‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Misses $74,000 as Fans Say They ‘Never Heard’ of Phrase
What To Know
- Wheel of Fortune contestant Liz St. Claire missed out on a $74,000 prize after failing to solve the Bonus Round puzzle, “Quick as a Wink,” a phrase many fans claimed they had never heard before.
- Throughout the episode, St. Claire, Arlicia Turner, and Paul Phillips each had notable wins, with St. Claire ultimately advancing to the Bonus Round after solving the final puzzle and accumulating $19,415.
- The obscure Bonus Round phrase sparked confusion and frustration among viewers, with several expressing online that the phrase was unfamiliar and questioning its use on the show.
A Wheel of Fortune contestant missed out on taking home $74,000 on a Bonus Round puzzle that fans had “never heard of.” The phrase had been used before on the game show, but not amongst fans.
Liz St. Claire, from Cathedral City, California, played against Arlicia Turner, from Suwannee, Georgia, and Paul Phillips, from Holiday, Florida, on November 25. St. Claire is a former mud wrestler, a job that put her through beauty school.
Turner, a University of Georgia sports fan, solved both toss-ups for $3,000. Phillips, a man who loves to cook with his wife, solved the first puzzle, a crossword in the category “Chocolate.” The puzzle was “Milk, Kisses, Bars, Balls.” He earned $1,000 for that guess.
Turner took the lead when she solved “Saying I Love You First.” She put $8,950 in her bank. She rode the Express Train during the prize puzzle and racked up $8,000 until she called a letter that wasn’t in the puzzle and went Bankrupt. St. Claire solved “Stunning Vineyards” and won a trip to Argentina. That gave her $8,415.
The three contestants each solved one of the Triple Toss-ups, putting an additional $2,000 in their banks. St. Claire solved the finale puzzle — “Hitting The Jackpot”— and jumped into first place. She had a total of $19,415.
Turned ended with $10,950. Phillips went home with $3,000. St. Claire advanced to the Bonus Round, where she picked “Phrase.”
St. Claire revealed that she was on American Bandstand when it first came out and brought two of her friends who were on it with her. She shared that when people do the “YMCA,” they do the “M” wrong. It is supposed to be at someone’s chest, not above their head. “And the ‘C’ always goes to the left,” she said.
“Thanks for the lesson,” host Ryan Seacrest said.
After being given “R, S, T, L, N, and E,” St. Claire chose “C, P, M, and A.” The puzzle then looked as follows: “_ _ _C_ AS A _ _N_.”
St. Claire couldn’t figure out “Quick as a Wink” and lost out on an additional $55,000. The phrase had been used in the early 2000s on the show.
Fans could not believe what the phrase was, as they had never heard of it before. “Never heard that phrase in my life,” a YouTube user said.
“In all honesty, who the hell says quick as a wink?” asked another.
“That was a forced loss. I have never heard of that phrase before,” added a third.
“I’ve never heard of the phrase Quick as a Wink,” said another.
Have you heard of the phrase before? Let us know in the comments.
Wheel of Fortune, Weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock
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L
It's common enough that many youtube videos use it in their titles. Just because someone that doesn't read a book has never heard of it, doesn't mean it's not real. These people gotta get off their high horse with their lame attempts to "smart shame" the writers of the puzzles. This is Wheel, not Jeopardy.
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S
The song, " The Five Pennies" dedicates an entire line to it.
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D
May not be used a lot but it is not obscure. There are even businesses that use it in their names. Quick as a wink cleaners or printing. It was fair.
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M
It's been around since early 1800s. Just because YOU never heard of it is irrelevant.
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S
Agree
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F
Quick as a wink, whatta ya think, Clancy lowered the boom!
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S
Yup
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O
It’s a well known phrase. I’m guessing that the people who had never heard the phrase were born after 1990.
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S
LOL..... Does that make us old????? I was born in 1945 (12/3/45) that combination only happens 2 x every century. on Dec 3, and Jan 23, both in 45.
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P
I can't believe someone thinks it's newsworthy when random people in the comments section aren't familiar with a common idiom.
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F
Yet here you are
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D
This isn't a news site. it's TV Insider.
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S
My favorite song, "The Five Pennies," the third penny - the "dancing penny" is "quick as a wink up on it's twinkling toes" - did I just show my age???
The entire line actually said, "This little penny is a dancing penny. See how it glitters and it glows. As light as a whistle, bright as a thistle, Quick, quick as a wink, up on it's twinkling toes."
So if anyone complains tell them to "YouTube" the song "5 pennies"
Saying, "He is quick as a wink, "was pretty common in the 40s and early 50's. Probably earlier than that.
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J
This company has heard of it:
https://share.google/3UQBQa06CjZLBDHQ3
And a book with it in the title:
And in the Webster dictionary, as I'm sure all the others too.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%28as%29%20quick%20as%20a%20wink
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K
I know the saying but I’m sure I wouldn’t have guessed it.
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S
Folks that live to shame and deny should get off their cell phones and get a life.
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D
I knew hit the moment I saw it - without the letters she called.
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D
I meant "I knew IT". The site wouldn't let me edit or delete it.
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S
Never.
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M
Misleading title... implies she missed out on entire $74,000....she didn't.
I have heard that phrase many times.
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S
Ditto!
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G
It should be “blink of an eye” I’ve heard that one before
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X
...or, "quick as a flash"
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L
winks are faster. They only require one eye to move.
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M
The diffrence between a "Wink and a "Blink can't be measured.
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M
BTW ..the time required to correct the proper spelling of "difference" can be measured
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S
When I was young we used quick as a wink a lot.. I'm coming up on 20 for the 4th time. hehehehe
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