On the March 25 episode of Wheel of Fortune, a contestant shocked viewers by solving the puzzle with only a single letter revealed on the board— a feat that is both exceptionally rare and truly remarkable within the context of the show.
With just one "S" on the board and the category being "On the Map," contestant Tom Stednicki was able to solve the puzzle, which was: Glacier Bay Alaska.
"How'd you do that?" host Pat Sajak asked in astonishment. "I looked a lot at maps before this game," Tom responded. Still surprised, Pat replied, "Oh, did you? That's exactly what I would have said. I would have said it like eight letters down the road."
Since its inception in 1975, Wheel of Fortune has entertained audiences, and moments where a puzzle is unveiled with just one letter are exceedingly rare, occurring only a handful of times.
This wasn't the sole highlight of Tom's stellar performance. As he spun the wheel to determine the value of each letter for all players involved, he hit the jackpot, landing on a whopping $5,000.
As Tom advanced to the bonus round, his total winnings stood at $33,048. Opting for the "Phrase" category, he confidently chose the letters I, M, G, and B. Pat jokingly remarked, "You know, for a really good solver, you sound perpetually confused," Pat said.
He continued: "If anyone can pull this out, maybe it's him." But, unfortunately, Tom's guess was incorrect and he did not win the additional $50,000 up for grabs.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
