‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Go Nuts Over Ryan Seacrest’s First ‘Unfair’ Bonus Puzzle (VIDEO)
Wheel of Fortune’s new era with host Ryan Seacrest is now in full spin, and it didn’t take long for a bonus puzzle to air that fans felt wasn’t the cream of the crop.
Derrick Balfour from Frederick, Maryland emerged victorious on Tuesday, October 1’s episode during the week-long BetMGM Big Winners Tournament. With $13,200 in cash and a prize trip to Las Vegas, he went to the bonus round, choosing the category “Food and Drink.”
Joining Seacrest center stage, Derrick was shown the two-word puzzle and he chose “M, D, K, A” as his additional letters (a deviation from the more common “C, D, M, A”). Only a “K” and “A” were added by the iconic Vanna White, who stunned in a bright pink gown. The puzzle read as “‘_AS_E_ ‘ ‘_ _ LK.’
Instantly, Derrick knew it was “Something ‘milk'” but couldn’t get much further than that, rattling off “Cheese milk,” “Geese milk” and other variants. The 10-second timer ran out, and Derrick was unable to solve it. Seacrest quipped, “Some of the great milks for protein, those milks.
“But no,” he clarified: “It’s ‘Cashew Milk.'”
Derrick missed out on an additional $40,000 Seacrest assured he was “close” and reminded him he could return on Friday’s finale episode given the format of the tournament.
However, fans took to social media to cry over spilled milk, branding the puzzle as way too obscure (compared to, say, “Almond Milk”) on X and in the comments section of the WoF clip on YouTube.
“Wheel of Fortune is gonna do their best to make sure you don’t solve that last puzzle,” one X user wrote during airtime.
“Who the hell is gonna think cashew, let alone call out a W I’m upset,” wrote another.
“Who THE F*** is drinking CASHEW MILK?” echoed a third.
“This puzzle?? It stinks. I never drink that milk. This was why I got stumped a bit. thought it was…. yolk? something. jeez c’mon man,” one YouTuber wrote.
“I’ve heard of almond milk but not cashew milk. If he would’ve called a “C” he would’ve got it,” wrote another.
“The puzzles are SUPER STUPID now especially the final ones. Is Maggie Sajak making them up in her head,” roared a third, calling out poor Maggie Sajak (Pat Sajak’s daughter is the WoF social media correspondent, has no say in puzzles).
Meanwhile, fans are warming up to Seacrest as WoF’s new frontman after seeing Sajak nightly for four decades. He’s held ratings steady; raking in the strongest week in five years for the Season 42 debut. But apparently, some things never change.
During Sajak’s tenure, especially towards the end, WoF was rife with bonus puzzles that fans disliked. There was the similarly dubious “Foamy milk” during Season 40, and infamously, the puzzle “Taking a Quick Jog.”
In that case, the contestant who missed it went viral by challenging Pat since the puzzle was categorized as “Fun and Games.” “Well, see, I don’t consider jogging fun and games,” he told the former host to his face
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G
As far as I'm concerned, milk comes from mammals. Anything made from something that grows out of the ground, is NOT milk.
22 1
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G
The dairy industry actually has a lawsuit to stop the nut producers from using the term milk.
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G
It doesn't really matter what you think, it's the name of a food product.
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O
The dumbing down continues. "I don't know the answer, therefore the puzzle is unfair".
23 2
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O
I think that there are many people who have never heard of almond milk, oat milk, etc. not really milk anyway
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G
I don't drink any milk of any kind but have heard of all of them including cashew. Have a friend who makes her own cashew milk & flour. Whatever floats your boat!
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G
Certainly there is a dumbing down across the world, but the contest writers should be smart enough to avoid ambiguous clues.
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P
Yep. It's the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality/generation.
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P
People have way too much time on their hands these days. Who cares? It's a game and they can put anything they want up there...
11 1
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O
He chose "M, D, K, A"
No, he didn't.
Who wrote this article? You have ONE job and you can't get it right.
11 2
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B
Your story is wrong, you say he chose M, but the resulting puzzle doesn't have the M present. I'm guessing he chose the K instead of the C since C is also not marked on the resulting puzzle.
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O
I think people need to get a life!
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B
For a long time the puzzles have sometimes made No sense to me.
6 2
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B
I got cashew milk after I knew the category was food & drink. Whiny people gotta whine...
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P
I agree that was a stupid puzzle cashew milk are you kidding me what a joke and almond milks a joke too
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O
By using letters that weren't called to fill in the blanks, the first letter was "C". Once you get that, the rest is easy.
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G
I got that answer right away. And I never drink that milk so that's not an excuse. If you've ever gone to Starbucks or anywhere that has coffee cashew milk is part of the menu. I prefer milk from a cow but it was pretty obvious. Can't believe this made the news feed, LOL
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B
I knew the answer right away. It's just a bunch of idiots who have their eyes glued to TikTok that are the problem. The one guy never even hearing of cashew milk? Has he never set foot inside a store for the past 10 years?
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C
Doesn't Seacrest make his own almond milk? Is he making up the lame puzzles?
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R
I think if you're going to have someone write an article about clip from a TV show that should probably watch the video and put the correct information in their articles
He did not pick M D K A He picked D B K A
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G
Oh lord, the geezers who watch WOF are outraged that they dare use something they've never heard of
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B
Used the last of my almond milk in my coffee this morning. Have a big bag of cashews in my pantry. I think I’ll go pulverize those in my blender so I’ll have some “milk” for my coffee tomorrow. Great idea Wheel of Fortune!
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G
I've been to a grocery store in the last 10-15 years so of course I know what Cashew Milk is. It's in nearly every grocery store. Never had it, but the amount of people who have never heard of it makes me thinks they're either elderly or not American.
Who gives a damn if it's not real "milk", it's the name of an actual, not-obscure, alternative milk product.
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O
You people will b1tch about anything. He didn’t get the bonus puzzle, not the end of the world. And btw, there is such thing as cashew milk. All you complainers are just too dumb to open your mind. Get over it.
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O
I knew the answer right away. Chocolate Cashew milk is delicious.
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P
First thing that came to my mind was cashew milk. Within five seconds. Damn, should have been me
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O
On a date I can't remember, the puzzle was "person". The answer was "Dolly Partin", but they misspelled her last name, it should have been spelled
"Parton"
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O
I got the right answer right away. It wasn't hard for people like me who can't drink cows milk,lol
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P
Interesting, I don't see my first reply!!!!!!! Look like control to me!!!!!!!
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P
Also, whiny soy boys and girls, one can use the process of elimination besides in the Scientific Method!!!!!! My hypothesis: they are not using either!!!!!!!!! Which, this is Exactly how the likes of Elitist want you!!!!!!!!! There is a song by Metallica that is ringing in my head since I read this so-called article: ___ ___ ___ but T__ u___!!!!!!!!! Can the sobbers guess this puzzle??!! Come on now , Soyboys!!!!!!!! H__ v__ a D__ in__ o__ M__: AC/DC!!!!!!!!
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A
I got it. Easy
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R
I did as well.
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