Wheel of Fortune Season 40 (and Celebrity S3) Discussion Thread

[GRWHAMMY the 2nd]

almost like week 1 ate most of their budget with its XL stuff

[mechamind]

Some, but not most of the budget. I suspect they were pushing for a $1,000,000 win in the first week, and if so, that's nearly a million that they can save for future games.

[Richie]

OY.   I just watched tonight's episode.   That REALLY HURT.

Alane made a major mistake of picking WHAT ARE YOU DOING for Bonus Land.   Pat admitted in the end the puzzle was tough.   The puzzle was tough, but there were also THREE wasted letter choices in that puzzle, and Alane picked two of the three.   That was a true landmine puzzle.

I often call PHRASE/THING(S)/WHAT ARE YOU DOING the RAW DEAL list.   I had a feeling they were really making it hard for someone to play for the million with THAT list.

[pannoni1]

I actually got that bonus puzzle with RSTLNE. As soon as I knew that she picked two "trap" letters, she was done. 

As it is, we'll have to pay attention to the Celebrity version as well regarding the budget, since Melissa Joan Hart's million dollar win also may have sunk the regular version's budget a bit. Still, I'd like one of the features on the XL version to become a permanent fixture down the road, and that could simply include returning the Million Dollar Wedge back on the Wheel in a future round up if picked up/unclaimed or lost to a Bankrupt. Still, I feel that if Jeopardy! is going to implement run-the-category bonuses again like they did during the later years of the Art Fleming version, Wheel should change the rules of its Prize Puzzle to simply a bonus, since $11,000 for a trip meant that outside of a Triple Toss Up sweep, coming from behind would be tough to do. And there's still at least seven more XL shows to come.

[Richie]

I actually got that bonus puzzle with RSTLNE. As soon as I knew that she picked two "trap" letters, she was done. 

The third trap letter for those who are wondering was the K.   The A and G were the two that Alane picked and fell for.   The regular Wheel Watchers would nail it, but the average watchers would not. 

The puzzle writers who did this puzzle for WHAT ARE YOU DOING were banking on the contestants to fall for at least two of the trap letters in this puzzle.   Alane took the bait.   That's why I consider those who pick WHAT ARE YOU DOING for Bonus Land, you have made a big mistake picking that category.   Many contestants fail this category because they often pick the trap letters.   And the puzzles are as hard as the puzzles in THING.   I often call WHAT ARE YOU DOING the second banana to THING(S) in Bonus Land.

I remember Kaia's million dollar loss...her WHAT ARE YOU DOING puzzle was somewhat gettable.   Alane's WHAT ARE YOU DOING puzzle was harder.

...but BAKED ZUCCHINI, ANNOYING BUZZER, and OCEAN KAYAKING were the toughest.

[imhomerjay]

As it is, we'll have to pay attention to the Celebrity version as well regarding the budget, since Melissa Joan Hart's million dollar win also may have sunk the regular version's budget a bit.

The budget for the network show is going to come via agreements with ABC. They’re not taking from the daily version to pay out the network version. Being picked up by the network gives them a separate pot to work with for those however many games.

Still, I feel that if Jeopardy! is going to implement run-the-category bonuses again like they did during the later years of the Art Fleming version, Wheel should change the rules of its Prize Puzzle to simply a bonus, since $11,000 for a trip meant that outside of a Triple Toss Up sweep, coming from behind would be tough to do. And there's still at least seven more XL shows to come.

Certainly get the case that a prize should be bonus, and whatever they do with that, so be it, but a speculative change on one show doesn’t mean another show needs to change a rule for that reason.

[RatRace10]

They can't make the prize puzzle not count towards score because almost everyone who wins has around $15-20,000 with the trip. Take that away and then we'll have people going to the bonus round with like $7500 or $9500. That looks cheap. But they do need to fix it and adding the $5K bonus on the XL episodes just doesn't help reward the best solvers.

[Richie]

The Wild Card in season 40 so far has NOT been given love right now.   In just 13 shows, four contestants had to forfeit the Wild Card to the Bankrupt.   OUCH.

[PGS25]

"The best pineapple I've ever had in my month"? Jim made the same mistake other contestants make. Not realizing there is still a vowel available and they DO NOT pick it.

[Richie]

Bonus Land has been ROUGH for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Season 3.   Enough said.

[Richie]

Just saw today's episode.   The Wild Card's futility streak continues, and tonight's Bonus Land was a doozy.

[Game Girl]

The links are not working, for either sweepstakes for celebrity wof season 3 (The links that has you entered the two 10000 Dollar puzzles, or the celebrity that won), any ideas, I tried to stop everything it seems to only be working rarely (got it working only one time), please please help, i know that this celebrity season is discounted if it is in the same category as the regular show. (definitely considering celebrity Jeopardy gets its own thread). but I really need some help here. since the first season (of the current celebrity run) and never got this issue before. Maybe because I got the desktop link on a non signed in computer. (does not explain why it worked once on the phone though.)

[LiteBulb88]

You need to submit your entries by Tuesday 2:59:59 PT. If it's after that, the website links won't work. Source: Rule #2 at https://www.wheeloffortune.com/win/celebrity-giveaway/rules

[Game Girl]

oh thanks, I only noticed just the November 15 2022 deadline part, and must have missed the days of the week that the link is active. thanks a lot, that was really helpful.

[Richie]

We've had some cruel maingames this week.   And tonight's Bonus Land puzzle...I have no words.