‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans divided over Ryan Seacrest’s decision on odd puzzle guess

Ryan Seacrest ruffled a few feathers after a controversial puzzle guess ruling.

This week, one “Wheel of Fortune” player missed out on the first puzzle of the episode and a $1,000 prize after incorrectly pronouncing her puzzle guess.

The two-word puzzle read: “A F _ I _ _ N _ A _ A _ _.” The player, Arzice of Medina, Ohio, correctly guessed “African Safari” but mispronounced the second word as “sa-fair-ee,” making the answer incorrect. Another player, Brian, picked up the prize instead.

“Safari is the way you have to say that,” Seacrest said, with Arzice appearing to realize the error. “Just wanted to check with our judges to make sure.”

Social media chatter was mixed, with some users baffled at the mispronunciation while others came to the player’s defense.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

“C’mon, Wheel of Fortune judges. I knew what she meant when she said African ‘Safari’ that way,” one person wrote on X.

“Wheel of Fortune you suck! The woman said African Safari and was correct but used a southern twang! That was rotten!” another person wrote.

Ryan Seacrest fallsafter ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant topples him with win excitement

‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestantmakes viral mistake: ‘Treat yourself a round of sausage’

“Her guess had almost all the same letters as the correct solution!” one person said. “Unfortunately, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades — and #wheeloffortune is not horseshoes and hand grenades.”

“(African Safairee) Isn’t A Word In Dictionary Or Wikipedia,” another person chimed in. “If The Contestant Was Allowed To Win $1,000 That Would Cheat The Other Contestants!”

‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Makes Viral Mistake: ‘Treat Yourself a Round of Sausage’

Ryan Seacrest found himself at the center of controversy after a contestant’s unusual mispronunciation cost her a prize on a recent episode of Wheel of Fortune.

During the episode, contestant Arzice from Medina, Ohio, had a chance to solve the first puzzle of the game, which was a two-word phrase: “A F _ I _ _ N _ A _ A _ _”. With confidence, she answered “African Safari”—but her pronunciation led to immediate confusion.

Instead of the standard pronunciation, Arzice said “sa-fair-ee,” which the judges deemed incorrect. As a result, her turn ended, and fellow contestant Brian seized the opportunity, correctly enunciating “African Safari” and securing the $1,000 prize.

Host Ryan Seacrest, who recently took over from longtime host Pat Sajak, confirmed the ruling.

“Safari is the way you have to say that,” Seacrest explained, turning to the judges for final confirmation. Arzice appeared to realize her mistake but could only nod in disappointment as the game continued.

Fans Are Divided on Social Media

Following the episode, Wheel of Fortune fans took to social media to express their thoughts, and opinions were sharply divided. Some viewers found the ruling fair, while others were upset that the show didn’t give Arzice the benefit of the doubt.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “C’mon, Wheel of Fortune judges. I knew what she meant when she said ‘African Safari’ that way.”

Another fan criticized the decision, adding, “Wheel of Fortune, you suck! The woman said ‘African Safari’ but just had a Southern twang. That was rotten!”

However, not everyone agreed that she should have been given the prize. One viewer argued, “Her guess had almost all the same letters as the correct solution! But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades—and Wheel of Fortune is not horseshoes and hand grenades.”

Another person defended the show’s ruling, pointing out that, “(African Safairee) isn’t a word in the dictionary or Wikipedia. If the contestant was allowed to win $1,000, that would cheat the other contestants!”

A Long History of Controversial Calls

This isn’t the first time Wheel of Fortune has stirred debate over pronunciation rules. Over the years, several contestants have lost out on prizes due to minor mispronunciations. The show’s strict adherence to pronunciation guidelines has caused frustration among players and fans alike.

Despite the controversy, the game moved forward, and Arzice continued competing, though the missed opportunity loomed over her performance. While this incident won’t go down as one of the show’s most shocking moments, it certainly added to the long-running debate about Wheel of Fortune’s sometimes unforgiving rules.

Ryan Seacrest’s Stumble Adds to the Drama

In an unrelated yet equally viral moment, Seacrest took an unexpected fall during the same episode. When one of the contestants excitedly celebrated a big win, they accidentally knocked the host off balance, sending him briefly to the floor.

Seacrest laughed off the moment, recovering quickly and joking with the contestants. “I knew this gig could be dangerous!” he quipped, keeping the mood light despite the misstep.

While fans continue to argue about pronunciation rulings, Seacrest’s tumble provided a brief comedic break from the heated debate. Whether or not the j