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Wheel of Fortune is a long standing TV game show known for having letter puzzles and a iconic spin wheel. Recently both a highly impressive player named Geoffrey and the shows structure with an NFL game have created an unique viewing experience.
Geoffrey Smith a contestant from Saint Cloud, Florida has gained much attention due to his incredible skill solving puzzles on Wheel of Fortune. He walked away with a large sum of $66,000 dollars after competing in various different rounds. Fans had noted he gave off a level of skill rarely seen with the viewers before.
Smith was quickly able to control the show by winning round 1, the mystery round the triple toss up and the final round as well making his performance something that viewers noticed very rapidly. He went into the final round with $26000 showing skill in addition to speed. This prompted Ryan Seacrest to also believe the final phrase might be hard to solve because it is often considered the most challenging.
Geoffrey had chosen the Phrase category, for his final round and picked four letters C,F, M and I with his answer being "Just Blurt It Out." Seacrest noted he seemed as if he already knew what the answer was and did not need further explanation. Adding this type of engagement from both a puzzle solving viewer with someone who was in tune with a shows personality made him stand out.
Viewers took to different media platforms showing their excitement at this unique player. YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) were flooded with posts where he was referred to as the best contestant in the game and called him legendary, all while displaying great humbleness and quick wit.
Viewers were able to find out that Geoffrey had grown up watching "Wheel of Fortune" on a small black and white TV as a child in Jamaica which made seeing Vanna White “in living color” was exciting. Smith showcased a combination of nostalgia and excitement about his experience on the game show. This connection he built gave viewers someone to also celebrate as a fan.
Viewers recognized Geoffrey as a fan favorite also by showing humble gratitude and having a playful personality which was combined with a sharp sense for puzzle solving. Fans also agreed that it was fun to watch this combination of personality and skills that were highlighted on his episode. This created someone they wanted to see more of.
Another recent winning story involved Jason Miner a former teacher from Indiana who had applied for "Wheel of Fortune" in Fall of 2023. His skills gave him a final cash prize of 78000 dollars and a new Mercedes Benz as he solved puzzles at a show taped earlier for his airing time. This makes more interesting elements of each contestant’s individual background.
He attended the show filming after being selected through a series of Zoom interviews. This all started when he had forgotten about his previous application which shows also how opportunities can pop up in surprising ways. He described Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest as down to earth individuals that did not display elevated egos during his taping.
Miner discussed how having luck along with some prior study to solve puzzles had aided his abilities. However that skill does not account for everything that goes on behind the screen where a lot of unique factors must all align to win in an environment such as Wheel of Fortune. His key moments involved his final puzzle solve where he announced the answer as "So Much In Common." This showcases how the show promotes a large skill set of strategy as well.
Many viewers did miss Geoffrey Smith's episode, which shows how broadcasted schedules impact views. In particular his episodes were impacted due to NFL playoffs pre-emptions.
Multiple local channels aired NFL games which cut out regularly scheduled broadcastings of wheel. The difference in where Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune are shown is a constant battle with differing local network programming impacting when and where all viewers are able to watch.
Since the shows new host, Ryan Seacrest joined, there was initially mixed reaction with viewers however after he joined they showed ratings increases with an average of nearly 8 million viewers. Some were at first resistant but have seemed to have become comfortable with the host change making for more opportunity in that areas development with Ryan's unique approach to hosting.
A change to the show had occurred because of recent wildfires in California. The shows production location had become difficult for scheduling due to concern for the people working to put together the shows on a regular basis.
Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune both canceled filming as an abundance of caution and safety for cast, crew, and viewers. All scheduled show dates have also been put on hold due to this current safety concern for everyone during this time in Los Angeles.