‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Slam Show for ‘Robbing’ Contestant of $40K With ‘Shaky’ Puzzle
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Another Wheel of Fortune contestant picked the dreaded “Phrase” category on Wednesday’s (April 3) episode and, as has happened to so many others, lost out on a big money prize because of it.
Sherold Haynes from Richmond, Texas, came into the episode with a steely determination. As she told host Pat Sajak, she finished college last year, at the same time her two oldest daughters were in school. Haynes revealed how she and her daughters pushed and inspired each other.
Haynes showed that same go-getter attitude on Wheel, where she faced off against Aaron Kapanowski, a trampoline park worker from Shelby Township, Michigan, and Ebony Lawrence, a married mother of five from Lakeland, Florida.
By the end of the Express Round, Haynes led the way with $21,400 in cash and a trip to The Buccaneer in St. Croix. While Kapanowski and Lawrence made a valiant comeback in the later rounds, it wasn’t enough to overtake Haynes, who advanced to the Bonus Round.
Haynes selected “Phrase” as the category, and the additional letters “D, P, G, and I,” which left her with a three-word puzzle that read, “_ N / S _ _ _ _ / G R _ _ N D.”
Despite the “Phrase” category often tripping players up, this one looked solvable, and Haynes jumped in right away with “On Solid Ground.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite right.
“No, no, still time,” Sajak told a panicked Haynes.
Haynes struggled to come up with the correct answer (“On Shaky Ground”), guessing “On Sandy Ground” as the timer ran out.
“You know, when you’re sure you know what it is, it’s hard to switch gears after that,” Sajak said reassuringly. “That was a fine attempt.”
The reaction on social media was mixed, with some thinking Haynes was robbed.
“These made up sayings on Wheel of Fortune are getting old!! Who says On Shaky Ground? It’s exactly what she said On Solid Ground!!!” wrote one viewer on X (formerly Twitter).
“@WheelofFortunecheated tonight’s winner on the final board. The winning puzzle was “On Shaky Ground”. The appropriate spelling is “shakey”, which gives different letter spacing. They owe that lady money!” said another.
“I guessed A SOLID GROUND too and then I remembered there was no L in the puzzle,” said a YouTube commenter.
Another added, “I’m of the opinion that if you make it to the final round of WheelofFortune you never choose ‘Phrase’….that would be my strategy…”
What do you think? Was this a lousy puzzle? Or was Haynes just unlucky? Let us know in the comments below.
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