “and” when solving crossword puzzles
— Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) March 31, 2021
The show has had to adapt to the coronavirus environment. That means increased health and safety precautions like masks and testing the people on set. It seems as though this set of rules is working in the show’s favor as there have been few hiccups since coming back on the air. However, there is always an extra bit of caution because of how quickly things can get out of hand with filming. Check out what a spokesperson for the program had to say down below.
“Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are returning to the studio to tape episodes for the shows’ upcoming seasons,” a studio spokesperson explained to Deadline at the time. “The productions have protocols in place in accordance with current government guidelines to protect contestants, staff, crew and talent from the spread of COVID-19. While some things may have changed behind the scenes and on the set to keep everyone safe, fans can expect to see the same Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! they have come to love when the season starts.”
Wheel is produced by Mike Richards and has a contract through the 2022-2023 television season.
Did you catch that Wheel of Fortune moment? Let us know in the comments!
