Fans are once again criticizing Wheel of Fortune following a controversial summer rerun episode in which contestant Todd Meyer lost out on a $56,000 prize. The episode, which originally aired on March 31 and was rebroadcast on June 16, featured Meyer alongside Latricia Randolph and Sheree Corder. Viewers took issue with what they perceived as an unclear rule and a misleading bonus puzzle, directing frustration at both the game’s format and host Ryan Seacrest.
Early in the episode, Sheree Corder of Tampa, Florida, got off to a strong start by solving two toss-up puzzles, “Expect the Unexpected” and “Model Airplane Kit,” earning $3,000 and later securing a Wild Card to bring her total to $6,600. However, tensions spiked during the first crossword puzzle round, where contestants had to give each of four answers exactly as shown on the board, all under the theme “Convene.”
Todd Meyer correctly identified all four answers—“Party Bus,” “Party Time,” “Party Animal,” and “Party Decorations”—but said the word “party” each time, instead of only stating the unique words, as the board required: “Bus, Time, Animal, Decorations.” Seacrest disqualified the answer for not following the precise rule, allowing Corder to step in and claim the round.
Viewers were outraged by the decision, accusing the show of not properly explaining the rule beforehand. Fans on Reddit slammed the inconsistency, pointing out that Seacrest sometimes reminds contestants of the rules but failed to do so in this case. Many felt the moment was unfairly handled and cost Meyer a legitimate win.
Meyer did bounce back by winning $10,000 in the Triple Toss-Up round, while Randolph earned a total of $12,190 and a trip to Ireland. Corder again took the lead, solving “Dancing in the Dark” and entering the Bonus Round with $16,600 and a Wild Card.
But the Bonus Round puzzle caused even more confusion. Under the “Phrase” category, Corder failed to solve “_ _ _ _ P IT _P,” with the correct solution being “Whoop It Up”—a phrase unfamiliar to many. Online comments poured in, criticizing the choice as outdated or obscure.
In the end, no contestant claimed the $40,000 bonus, and fans were left frustrated, calling the episode one of the show’s most contentious.
