‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant ‘Cries’ After ‘Awful’ Puzzle Costs Her $40,000
Wheel of Fortune viewers are complaining once again after a contestant on Tuesday’s (February 27) episode lost out on $40,000 after another confusing Bonus Round puzzle.
Amy Chumbley, a kindergarten teacher from Lubbock, Texas, was on a roll as she took on fellow contestants Kyle Gilbrech, from Los Angeles, California, and Shamara Walker, from Lithonia, Georgia. By the end of the Express Round, Chumbley already had a significant lead with $21,710 cash, plus a trip to Iceland.
The married mother of two continued to impress in the following rounds, giving her an episode-winning total of $27,510 and advancing to the Bonus Round for a chance to add even more to her earnings.
Chumbley selected the “Place” category and “M, H, C, and I” as her additional letters. Unfortunately, those choices didn’t shed much light on the tough three-word puzzle.
As the ten-second timer started, the board read “_ I _ E E M _ T _ _ I E L _.”
Chumbley struggled to come up with an answer, desperately guessing the words “Pile” and “Emits” before the clock ran down.
Vanna White then revealed the correct answer as “Wide Empty Field.”
Chumbley groaned upon seeing the answer and pretended to cry. “She’s crying on the air,” host Pat Sajak quipped before opening the prize envelope and revealing Chumbley missed out on an extra $40,000.
There was a reason Chumbley almost broke into tears, as she explained in the YouTube comments of the Bonus Round clip.
“I almost cried because my sister’s husband is a cotton and wheat farmer and works in a “wide open field”…but most certainly not empty! haha! This was an experience of a lifetime!” she wrote.
Wheel of Fortune/YouTube
While Chumbley took the loss in good spirits, some viewers felt like she was scuppered by another “awful” Bonus Round puzzle.
“Wide open field yes..wide empty field no! Awful!” wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter).
“Wide empty” is not a thing people say,” said a fellow commenter, while another added, “That was one of the worst final puzzles.”
“A “wide empty field”??” questioned another confused viewer.
Another added, “Wide empty field” ….wtf is that @WheelofFortune… words nobody has ever said.”
This marks the latest Bonus Round controversy, as some fans have recently accused the show of making the puzzles too hard.
What do you think? Would you have been able to answer this puzzle? Let us know in the comments below.
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Comments are closed on this story.
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C
I've been a farmer my whole life and have never heard the expression " Wide Empty Fields". She should be allowed to redo that puzzle for sure, that was completely unfair.
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O
True. We call it a fallow field.
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C
Again, they make puzzles impossible;e by the use of descriptive adjectives. What's next, big lumpy mattress?
15 2
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O
Jumpy frog? Sunken ditch? Badly burned toast? Ridiculous!
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O
The puzzles are getting to be ridiculous.
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G
It may not refer to a farmer's field at all. I look at it as a open field of contestants such as a political race , a car race, a marathon, a dog show, or a beauty competition. When there's not a clear winning choice to begin with, they call it a wide open field but not a wide empty field. So I agree it is a stupid unfair puzzle..
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B
Got it.
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G
Wide open field has been an expression my whole life. I’ve used it in the past many times. I think the younger generation is unaware of the saying. However, blasting WOF is inappropriate. The contestant herself said she should have known. Quit pissing and moaning, it’s a game show and Pat does a tremendous job! Back off people. Seriously, go have fun w ur child or friends. Stop wasting time on negativity. You can do it!!!
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G
Agree with article.
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G
Boo hoo. A game show making it hard to win $40,000.
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O
The bonus round is getting harder. I wouldn't think that wheel would stoop this low. Not good for your image
We love your show!
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P
Wheel is more expensive than it's sister show Jeopardy because Wheel let's the non winners keep what they win, whereas Jeopardy only gives the 2nd and 3rd place contestants $2K and $1k.
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B
Really, she only has herself to blame... she should have picked the "What are You Doing?" category.* (I mean, it was right there.) 😉
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P
I think it was a stupid question to ask
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G
I think your ALL STUPID for blaming Pat when the puzzle comes to an end you don't like! That's like saying ALEX took answers away because they failed to add a comma between N&S well guess what IT HAPPENED the HOST can't control what THE JUDGES say. 🤬
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*you're
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O
Some people don't understand puzzles. What if you were buying property in the middle of nowhere? There are some who would like that wide open field so they don't have to worry about trees and stuff.
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O
That doesn't make it a familiar phrase to most people.
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P
Even you didn't call it by the correct answer - wide EMPTY field. Thus proving the point that it was a bad puzzle.
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G
a WIDE EMPTY FIELD is often created when a farmer harvests his crops or trims the fields for the making of hay. So if your not brain dead you will see a WIDE EMPTY FIELD at least twice a year! You could also see a WIDE EMPTY FIELD when your NFL team loses the home game & is to embarrassed to come back out of the locker room. PLENTY of examples of WIDE OPEN FIELD
Need I go on?
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O
Wide open field, yes: wide empty field, no.
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O
Actually if you think about it there is really no such thing as a wide empty field. A field in never empty. Containers can be empty. Never fields!
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