‘Wheel of Fortune’ Blasted as Couple Misses $70,000 on ‘Unfair’ Puzzle
Wheel of Fortune celebrated five decades on the air on Monday night (January 6), but it wasn’t a celebratory evening for a pair of contestants who missed out on $70,000 in a harsh Bonus Round.
Monday’s episode saw three married couples spinning the iconic wheel, including Danielle Williams & Adam Bencan, newlyweds from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Lori & Robert Lamber, a married couple of 51 years from Laguna Niguel, California; and Jill & Mike Hampton, a married couple of 40 years from Rogers, Arizona.
While the Lambers led after the first two rounds, Williams and Bencan made a comeback in the Express Round, amassing $18,082 in cash and a trip to Aruba. They continued to dominate in the Triple Toss Up round and ended up winning the episode with $22,082.
Heading into the Bonus Round, the couple selected the “Person” category and the additional letters “U, M, D, and K.” This gave them a two-word puzzle that read: “_ U _ _ K / S T U D _.”
Williams and Bencan looked at each other confused as the ten second timer started. “Err, I don’t know, like, work study?” Williams guessed incorrectly.
After the timer ran out, Vanna White revealed the correct answer, “Quick Study.”
Host Ryan Seacrest then opened the prize envelope to reveal the newlyweds missed out on an extra $70,000.
While Williams and Bencan took the loss in good spirits, some Wheel fans felt the answer was unfair and took to social media to share their reactions.
““Quick study” is a person?????” wrote one X user.
“How the hell is quick study a person?” said another.
Another added, “A quick study is a person?? Never heard that term before today.”
“I was super confused too. Never heard of that,” added a user on the Wheel of Fortune Reddit forum.
“Me, my mom and my grandmother didn’t know what it meant. We had to Google it,” another replied.
Another wrote, “The category should have been “thing” not “person.”
Others, however, defended the answer, with one X user writing, “Here, I’ll use it in a sentence: “When it comes to enemy patterns in the arcade classic Galaga, I’m a QUICK STUDY.” See?”
“If you don’t know what it means then maybe you’ve never been called one,” quipped another.
““Quick Study” is a common phrase for a person who is smart or understands things quickly,” another added.
What did you think of last night’s Bonus Round puzzle? Did you get it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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R
I got immediately, guess people should read more books or something. There was nothing wrong with this puzzle.
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R
people stopped reading over 50 years ago, not entirely but it precipitously dropped to single digit statistics across the West. Consider that, we're now 1.5 generations after that drop in readership.
If one looks now at the 18-35 and 36-54 demographics there's far lower number of readers compared to previous generations.
Thank the Saturdays.
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P
I'm close to 70 and I have been reading since I was 4 years old. I continue to do so. Averaging about 6 book a months along with the couple of audiobooks. I always felt the younger generation was going be smarter than the one previously That is no longer seems to the case.
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G
Nicole does read books all the time. She is a book person. When you are at home it’s different. But you have a time clock ticking you can become nervous. And she does have several degrees.
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G
I got it right away! And since they chose U for their vowel, I thot they knew it, too. Was VERY surprised when they didn't solve it.
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Danielle, from the show here. I knew STUDY, but we didn't get QUICK. I work in higher education, so I was thinking of my work study students!
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P
I got it immediately! If these people actually watch WOF they would know ‘Person’ covers a wide range of answers. It’s a tough category so be prepared. A quick study IS a person.
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R
Danielle, from the show here. I totally agree! I watch Wheel all the time and knew it was a fair category. Just like "Drama Queen" or another word to describe a person!
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P
Exactly!
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O
I got it immediately. That puzzle was so easy.
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G
The reason why you got it immediately is, you're a Quick Study
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P
Anyone who’s been educated in this country and never heard the term “quick study” has been woefully underexposed to culture and language. Puzzles aren’t “unfair” simply because the lowest common denominator of audience members may have to use Google to be edified on fairly common expressions.
22 3
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P
My husband got it right away, before me who usually gets it first.
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C
I heard that every time I interviewed job applicants for engineering positions - “ I am a quick study” and will be an immediate asset to your organization.
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B
I got it right away.
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O
I also got the puzzle right away.
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O
I thought it was an easy puzzle to solve. A quick study is definitely a person.
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O
I got it. It's a matter of eliminating possible combinations.
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P
I got it right away and was screaming at screen thinking how easy🤔
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R
I solved it before they chose.
their letters and a quick study is a person.
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B
I got it immediately. Easy peasy.
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G
I got it right off the bat. I must be a "Quick Study".
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O
I thought it was.one of.the easiest finals.ever. I was yelling the answer at my tv!
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O
If you look up the definition of quick study, you will see that it's a person.
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R
Didn't see the show but guessed the answer immediately. And a person can be known to be a 'quick study'
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B
Easy puzzle! I can't believe these cry babies haven't heard of an individual being called a "Quick Study".
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C
I knew the answer. It wasn't that hard.
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O
Knew exactly what it meant and it IS A PERSON!
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G
This puzzle was so easy to solve!
Obviously, there are not many “quick study” people out there anymore!
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R
It should have read, A quick Study
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O
A quick study is definitely a person. And the puzzle wasn't even all that hard. Like a 4 second one.
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O
I got it right away. That definitely is a person. It's a pretty common way to describe someone. What I've never heard of was the before and after puzzle, Flash in the pan pizza??? I've never heard of flash in the pan?!
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S
Really, never heard of a flash in the pan? It's like a one hit wonder. Boom! Here it is! Poof, there it goes.
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G
I knew it right away. It seemed easy to me, even before they picked their letters.
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G
Well, a quick study would show that person is a quick study.
Totally appropriate.
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B
Why does this bother so many people. It is a game. Geez just enjoy the show. Quit over analyzing the show.
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O
I didn't get it however I do know the phrase. Just because you don't know it doesn't mean it's unfair. It's called learning.
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R
I agree BIkerD... Although it didn't come to me right way, I certainly have heard the phrase. It's not an unfair phrase just because I didn't get it right away. I solve final Jeopardy just as fast as most contestants... but not this time. It's not unfair just because I didn't get it right away.
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C
Not a very common phrase, but not unheard of ,either.. I got it right away, so did my daughter
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G
This is a person. People need to study more if they did not know that.
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O
The answer was pretty straight forward, and for people to complain that they hadn't heard the term doesn't mean it wasn't valid. The "Person" category is quite often nebulous - something like 'left handed carpenter' or 'crazy cat lady' -not real examples, but to get the general tenor of the category. It was unfortunate that the champions didn't get it, but that is the nature of the game.
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R
Wheel of fortune caters to blacks in this game show.should not have blacks every night.one black woman illegally won there were no clues up and said she wants to solve the puzzle give us a break ryan let her know before the show.that cheating black should have all she won taken from her and disqualifiedo
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C
It was fair. (Admittedly, figured it out.)
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R
I got it immediately ; but then, I’m a “Quick Study!!!!
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O
‘Parentaly the Appalachians don’t read or get out much. By all means, a person, and that couple were smart enough to get it. They just didn’t have enough letters to get it.
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G
Quick Study is definitely a person. Someone who is smart and catches onto subject matter quickly.
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J
I understood the puzzle. My husband was yelling the answer at the tv. I won't judge the contestants because I don't know what it's like to stand there and be under pressure. It is unfortunate they missed the answer but I would be tickled pink with the money they won. It is a game after all.
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G
It's deceptive to put it mildly and a cheap trick question to be completely honest. So many ppl acting like they got it immediately and insulting ppl that didn't are mostly liars trying to look superior.
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B
I read 50+ books a year. I’ve never heard this term before.
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O
So, uneducated people are angry. Got it.....
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P
I think the term quick study is an adjective describing a person, not a noun. I have heard it before
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B
Regardless of what the category was the answer was definitely plain and simple however everyone does not comprehend things the same way...
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S
I think it's disappointing how many haters are judging the game play. It's a word puzzle. Just because you've never known, been called, or been one a QUICK STUDY is someone who picks up what they need to learn, quickly. Like at a new job.
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C
Some people are just further educated than others and that's perfectly OK cuz we're all different, we're all from different places and we all grew up different. So, Quick Study is a real thing. Some knew it Some didn't.
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O
Yes quick study is correctly under the person category
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R
I got it right away, but I understand how it threw people off. Maybe it should have been in the phrase category.
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P
The comments attached to the article show just how bad education in America has gotten. A "Quick Study" has ALWAYS been how a person is described...but, and people aren't going to like this, the viewership of Wheel hasn't ever been what anyone would consider the "Cream of the crop" let's be honest.
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R
I got it quickly...because I (a person) am a quick study! LOL! Couldn't have been work study, as work has no U. Also, who is a quick study if not a person?
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R
Quick Study is someone who learns fast.
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R
I got it immediately. I don't know what the peoblem is. They should have at least guessed it with the letters that were showing.
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O
I guessed this right away. Perhaps some people have not heard about a person like this or referenced. Have they not heard something such as: He only had 24 hours to prepare for the exam. Fortunately he was a quick study and aced the exam.
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G
I DISAGREE !! That PARTICULAR couple was very intelligent If they were not they would have not been on Wheel of Fortune . It appears Wheel of Fortune knew this as well. Your husband was not on the show lady!! . Apparently they CAN read how do you think THEY made it to the bonus round.
Unfortunately moving forward I will No longer WATCH nor SUPPORT such Prejudicial disgusting behavior.
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O
I was also confused cause I know Quick Study’ isn’t a person.
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P
I figured it out pretty quick, no pun intended! And understood that it refers to a person!
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G
I'm sorry but I think it should of been used as a phrase 😕.
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C
Said the same thing not a person even though you can put it in a z sentence as one
Not fair !
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G
I knew it right away.
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C
Person..........
. Should be a proper name
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O
I got it immediately and have used this term often in the music biz.
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G
Easiest one I've seen in a while.. c'mon now
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G
Easy puzzle,me and my wife solved it in about two seconds
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O
Quick Study is a trait not a person. Bad puzzle question WOF can do better by its contestants especially for bonus round.
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G
With the letters they had it was super easy!
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B
Three out of four adults in our tv room got it quickly. Quick studies?
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O
It was tough. I have seen the word study used when an actor cannot play their part and there is a study who will replace them. I don't believe it is a common word used in that respect now.
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B
That would be an understudy.
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O
The category "Person" is very risky because it's so vague. I wouldn't choose that category.
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R
Quick study is an attribute of someone not a person
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G
I guessed it immediately. Unbelievable that people whine so much. Its a game....not everyone wins
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G
Got it immediately
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G
I guessed it right away. My wife didn't and said "Quick study is a person?!". So I get why some are complaining.
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O
Once they got the u it should have been easy. Thinking the first word could be work, they didn't deserve to win
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R
Danielle, from the show here. Based on my experience as an educator, I knew it wasn't work study, but tried to talk it out in hopes I'd get there.
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C
Sounds like the couple were not quick studies.
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G
I loved Wheel of Fortune. But stopped watching it because I have never liked Ryan Secrest and refuse to watch anything he is on. With that fake smile, he wormed his way into Casey Kasem and Dick Clark's lives. The worst thing he has has done is put that Katditrashy/Jenner family on TV. Of course my opinion.
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P
I think Ryan Seacrest is doing a good job. Dick Clark was wonderful for New Year’s Eve but he died, he can no longer host!
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G
You are missing out. Ryan is doing a great job
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P
It definitely was NOT a “person”. This one’s on WOF!
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O
Why am I not a person if I am a quick study? You obviously don't know the meaning.
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O
Look up the definition and you will see that it's a person.
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