‘Wheel of Fortune’: Teacher Wins Car After Stunning Puzzle Solve in Record Time
She was very witty. A Wheel of Fortune contestant solved a tough puzzle before the timer started to count down. This resulted in her winning a Ford Bronco.
Julie Allen, from Spokane, Washington, played against Thomas Young, from Detroit, Michigan, and Nikki Lopez, from Melbourne, Florida, on Tuesday, April 16. Allen is a third-grade teacher at Meadow Ridge Elementary School, who watched WOF every night and said it got her through her maternity leave.
Young, the first of his family to be on any game show of any kind, solved the first two toss-ups, putting $2,000 in his bank. However, his luck ran out when he landed on Bankrupt during the first puzzle after solving two letters. Despite his misfortune, the turn eventually moved back to him, and he solved the puzzle for $8,600.
Allen solved the second puzzle in the category “Before and After.” It was “Chilli Dog Whisperer,” which gave her $4,700.
For the prize puzzle, both Young and Allen landed on Bankrupt, so it was finally Lopez’s, a woman who is single as a pringle and does landscaping for fish, turn to earn some cash. She solved most of the puzzle before landing on Bankrupt as well. Young landed on Lose a Turn, so it moved to Allen, who solved “Lions, Leopards, and Hippos.” She won an African safari, which brought her total to $17,890, and put her in the lead.
Allen solved two of three Triple Toss-Ups, putting $4,000 in her bank. Young solved one, adding $2,000. Allen solved the final puzzle — “I Appreciate You” — putting $1,700 in her bank. She won the game with $23,590. Lopez went home with $1,000. Young left with $10,600.
For the Bonus Round, Allen brought her friend, Amy, with her, since her husband was home watching their one-year-old daughter. She chose “What are you doing?” for the category and landed on the “&” on the wheel.
After Wheel gave her “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” Allen chose “G,D,H, and I.” Her puzzle then looked like “_EING _ _ ITE _ITT_.” Before host Ryan Seacrest could tell her she had 10 seconds to solve it, she said, “Being Quite Witty,” which was correct. The timer had barely ticked down one second.
“You got it!” Seacrest said with a smile and then showed her the envelope with the word “Ford” in it. Allen threw her hands on her head and hugged the host. She then hugged her best friend, and they jumped up and down together before walking over to the car. The car was worth $43,760. This gave her a grand total of $67,350.
“CAR WINNER?! LET’S GO!!! Good job, Julie!” a YouTube user commented.
“I couldn’t believe she got it. I had ‘being’,” said another.
“I wouldn’t have gotten that,” said another.
In an after-show interview with social correspondent Maggie Sajak, Allen said that being a teacher helped her solve the puzzle because she deals a lot with letter patterns.
View this post on Instagram
She also said she can’t wait to show her son, Ollie, her episode of Wheel when he is older and how she did it for him.
Wheel of Fortune, Weeknights, Check local listings
Spin That Wheel
Get absolutely everything about Wheel of Fortune in your inbox!
Conversation33 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
R
I can solve most of the puzzles quite easily at home.
I'm sure I'd freeze on camera.
40 2
-
G
Be my guest.....
-
C
Me 2
-
-
R
I was so surprised that she nailed it IMMEDIATELY!! Took me a few seconds to figure it out. But I’m happy she got it and won the prize. Congratulations Julie!! ☺️
22 1
-
R
Good grief can’t we just be happy for this young lady? Some folks need to look on the bright side, just sayin.
25 4
-
P
Don't be a Debbie Downer.
25 4
-
G
I am so happy for her.
20
-
S
Awesome way to go. New car sweet!!
8 2
-
O
I think the vowel is the most important letter you pick in the bonus round. She picked the right one. I always say I'd pick an O. Almost nobody picks Q,W, or Y so she solved a very tricky one.
3
-
C
I’m useless at these puzzles
2
-
G
Haha me too! The last word could've been "kitty" etc...i never get it. Or like 85% of them. Lol.
-
-
B
We are SO SO proud of Mrs. Allen! We're very lucky to have her at Meadow Ridge!
-
C
Stevie Wonder would of gotten that too...lol jk Great job!
-
C
Does anyone edit these stories? Embarrassing.
-
C
Whos paying the taxes on that ford?
-
G
Absolutely amazing Amy
-
O
I solved that before one letter was turned..I rule
1 1
-
B
I stopped watching because the puzzles are so stupid like they don’t want anyone to win
-
F
I have tried for years to get on this show. Never got any email or call back response. Not sure what degree you have to have to make the cut, but I'm certain even a monkey can spin a wheel and choose letters from the alphabet. Just saying!! Congrats to this lady, though!
3 3
-
O
Need to go to a place that teaches you how to be picked for game shows. If you wait by the phone you'll never get called. These contestants have learned how to be a standout for interviews. It is not random.
-
-
O
I heard someone whispered the answer, it's probably Ryan...
2
-
G
I got it too.
4 6
-
R
That one was easy. Being was obvious connecting the y at the end w was the only thing that made sense to me and quite just popped out.
5 19
-
P
You are full of _hit!
2 2
-
O
Right? "Being White Kitty" just doesn't make sense 🤣 Some people are just better at recognizing phrases than others.
1
-
-
G
Get excited after you come up with the money for the taxes on the prize. Great if you were about to buy the new Ford, but otherwise, you're not left with much of value, plus it's all valued at the top of the possible cost.
16 36
-
R
You clearly can’t do math.
3
-
C
Sell pay off and get the difference.
-
-
O
What a dick
2
-
P
Gift taxes are paid by Wheel of Fortune game show and .ost game shows now do that.
19 3
-
P
Most shows do this
3 1
-
R
Wow what a hater? Can you just congratulate her!!! without the extra details.
5 1
-
G
The contestant pays the taxes for their winnings, not the show. Usually, a portion of the winnings is withheld for tax purposes. The contestant gets whatever is left, like the lottery. If they choose to keep the car instead of cashing out the MSRP amount, they are responsible for the vehicle taxes. Even the trips/vacations are considered taxable income! The shows NEVER pay taxes for winnings.
-
-