I continue to be dumbfounded by the lack of intelligence displayed on this show. Last night one of the puzzles (category: Song/Artist) was "We Are The Champions by Queen".

At one point the puzzle was filled in as follows:

WE ARE THE CHAMPI_NS _ _ QUEEN

The team in the middle (this is football players week) spun the wheel and asked for an "F". They lose their turn.

The next team looks at the board totally baffled and asks if they can buy a vowel.

HELLO?!

Michael, yea I know. I was like they cant figure THAT out ?? hello it was so easy

Here's another one. Last night, the player said, "I'd like to solve the puzzle." Immediately after she said this, the "time is running short" bell rings. Pat asks her to wait a minute while he gives the wheel a final spin, yada, yada, yada.

Doesn't the bell ring mean they're short on time? Wouldn't it therefore have been quicker to have her solve the puzzle then and there???

I often feel there's a moral component to the game. Like when you know a contestant already knows the answer, but he just has to spin the wheel one more time because he doesn't feel he has quite enough money yet, and the wheel comes up bankrupt, and the next contestant solves the puzzle right away--doesn't that make you feel good? Like the greedy contestant got taught a cosmic lesson?

On the flip side of the moral delimma, I feel bummed cause the big coglomerate that's Merv Griffin gets to keep more of his money...:-)

That's true. But I'm like: Hey, contestant, you know you know the answer; I know you know the answer; don't be a fool, just solve the damn puzzle! But no, you have to go and spin the wheel one more time! I know what it reminds me of--the ancient Greek myth about Icarus, who had to fly just a little closer to the sun, which melted his wings and sent him plummeting to his death.

Very true. On the other hand, I also hate it when a contestant solves a puzzle waaay too early, like when s/he has $1,000 or less and could have gotten some more money. I think that's just stupid and sacrificing the long game (bonus round) for the short one (a quick win).

For example, last week this guy was way out in front (something like $19,000 going into the last puzzle. Pat spins one last time and course gets the $5,000 space (I swear, he must either practice a lot of spinning in his off time or the wheel is fixed!). Some lady who was in last place manages to get enough $$ with that as the space and not only solves the puzzle, but wins the match! If he would have just spun ONE more time in one of the puzzles he won, he would have won the whole thing.

I don't think that the wheel is "fixed". I just think they've figured out how far Pat typically spins it, and arrange the wheel so there's a good shot of hitting that space.

I'm not saying I like this idea, just an observation.

I really don't understand why so many people buy vowels when they don't need to. Like MONK_Y AT TH_ ZOO. "I'd like to buy an E, please." Why? Do you just like to waste money?
Do they get more money if their vowel shows up more than once in the puzzle? Suppose there were five "E"s in the puzzle. Do they get five times $250 added to their pot? Otherwise I don't understand why people would buy vowels since it's a lose-lose situation.

I never understood buying vowels in that situation either, Calberk. *rolls eyes*

Then again, the contestants on Wheel of Fortune don't exactly have the brain power of the ones on Jeopardy. Reminds me of Joey from Friends playing along in his living room. "It's Count Rushmore!"

Calberk, I just saw an episode with that exact situation in it the other night. The entire puzzle was revealed save for one vowel, and all four other vowels had been chosen and revealed. The "ding ding ding" was heard that there was only one vowel remaining. And the dumbass player bought the freakin' vowel. He could have put two and two together to figure out that vowel hadn't been guessed yet and obviously fit the empty spaces in the puzzle! Stupid guy.

If that's a bad situation (and it was), this one was worse. Someone had a puzzle that was BACK TO BASICS, and she said, Back to "the" Basics...and then nothing else. Meanwhile, I was at home desperately hoping that she didn't miss out on $100,000.

Contestants don't earn money for vowels, they lose $250, hench the term "buying a vowel". They lose $250 no matter how many times the letter appears in the puzzle. And for some still unexplained reason, they also lose $250 if the vowel they select is not in the puzzle...

I'm just as perplexed as any of you why someone would buy a vowel when the puzzle is obvious. Another pet peeve of mine is when someone will hit a large number like $900 and guess a letter that appears once, while another yet uncalled letter appears 4 or 5 times (assuming the puzzle is fairly obvious at this point).

They take that chance by buying a vowel. You lose $250 regardless of whether it's up there a million times, one time, or not up there at all. You play the odds when you buy a vowel, and hope that it pays off. But it always costs you something.

Sounds like they've changed the rules since I watched WOF regularly (in the 80s). I think the vowels used to cost $50 each. If there were six Es in a puzzle, the player lost $300. If there was one O, the player lost $50. Is that right?

I've been watching WOF since I was a little kid (I'm now 30) and don't ever recall the "each vowel costs $50" rule.

That's not to say it never happened. I know that the daytime version went through numerous changes in its later years, and I never saw that version after the mid-1980's.

This would have been in the mid-to-late 80s, Michael. Then again, I was born in 1980, so my memory may be a little fuzzy. Can anyone vouch one way or another?

(FWIW, I watched WOF in the early evenings, right before the prime time shows came on.)

A couple of nights ago, I caught the bonus round of WoF... of course, the contestant got the free pack of letters (R-S-T-L-N-E), but when it came time for her to pick letters, she kept picking letters she already had -- I think she called for an S and an N... and I know she called for an R and an E, even though they were already in the puzzle.

(bangs head on desk) They've been giving those letters to the contestants for free for more than 15 years now, geez...

Ever since Wheel started with Chuck Woolery as host, vowels have always been $250, and the fee never multiplied for each time the vowel appeared.

I was watching a rerun on GSN the other day, and my friend and I both died laughing at this (presumably unintended) double-entendre. We couldn't believe it got past the censors. Slightly paraphrased because I can't remember the exact wording of the set-up:

Pat: "So you have ten grandchildren. By how many children?"
Female contestant: "Two lovely daughters."
Pat: "Busy little beavers!"

BWAH!

I believe I saw the biggest stupid contestant gaffe ever in the show. With one guy's guess, the entire puzzle, DOUBLE INDEMNITY, was revealed. Pat told the guy all he had to do was say it, and he mispronounced it. The judges ruled it incorrect, so the person next to him got it.

That's nothing. One episode I saw a long while back featured our favorite category, "Foreign Word". I don't remember what the word was, but they uncovered every letter, and every contestant had two or three shots at pronouncing it until the judges finally decided someone was close enough to get credit.

Funny thing is, I don't recall that category showing up much after that feeascoo... fiasoco... incident.

There was another "genius moment" on the show this week. The puzzle was "I DO NOT LIKE THEM SAM-I-AM". It was filled in as follows:

I DO NOT LIKE THEM S_M-I-_M

Pat says there are only vowels left. Player guesses "U". Loses turn. Next person pauses for several seconds, trying to figure out what to do even though...

THERE WAS ONLY ONE POSSIBLE LETTER LEFT!

I do not like them Sum-I-Um?

Idiots.

I remember one where the puzzle was (something like) "Banana _ustard Pie" and the guy very confidently solved the puzzle as "Banana Mustard Pie". I laughed and laughed and then felt sorry for him...he would have a hard time living it down. He sounded so sure of himself.

These remind me of Joey on Friends trying to solve the puzzle - _ount Rusmore.

Joey:
"It's COUNT Rushmore!!! Jeez, what an idiot!"

Another thing that bothers me (I can't think of an example off the top of my head though) is when the answer has become obvious, yet the dumb ass contestants still buy vowels. I'm always thinking "You idiot - those cost you money! The idea of the game is to have more money than anyone else!".

One of my favorite bad guesses was courtesy of a very sweet older woman who had "F_ANKLY _Y DEA_, I DON'T GIVE A DA_N" and guessed "Frankly my dear, I don't give a DARN."

I think even Pat groaned.

Another thing that bugs me is when contestants use their Free Spins just for the sake of using them, even though it's highly unlikely it will help them at that point. For example, a contestant takes his/her first spin in a given round -- there are no letters showing yet -- and guesses incorrectly. Then they use a Free Spin. WHY? They are setting themselves up for guessing another wrong letter and losing their turn.

If it were me, I'd only use a Free Spin if I was dangerously close to solving the puzzle when I lost my turn -- unless it was the last round and I hadn't used it yet.

My favorite all-time goof was a few years ago when a woman (a very LOUD woman, I might add) had the category "place" and had "BR_NS_N, MISS__RI," with (obviously) only vowels left, and this woman decided to solve. She said, screaming, "BRONSON, MISSOURI, YAAAAYYYYYY!"

There was dead silence for two seconds before Pat was like, "Um, no, I'm sorry, that's wrong." It was hilarious. And, as annoying as the woman was, after the round, she almost totally redeemed herself my joking, "Oh, that was just my occent."

There was an idiot tonight in the final puzzle who, after Pat spun the wheel to speed up the round, kept on guessing vowels even though only a few consonants had been guessed and he had no money at all up to that point. I wanted him to correctly answer the puzzle and for Pat to say to him, "Congratulations, in that round you won... no money!"

Weird thing was, though, even though the guy won no money in any of the puzzles at all, he ended up taking $500 home. Huh? Does everyone go home with a minimum of $500 now? And what happens if they win under $500 in a puzzle? Do they get bumped up to $500, or stay with the measly amount that they won?

Yes, and yes. If someone ends up with no money (haven't won any rounds) WoF gives them $500 instead of some rinky-dink "parting gifts." Also, if someone only wins say $250, Pat announces they have a "house minimum of $500."

Huh. Interesting how many changes they've made to WoF over the years. There was also a random ringing noise at the beginning of a puzzle last night, and Pat said that the winner of the puzzle got an extra dollar amount in addition to the amount that they won. WTF? Let's just give away money, shall we?

Heh, "parting gifts." When I was little, I always thought they were saying "partying gifts."

The "random ringing noise" could have been one of two things. If there's a ringing at the start of the round, that means it's a "prize puzzle". This means that whoever wins the puzzle wins an extra prize, usually a trip. If there's a ringing after the puzzle is solved, usually that means there's a "bonus question" where answering correctly can win them an extra $3,000.

The parade of idiot players continued this week. The puzzle was "ARM & HAMMER BAKING SODA". Hardly any letters in "baking soda" were turned, but the first 3 words read "_RM & H_MMER" and this lady guessed a "U". Now come on, granted she may not have known the last 2 words, but what did she think the first part was -- "URM & HUMMER"???????

Final Puzzle:

It's a phrase

PROOF POS_T_ _E

Gee, what could that be?

Contestant Nick didn't know.

Hey now, that one was kind of tough. I, like him, could only see postage in my head.

First time poster, long time lurker. I love Wheel of Fortune and was just wondering if anyone else thinks there's too much shit on the wheel these days? If it's not a Mystery $500 black space, it's a random trip or some jewels or a promotion for some product. Not enough cash! Bring back the cash!

Also wondering if anyone has seen someone win $100,000 in the bonus round? It seems like it never happens. Before I die, I'd like to see it - just once.

It's happened a couple of times. Considering it's a 1-in-24 shot of the wheel landing on it, it's not going to happen very often. I think it's been landed on around 10 or so times, but only won 2-3 times.

Yea! Thanks, Vgmastr .

I'll just have to keep watching. Good thing I like Pat Sajak and his little one-liners so much. I especially like when a contestant buys a vowel and it's not there, so play passes to the next person. Then that NEXT person buys the same vowel because they weren't paying attention and Pat says something like, "Nope. STILL no "e"."

[small voice] I love you Pat. [/sm]

I'd estimate that as many people have won the $100,000 as those who've landed on it but didn't actually solve the puzzle. There have also been a few occasions where Pat would go over to the "prize wheel" afterwards and show that they landed on the space next to the $100,000. (Why he does this I have no clue...)

He likes to torture the contestants. Gleefully.

That's totally why I love him. Such a frickin' bad ass.

Call me, Pat!

Well, at least he only does it when they didn't solve the bonus puzzle. If he did it to the winners, then maybe I'd call it "torture"!

The parade of clueless players continues. One night this week (College Week), the puzzle read as follows:

DON'T BREATHE A _ORD TO AN_ONE

This guy spins and lands on the "mystery space". He's got a boatload of money in front of him, and Pat not-so-subtly implies that he's better off not picking it up. The guy laughs knowingly, agreeing with Pat....

then spins the wheel again...AND GUESSES AN "L"!!!

So he thought it was "Don't breathe a lord to anyone?" What a wierdo.

I hate that mystery space. If I was on the show, I don't think I'd ever risk it if I had a reasonable amount of money and landed on it.

Stumbling onto TwoP has been a life-changing experience for me; I would never imagine people talking about WoF on a website! Anyhow, from my experience as a contestant on the show, I can tell you that YES, it's very easy to have brain farts on the show that lead to stupid mistakes.
One thing that I didn't realize when I was watching the show at home is how much time spinning the wheel can chip away at your effort in solving the puzzle. The motion of reaching over to spin it and seeing where it lands (because you dread the Bankrupt and Lose A Turn spaces) actually takes precious seconds away from concentrating on the board. I know it sounds crazy, but that was what I experienced on the show. Also, time seemed to pass by 10X faster in the studio than at home. The massive lighting abovehead, the cameras, the audience, Pat and Vanna, the inch of makeup on your face, the prospect of being the laughing stock of the community: all these factors can easily turn someone into a nervous wreck.
Even though I empathize with most contestants, I still moaned when I saw the poor guy asking for an L in the puzzle DON'T BREATHE A _ORD OF THIS TO AN_ONE.

Hey ritalinsmoothie - just curious, because I love this show, but did you win anything when you were on it?

Lacke Bo Backe, I was lucky enough to advance to and win the bonus round. By the time I was standing right next to Pat in front of that small wheel, the feeling was surreal.

ritalinsmoothie, that's great! I hope you won a lot and did well.

Is Pat as short as I think he is?

ETA: When Pat says to the audience, "Quiet, please," are people really trying to shout out the answer to the bonus puzzle? I've always wondered...