“Wheel of Fortune,” one of the country’s most popular and longest-running game shows, found itself embroiled in controversy during a recent episode on October 17.
Dedicated fans of the show voiced their disagreement with host Pat Sajak’s ruling on a crossword puzzle answer.
The point of contention arose when a New Jersey contestant named Nadine was tasked with solving a crossword puzzle with “butter” as the clue. After Sajak reminded her of the guidelines, Nadine confidently provided her solution as, “Fly, Fingers, Bean, Nuts.” Observant fans noted that while the correct word should have been “nut” in its singular form, Nadine’s pluralized “nuts” was erroneously accepted by Sajak.
Social media was quick to pick up on the gaffe. One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, pointed out, “She said ‘nuts’, not ‘nut’. Even closed captioning picked up the ‘s’”, attaching a screenshot of the closed caption display for added proof.
However, this is not the first controversy for Sajak. Earlier in the year, there was a memorable interchange with contestant Ben Tucker during the bonus round. After unsuccessfully attempting to solve a puzzle in the Fun & Games category with guesses like “Taunt a chuck guy? Chance guy … no, there’s no C. Wacky guy. Taunt a wacky guy”, the correct answer was revealed as “Taking a quick jog.” Sajak’s lighthearted jab, “Wow, that was so unclose,” was met with Tucker’s cheeky retort about not associating jogging with fun and games. The moment, later shared on the game show’s official Instagram account with the caption “He has a point,” saw fans siding with Tucker, despite his initial error.
In the backdrop of these events, Sajak announced his retirement, concluding a 42-year tenure as the face of “Wheel of Fortune.” The legendary host began his journey in 1981, and a year later, he was joined by Vanna White, who has remained a consistent presence on the show. While fans will miss Sajak’s iconic presence, they can look forward to a fresh chapter with Ryan Seacrest, who has been announced as the new co-host. Meanwhile, Vanna White has extended her commitment, signing a contract to continue gracing the show until the 2025-26 season.
As the Wheel of Fortune turns, it brings with it both change and nostalgia. As fans bid farewell to Sajak and prepare to welcome Seacrest, debates like the “nuts vs. nut” controversy serve as reminders of the deep connection viewers have with the show.