Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 39

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A timeline for Season 39 of Wheel of Fortune, which aired in first-run from September 13, 2021 through June 10, 2022.

Season Changes[]

Due to COVID-19 restrictions still in Los Angeles, various changes from Season 38 carry over to this season including:
- There is no studio audience other than the other contestants of that taping day.
- Contestant auditions are still held exclusively online.
- Contestants still use the White Things to spin.
- Contestants still place cardboard in a bag behind them if they hit Bankrupt while holding any.
- Contestants are still not allowed to bring guests.
The show is once again open to contestants outside of Los Angeles and surrounding areas, but only on a limited basis. Except where noted, each episode features no more than one contestant from outside such regions.
New set pieces based on the Celebrity Wheel of Fortune set are constructed, albeit not colored gold. These include thicker arches behind the puzzle board and a larger version of the circular LED logo behind the contestant area (now multicolor), the latter of which replaces the video wall permanently.
Except where noted, the name tags permanently use the font Helvetica Neue Black Condensed, first used sporadically on Season 1 of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and some late Season 38 episodes.
The shots of the board are now zoomed in further, cropping the far left and right monitors on the middle two rows on 4:3 screens.
The opening features a new animation sequence with a tunnel of bronze blocks featuring wedge amounts, both the round and two-row variants of the show's logo, and various pictures of Pat, Vanna, and Jim. Except for the first two weeks, a different rotations of pictures is used each day. Some theme weeks use pictures specific to that theme.
For this season only, Jim now has a podium, allowing him to be seen on-camera as he introduces Pat and Vanna. At all other points in the show, he is seen in the booth.
"Changing Keys" returns as the theme tune for the first time since Season 17, this time using a re-arrangement of the 1983-94 melody on a synthesized orchestra, similar in style to the marching band version used on College Weeks in the late 1990s. This arrangement is done by Bleeding Fingers Music, who also did the Celebrity Wheel of Fortune music, although they are not credited until February 2022.
- The Toss-Up, Speed-Up, puzzle-solve, and Bonus Round cues are all changed. The puzzle-solve cues are now short portions of "Changing Keys".
- Instead of generic music cues, portions of the new theme are used going into commercial breaks.
- The only music cues not changed are the Express and Final Spin ones, which carry over from the 2017 music package. At least one of the music cues that plays during SPIN ID drawings following Mystery $10,000 wins also carries over.
The category strips are redesigned for the first time in 13 years: they are now a 3D rounded rectangular prism tilted upwards, and are an embossed purple-to-blue gradient which "ripples" (similar to the previous pattern without the green cycle), and the font is changed to Helvetica.
Free Play is retired and replaced with a yellow $850, marking that value's first appearance in gameplay since 1979.
There is now an overhead shot of the entire Wheel at the start of the Mystery Round, and the Mystery Wedges glow white as Pat acknowledges them.
SPIN IDs following $10,000 Mystery Wedge wins are now displayed in Arial instead of Contax Sans. The latter font is still used for Secret Santa drawings.
Solving all three of the Triple Toss-Ups now awards a $4,000 bonus, augmenting winnings of that round to $10,000.
The "popup" score displays now appear when the Round 3 and 4 puzzles are revealed, and for the first two shots of the puzzle board in Round 3. Their designs are changed again to neon rectangular outlines corresponding to the podium colors, on a dark purple background.
On Express runs, the border of the contestant window is now always cyan, rather than the podium color.
Pat no longer does the Final Spin. Instead, the contestant who is in control at the time the Speed-Up bells ring now does the Final Spin, and the value is determined by their own arrow. Pat states that this change was made because he felt that doing the Final Spin himself allowed him too much influence over the game.
On early episodes of this season (first 29 episodes by taping order), Mike Richards still serves as executive producer, with these episodes taping prior to his termination on August 31. Although some sources report that Michael Davies takes over as producer of both shows, he assumes this role solely on Jeopardy!, and senior producer Steve Schwartz serves as an uncredited interim producer for the remainder of the season.
Presumably due to Mike Richards leaving on bad terms, the running gag of him being credited as "Mike 'Confetti' Richards" on episodes with $100,000+ wins is dropped. Of the six such wins from Season 38, three were not included in summer reruns, and only one of these ends up appearing in weekend reruns, with the gag credit reverted to simply "Mike Richards".
According to a contestant who taped early in the season with Richards still producing, the confetti would no longer be fired on $100,000 wins, only $1,000,000 wins (as is the case on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune). This change is reverted after Richards' firing, and ends up being moot, as the first such win does not happen until January.
Pat's daughter, Maggie Sajak, is now a social media correspondent.
Occasionally, an overhead shot will not be used during a spin; this is done frequently enough that it is presumed to be a deliberate choice.
The Retro Bonus Round is retired.
The contestants and audience no longer applaud the announcement that Round 3 is a Prize Puzzle.
With only two exceptions, any episodes that originally featured T-Mobile plugs (i.e., most Tuesday episodes) are now excluded from the weekend rerun rotation.
Early in the season, on ABC affiliates only, Thursday and Friday episodes (plus other days where noted) feature a promo for Season 2 of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune after Round 1, replacing various show-related plugs seen on other affiliates' airings.
On several early episodes this season, the closed captioning uses guesswork for the spelling of contestants' surnames, resulting in many of them being misspelled or misinterpreted.
Early promos for this season tease the show's "first ever tournament" (which would not have been the case). This was likely proposed by Mike Richards (as Pat has frequently reiterated the show's refusal to hold a tournament), and the idea is scrapped sometime after his firing. Early documentation listing most scheduled theme weeks implied that it would have been held the week of May 16 and/or 23.
This season sets a new record for the most top prize wins, with seven instances of the $100,000 being won.
2022 is the calendar year in the show's history with record for the most top prize wins, with also seven instances of the $100,000 being won.
Theme weeks become less prevalent. In relation, the $1,000 Toss-Up is not always themed to the week; this becomes most noticeable during America's Game weeks.
Same Letter now appears only in Round 1 from this point onward.
Episodes with Mystery Wedge wins are now excluded from Saturday reruns from this point onward.

September 2021[]

September 13 is Teacher's Week, taped July 22. During this week:
- Road Scholar sponsors each day's Prize.
- The Gift Tag is $1,000 cash from Pilot Pens on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and $500 cash and $500 credit to Mrs. Prindable's on Tuesday and Thursday.
- The Celebrity Wheel of Fortune promo is present on ABC airings of Monday's episode, as well as the September 18 weekend repeat, in addition to Thursday and Friday.
On September 13:
- Wheel does not air on some West Coast ABC affiliates due to Monday Night Football going into overtime. Although the episode is rebroadcast on October 15, 2022, this airing is pre-empted on all ABC affiliates and East Coast CBS affiliates due to college football, which runs long on both networks and results in some ABC airings only airing the Speed-Up onwards.
- The $4,000 Triple Toss-Up bonus is awarded for the first time.
- For the first time, the Final Spin is not determined by the red arrow.
On September 14:
- For the first time since February 4, none of the contestants are from the Los Angeles area.
- During the closing chat, Pat mentions that Jim will be seen on-camera, which is followed by a cut to Jim in his booth.
- Later in the closing chat, Pat also mentions that "Changing Keys" has been brought back as the show's theme. He also makes several negative comments about the 2017-21 theme. Due to a captioning error on the YouTube upload of this closing chat, some fans believed the 2017-21 theme was titled "I Defy You"; it did not have an official name.
On September 15:
- The $1,000 Toss-Up ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION is the first instance since June 2013 of a What Are You Doing? puzzle not using an "-ING" suffix.
- The "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is the "AN UGLY CHILD" incident on April 11, 2002 with the Toss-Up music absent.
On September 17:
- Bakersfield, California affiliate KBAK-TV accidentally airs the September 20 episode three days early.
- Rounds 2 and 3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- Round 4 (LEARNING THE METRIC SYSTEM) is the longest puzzle.
The week of September 20 is the first week since early Season 14 not to have a theme, taped July 23. During this week:
- Since there is no theme, the $1,000 Toss-Up is themed either to the show itself, or not at all. This continues to be the case with all subsequent weeks that have no theme.
- The color of the set is randomized, which continues to be the case for all subsequent weeks without a theme.
- The Celebrity Wheel of Fortune promo is present on ABC airings of Monday's episode, in addition to Thursday and Friday.
On September 20:
- Starting with this episode, the Toss-Up music bed now changes keys every four measures (as with the previous versions) instead of eight. Also, the $2,000 Toss-Up and second Triple Toss-Up have the music cued to start at the first key change. On the third Triple Toss-Up, it starts at the second key change.
- After Round 1, the Winners Circle segment from the September 11 weekend repeat (on September 14, 2020 contestant Jolena Lomax-Brown) is aired again. As with its first airing, it is replaced with the Celebrity Wheel of Fortune promo on ABC affiliates.
On September 20 and 21 only, the opening mix of "Changing Keys" is remixed slightly, with more percussion added, and the opening animation has its first ten frames removed.
On September 21:
- The $1,000 Toss-Up's alignment is one space too far to the left, resulting in Vanna needing to reach further than usual to reveal the rightmost letter.
- Contestant Nicole Ware-Spencer's full name is displayed in the closed captioning as "Nicole [ unclear ] Spencer".
- Donny Osmond reads part of the Prize copy, a trip to Las Vegas including a meet-and-greet with him. This was likely filmed during the taping of his appearance on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (which was taped June 10, before this episode, but does not air until October 10), as he is wearing the same outfit.
- Round 4 (MOUNTAINS AND MOLEHILLS) is the longest puzzle.
- None of Same Name, Before & After, Same Letter, or Crossword are used.
On September 22:
- The intro and opening theme revert to the version used during the previous week.
- The closed captioning misspells contestant Julee's name as "Julie" throughout the episode.
On September 23:
- Round 1 is the first appearance of Star & Role since May 29, 2017.
- The "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is contestant Caitlin solving the Prize Puzzle I'VE GOT A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THIS with only the L revealed on November 5, 2010.
- One contestant (Aly) wins all five Toss-Ups, and another (Giovanni) wins all other rounds, including the Bonus Round.
On September 24:
- Some non-ABC affiliates accidentally air the version with the Celebrity Wheel of Fortune promo.
- Contestant Renee solves the Prize Puzzle IT'S TIME TO TAKE A TRIP with only the I's and T's showing.
The week of September 27 has no theme, taped August 11.
On September 27:
- Starting with this episode, the intro animation is slightly updated. The background is changed from black to an orange-yellow gradient, the beams of colored light along the tiles' sides are now brighter, and the photos now have less contrast. This change also establishes a rotation of different photos each day.
- Pat mentions his wife Lesly during the final segment, though the closed captioning misspells her name as "Leslie".
On September 28, the show announces that any input will be accepted for the T-Mobile puzzle due to this episode being pre-empted in the New York and Philadelphia markets by the New Jersey Gubernatorial debate. The episode is rebroadcast on July 12, 2022, but without the T-Mobile puzzle.
On September 29:
- The "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is contestant Emil solving the bonus puzzle NEW BABY BUGGY with no help from his extra letters on March 19, 2014.
- The third Triple Toss-Up KITCHEN MAGICIAN (In the Kitchen) is a rare instance of the category also being part of the answer.
On September 30, contestant Chris solves the second Triple Toss-Up RULE OF THUMB with only the F showing.

October 2021[]

On October 1, contestant Shweta only spins twice the entire game, hitting Bankrupt in Rounds 2 and 4.
The October 2 rerun of the October 19, 2020 episode adds a Winners' Circle segment on $100,000 winner Patrick McIntosh from October 12, 2020 (which reran two weeks prior).
October 4 is National Parks week, taped September 2. This is the first aired week without Mike Richards producing; as stated above, Steve Schwartz begins serving as interim producer for the rest of the season. During this week, all contestants are from or near Southern California, with the exception of Friday's blue contestant.
On October 4:
- Contestant Darcy solves the Speed-Up puzzle TAKING A WALK IN THE WOODS but pauses slightly before saying the last word on the buzzer. Against precedent, her answer is not accepted and the ruling causes her to lose out on $24,000. Because of this, she appeals to the show and is brought back on April 28, 2023.
- Contestant Aaliyah finishes second with $21,568.
- There is a $100,000 loss.
On October 5, the Round 2 puzzle GRIZZLY BEARS AND GRIZZLY BEAR CUBS has four Z's in it.
The shows originally scheduled for October 4 and 6 are swapped. This is likely due to the original October 4 episode featuring a plug for a Disney+ original film, and that day's episode being pre-empted on Los Angeles affiliate KABC-TV (owned and operated by ABC, itself owned by Disney) by a Los Angeles Chargers Monday Night Football game. Despite the swap, the website's gallery of Vanna's dresses for the week still has Monday and Wednesday's dresses on their originally-scheduled days.
On October 6, Pepe the King Prawn joins Pat and Vanna during the closing chat to promote Muppets Haunted Mansion. This is followed by a clip of Pat's cameo in the same film.
On October 7:
- In the Mystery Round, contestant J.R. flips over a Mystery Wedge after filling in the last letter in the puzzle, only for it to conceal a Bankrupt.
- The original Round 4 (which begins as a Speed-Up) is thrown out, as evidenced by the original puzzle's reveal (a four-word Phrase) accidentally being left intact, along with Pat announcing the category as Phrase before and after the Final Spin, even though the blanks now show a three-word Living Things puzzle.
- Footage of Vanna's cat Stella watching a YouTube video of birds is shown during the closing chat.
All ten Bonus Rounds are lost on the weeks of September 27 and October 4, part of an eleven-day losing streak starting on the 24th. This is also part of a four-week span beginning on September 20 where only three Bonus Rounds are won.
The week of October 11 has no theme. As this week was taped on August 12, Mike Richards still serves as executive producer.
On October 11, contestant Michael solves the bonus puzzle FLIPPING OUT despite getting no help from his extra letters.
On October 13:
- Vanna accidentally walks up to the puzzle when a wrong letter is called in Round 1.
- The Prize Puzzle THIS PLACE IS BREATHTAKING is one space further to the left than usual.
- The "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is contestant Michelle becoming the show's first $1,000,000 winner in 2008.
On October 14:
- The Round 2 puzzle WHO ARE YOU? WHO WHO WHO WHO? is the only puzzle outside of Fill In the Blank to use more than one question mark.
- The Speed-Up puzzle is MY NICKNAME IN HIGH SCHOOL, a running gag that Pat has used since the early 2010s toward certain puzzles with uncommon adjectives.
- Both the original airing and June 10, 2023 rerun of this episode are pre-empted on most FOX affiliates by Thursday Night Football and Major League Baseball, respectively.
On October 17, all television stations owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group are struck by a ransomware attack, impacting operations. This results in several Sinclair stations being unable to receive and/or broadcast syndicated programming, including Wheel, or doing so with various technical difficulties (such as not airing commercials or leaving the production slate intact) for several days. Some are forced to pre-empt syndicated programming with repeats of network evening news or Sinclair-produced programming such as The National Desk as filler.
October 18 is Great American Cities, taped September 2. During this week:
- A different city is saluted every day: San Diego on Monday, Chicago on Tuesday, Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, South Florida on Thursday, and the San Francisco Bay Area on Friday.
- All contestants are from the areas saluted, as was the case during previous seasons' weeks that saluted one city for the entire week.
- Starting this week, no executive producer is credited.
- Jim's podium when introducing Pat and Vanna moves from the front of the audience to in front of the puzzle board.
- Pat and Vanna do the closing chat from a landmark in the city saluted.
On October 18, contestant Steve solves the third Triple Toss-Up JELLY BEANS with only the Y showing.
On October 19:
- For the first time since September 2, 2020, none of the contestants are from California.
- The T-Mobile puzzle of the week is done for the last time until December 21.
On October 20:
- Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- The "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is Pat giving out candy to trick-or-treaters for Halloween in 2013.
On October 21:
- Round 1 is a Crossword with only three words.
- Contestant Dan solves the third Triple Toss-Up FIRST-AID KIT with only the D showing.
- Neither Thing nor Phrase is used.
On October 22:
- Contestant Anthone lands on the Mystery Wedge next to Lose a Turn three times in a row without flipping it.
- Anthone leaves out the S at the end of the first word in the Prize Puzzle TOURISTS AND LOCALS, but it still credited with a correct response. This does not affect the outcome.
The week of October 25 has no theme, taped September 29. However, the weekly and daily promos promote this week as a Halloween-themed week.
On October 25, the Bonus Round is I BOUGHT A VOWEL.
On October 26:
- Pat does not plug the Mystery Round.
- Contestant Todd uses the Wild Card on $600 in Round 3.
On October 27:
- The Clue for the Crossword Puzzle in Round 1 does not appear until contestant Jordan spins the wheel.
- Round 2 (CANDYMAN CANDYMAN CANDYMAN CANDYMAN) is categorized as Movie Quote instead of Quotation, and is the longest known puzzle with only one vowel.
Both the original airing and August 26, 2023 rerun of the October 28 episode are pre-empted on most FOX affiliates by Thursday Night Football and Major League Baseball, respectively.
On October 29:
- The blue contestant, whose real name is Quentin, is referred to as Q throughout the show.
- On MediaCorp Channel 5 airings of this episode in Singapore, the closing segment is omitted due to discussing Halloween being on Sunday; the episode does not air in this country until April 2022.

November 2021[]

November 1 is Disney Ultimate Princess Celebration, taped September 3. During this week:
- The pictures in the opening animation are those of Disney princesses.
- Pictures of Disney princesses are also on the monitors behind Pat.
- Wheel Watchers Club members have a chance to win up to four trips to Disneyland.
- The Bonus Round category choices appear with a sparkle effect.
- The Prize Puzzle offers a Bahamas cruise on Disney Wish.
- The Bonus Round window is gold.
On November 1:
- During the contestant interviews, a photo of contestant Michelle and her family wearing Mickey Mouse ears in front of Disneyland is shown.
- Various clips of Disney princesses are shown as commercial bumpers.
- There is a $100,000 loss.
- During the post-game chat, Pat and Vanna discuss Disney princesses and show off a model castle.
On November 2:
- During the contestant interviews, photos are shown of their trips to Disneyland.
- The first three rounds all use all four rows of the puzzle board, the first instance of three four-row puzzles in the same show since Season 13.
- All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 3.
- Contestant Veronica finishes second with $21,050.
- During the post-game chat, Pat and Vanna promote Starlight Children's Foundation, an organization fundraising to help donate Disney princess themed hospital gowns to children in hospitals.
On November 3:
- During the contestant interviews, photos are shown of contestants Daron and Wes's family.
- Various clips of Disney princesses are shown as commercial bumpers.
- During the post-game chat, Vanna promotes the book Tales of Courage and Kindness.
On November 4:
- During the contestant interviews, photos are shown of contestants Divya and Liz's family.
- Contestant Dishanta solves the Speed-Up puzzle BABY'S FIRST STEPS with only the S's and T's showing.
- During the post-game chat, footage of Brandy's music video "Starting Now" is shown.
On November 5:
- During the contestant interviews, photos are shown of the contestants' families.
- Various clips of Disney princesses are shown as commercial bumpers.
- Round 2 (OUR FATE LIVES WITHIN US) is categorized as Quotation instead of Movie Quote.
- Bankrupt is hit five times in Round 3, three of which are consecutive.
- During the post-game chat, a Disney Princess castle appears on stage.
November 8 is America's Game. As these episodes were taped early in the season, Jim's podium is once again in front of the audience, and Mike Richards serves as executive producer on every episode except Thursday.
On November 8:
- Contestant Helen solves the second Triple Toss-Up PHOENIX ARIZONA with only the X showing.
- The daily promo spoils the Bonus Round outcome.
On November 9:
- As it is the sixth show of Teachers Week, all three contestants are teachers.
- The old Toss-Up music is used due to this episode being taped prior to the change.
- Contestant Chris lands on the Mystery Wedge next to $650 three times in a row without flipping it.
On November 10, as was the case in 2019 and 2020, Wheel is pre-empted on several ABC affiliates, including all O&O's, due to the Country Music Association Awards red carpet special. On KABC-TV in Los Angeles, this and the rest of the week's episodes are aired on a one-day delay. According to contestant Désirée from the November 12 episode, neither Wheel nor KABC notifies Los Angeles-based contestants of this change. Although this episode is rebroadcast on September 24, 2022, it is once again pre-empted on ABC affiliates due to college football.
On November 11, during the post-game chat, Jim presents Pat with a new necktie to honor Veteran's Day.
On November 12:
- Désirée's name tag is the second known one to have accent marks.
- The bonus puzzle JAGUARS IN THE WILD has at least one of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
The week of November 15 has no theme. This week, taped August 13, ends up being the last taping with Mike Richards serving as executive producer. It is also the last taping with supervising producer Karen Griffith, who retires after 41 years with Wheel. A retirement party for her is held on the set following the tapings.
On November 16:
- All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 3.
- Contestant Gabe solves the Speed-Up puzzle MY NEW BEST FRIEND with only the N's showing.
On November 17
- The Wheel of Fortune Memories clip is a montage of Pat modeling prizes on the turntable during the shopping era; unusually, the 1983 arrangement of "Changing Keys" is left intact on these clips.
- During the post-game chat, Pat reveals the correct pronunciation of the word Antigua on his cue card.
On November 18:
- Contestant Steven leaves out the first S when solving the Speed-Up puzzle QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP, but this is not noticed. This ruling ends up affecting the outcome.
- Contestant Christina finishes second with $20,055.
- During the post-game chat, Vanna brings out her crochet kit.
On November 19:
- The Round 4 puzzle SCHOOL OF ROCK has only one vowel.
- Mike Richards is credited for the last aired time on the regular series.
All five Bonus Rounds are played for $39,000 on the week of November 15, part of a seven-day streak through to the 23rd.
The week of November 22 has no theme, taped September 30.
On November 22:
- Vanna wears a sleeveless top and pants.
- Rounds 2 and 3 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
On November 24, Round 1 is the first appearance of 80's Song Lyrics since March 12, 2018.
On November 25, Wheel at least partially pre-empted on CBS affiliates in the Mountain Time Zone due to NFL overrun. 6:00 PM airings and some 6:30 airings are pre-empted entirely, while other 6:30 airings are joined in progress around Round 3.
On November 26:
- 7:00 PM Eastern airings on ABC and CBS affiliates, as well as some 7:30 airings scheduled after local newscasts, are joined in progress around Round 3 due to overrun from college football games on both networks.
- Rounds 1 and 2 are played entirely by the contestants who began them.
- Contestant Roman finishes in second with $24,200.
The week of November 29 has no theme. During this week, Jim's podium once again moves back from the audience to the puzzle board.
On November 30, contestant Holly solves the second Triple Toss-Up EATING DINNER with only the G showing.

December 2021[]

On December 3:
- Wheel is pre-empted on the ABC O&O's by a holiday shopping special and on West Coast ABC affiliates by the Pac-12 Championship college football game. Ironically, two of the three contestants reside in markets impacted by these events, and the third resides in the Boston market, where the show is pre-empted every Friday during NFL season on WBZ-TV for local program Patriots All Access.
- Contestant Lanessa mentions that her sister Liana was a contestant last season. The daily promo shows clips from the latter's appearance. Coincidentally, a rerun of Liana's episode airs just 13 days prior, on November 20.
- The $2,000 Toss-Up puzzle WHO CAN IT BE NOW? is categorized as 80's Song Lyrics, resulting in only the second time that category being used more than once in the same week, following the week of October 30, 2017 in Season 35.
- Rounds 1-3 are completely filled in before being solved.
December 6-17 is the Secret Santa Sweepstakes, taped October 13 and 14, sponsored by Disney. During these weeks, Jim's podium has three Christmas wreaths assembled to resemble Mickey Mouse, and Jim himself wears a Santa hat.
On December 7:
- There is a $100,000 loss.
- During the post-game, Pat promotes the 50th Anniversary of Disney World while a video montage is shown.
On December 10:
- Wheel is pre-empted in multiple Southern markets due to an outbreak of several tornadoes.
- Contestant Megan Shallcross is the sister of actor Patrick Warburton, and her son, Zach, whom she mentions, would later star in season 27 of The Bachelor in January 2023.
During the week of December 13, Jim's podium moves back to the audience.
On December 13:
- Pat forgets to acknowledge contestant Paymon's Wild Card after he hits $3,500 in Round 3.
- The second letter of the third-place Secret Santa SPIN ID does not match the name announced with it.
On December 15, two contestants lose their turns with only vowels remaining in the Speed-Up.
On December 16, Pat cuts off Jim just as he is about to read the Prize copy. As a result, the background music stops also.
On December 17:
- Contestant Kayla spins only once in the entire game, landing on Bankrupt in Round 2. However, she also does the Final Spin and wins $10,000 from the Triple Toss-up. As a result, she is the first contestant since February 15, 2019 to spin only once yet still win something.
- The bonus puzzle LAUNDRY BASKET has at least one each of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
- During the post-game, Pat promotes the 50th anniversary of Disney World while a video montage is shown.
All five Bonus Rounds are played for $39,000 on the week of December 13, part of a seven-day streak starting on the 10th.
The December 18 weekend repeat contains a promo for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on ABC airings, despite the show not airing that weekend.
On December 19, former director Dick Carson dies.
December 20 is Happy Holidays!, taped October 15. During this week, the Bonus Round chime is replaced by sleigh bells.
On December 20:
- The bonus puzzle YOUNG JOCK causes some controversy on social media due to some fans of rapper Yung Joc believing that the puzzle was referring to him and misspelled his name. Yung Joc himself later comments on the matter, defending the show and knowing that the puzzle was not referring to him.
- Maggie joins Pat and Vanna for the closing segment.
On December 21:
- Wheel is pre-empted on all FOX affiliates due to two postponed NFL games.
- Round 2 is the first Crossword Round this season to have only three words.
- The T-Mobile Puzzle of the Week returns.
- Contestant Charlene solves the bonus puzzle CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORD but takes a long pause (for about 4.7 seconds) before the saying the last word just as the buzzer sounds. After a pause in recording, this is ruled as a loss, with Pat explaining that the pause was too long to be acceptable. The show receives backlash on social media after the ruling goes viral, and Audi's social media accounts confirm that they will award her the Q3 car that she lost, publicly disagreeing with the ruling.
On December 23, the $1,000 Toss Up (SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS) is inexplicably categorized as Husband & Wife instead of Characters. It is also the first time since May 16, 2019 that a puzzle in that category spells out AND instead of using an ampersand and the second time that category is used in a Toss-Up puzzle.
On December 24:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- On the rerun of this episode exactly one year later, the Mystery Round sponsor is changed from Prevagen to Eggland's Best, and as a result, the Season 40 version of the bumper is used.
On the December 25 rerun of the December 25, 2020 episode, the Winners Circle segment from September 11 and September 20 (on September 14, 2020 contestant Jolena Lomax-Brown) is aired again after Round 1, this time including on ABC affiliates. On this airing, the closed captioning misspells Jolena's name as "Jolina".
The week of December 27 has no theme, taped October 28. During this week, Jim's podium moves back to the audience.
On December 27, the daily promo teases that all of the winner's Bonus Round picks appear in the puzzle, but uses a clip from the November 19, 2020 episode of Pat saying such.
On December 28:
- Wheel is pre-empted in the New York and Philadelphia markets by a special promoting ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest. The episode is rebroadcast on January 21, 2023, albeit without the T-Mobile puzzle.
- The T-Mobile puzzle is PLAYING WHEEL OF FORTUNE ON YOUR PHONE.
- Despite being the 40th Anniversary of Pat Sajak becoming the host, no acknowledgement is made on the show at any point or by any social media accounts about this occasion. However, both Pat and Maggie discuss this on their respective social media accounts.
- Reruns of this episode feature an alternate take of Pat introducing the Triple Toss-Up, in which he does not mention T-Mobile's sponsorship, rather than editing the brand name out of the original take. However, the closed captioning still retains "T-Mobile", despite revising Pat's subsequent line, "The category tonight is 'Thing'" to remove the word "tonight", which he does not say in the alternate take.
- Due to this episode originally featuring plugs for both T-Mobile and Slotomania, reruns also feature a longer credit roll to make up the lost runtime from the removal of the plugs.
- This is the second of only two episodes from Seasons 38-39 originally with T-Mobile plugs that appeared in the weekend rerun rotation.
On December 29:
- Contestant Blake finishes second with $22,400.
- During the closing, Pat erroneously states that New Year's Eve is "tomorrow". Multiple contestants from this week confirm that no episodes were rescheduled.
A rerun of the December 31 episode exactly one year later features a longer credit roll than the original airing, and erroneously credits Mary Myers as a contestant co-producer; Myers did not join the show until Season 40.

January 2022[]

January 3 is America's Game.
On January 3, the "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is Pat noticing that he and Lou are wearing the same outfit on May 31, 2001.
On January 4, the "no more vowels" graphic appears in the Speed-Up.
On January 5, the sixth episode of Great American Cities salutes Nashville, and all three contestants are from that area.
On January 7, Vanna wears a suit.
The week of January 10 has no theme, taped October 29. During this week:
- The Bonus Round is sponsored by Slotomania.
- After Round 1, Jim promotes the upcoming Collette Show You the World sweepstakes.
On January 10, the revealing of the bonus puzzle's blanks freezes for about two seconds, briefly showing only the two leftmost blanks and causing Pat to quip, "It's a very short puzzle."
On January 11:
- The T-Mobile puzzle is not done.
- Pat and Vanna do the post-game chat sitting down on the steps of the puzzle board.
On January 13:
- Round 4 is the first appearance of 70's Song Lyrics on the regular series.
- A tribute to Dick Carson airs after the credits.
On January 14:
- The category strip does not appear during the $2,000 Toss-Up.
- The slide whistle does not sound on a Bankrupt in Round 3.
- An extra $20 is accidentally added to contestant Jeané's final total and never corrected.
January 17 is Collette Show You the World week, taped November 10. During this week, the opening theme for travelling-themed weeks is updated.
On January 17:
- Nobody solves the third Triple Toss-Up VIKING HELMET.
- During the post-game chat, contestant Adam from February 13, 2020 shares his Collette Vacation to Italy.
- Both the original airing and June 13 rerun of this episode are pre-empted on West Coast ABC affiliates by the NFC Wild Card game and Game 5 of the NBA Finals, respectively.
On January 18, during the post-game chat, contestant Anwer from April 16, 2020 shares his Collette Vacation to Iceland.
On January 20, the Round 3 puzzle THE BEST PRETZEL EVER has only one vowel.
Between January 18 and 21, four contestants in a row win $10,000 from sweeping the Triple Toss-Ups.
On January 22, Oklahoma City affiliate KOCO-TV accidentally airs the January 24 episode early, in place of the weekend repeat.
The week of January 24 has no theme, taped December 1.
On January 24:
- During the post-game chat, a behind-the-scenes look at Vanna's wardrobe is shown.
- Merv Griffin is now credited for music along with John Hoke, and Bleeding Fingers Music now receives their own credit for "Original Music Production".
On January 25, there is a $100,000 win.
On January 26:
- Vanna wears a suit.
- During the post-game chat, in reference to the Round 2 Crossword Puzzle SEAT SHAMPOO BOOM BUGGY (in the category Baby____). Pat discusses the incident from March 2014 where contestant Emil guesses the bonus puzzle NEW BABY BUGGY with only the N and E showing.
On January 27:
- Contestant Sheila fills in the Round 3 puzzle COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER LOCATION entirely by herself.
- Two consecutive "null" cycles occur in the Speed-Up, the first of which is edited out.
- The third- and second-place contestants have $19,250 and $24,000, respectively. Interestingly, contestant Shiela wins with $24,140 earned entirely in Round 3.
- For unknown reasons, when this week is rerun during the week of June 27, this episode is replaced with the December 2, 2021 episode. Although this episode has a $10,000 Mystery Wedge win, which would necessitate dubbing in a new SPIN ID, its replacement episode has one as well.
On January 28, Wheel is pre-empted on East Coast CBS affiliates by Round 3 of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament. Milwaukee affiliate WDJT-TV airs this episode in an unusually early time slot of 3:30 PM Central. The episode is rebroadcast on July 1.
January 31 is Celebrating the Local Flavor of...,taped December 2. During this week, each episode salutes a different city and features all contestants from that area (with one exception), as well as special introductions and post-Round 2 bumpers featuring news anchors and meteorologists from the show's affiliate in that city:
- Monday: New York, featuring Bill Ritter and Sade Baderinwa of WABC-TV (ABC 7).
- Tuesday: San Diego, featuring Dagmar Midcap and Sheena Parveen of KNSD (NBC 7 San Diego).
- Wednesday: Baltimore, featuring Patrice Sanders and Mary Bubala of WBFF (FOX 45).
- Thursday: Dallas, featuring Doug Dunbar of KTVT (CBS 11).
- Friday: Cincinnati, featuring Tricia Macke and Rob Williams of WXIX-TV (FOX 19 Now).
On January 31:
- Unusually, contestant Desire is from the Los Angeles area and is said to be "originally from" New York. Despite this, she is still promoted as a New York local contestant, complete with a "Hometown Howdy" that airs on WABC-TV, going against the precedent of contestants being promoted by the affiliate local to their current place of residence.
- Round 4 is the debut of 80's Song Title.

February 2022[]

On February 1:
- The hidden letters in the bonus puzzle PACKING MY CLOTHES accidentally disappear briefly when it is solved.
- During the post-game chat, Vanna brings in a basket of tangerines.
On February 3:
- No vowels are bought in Round 3.
- Contestant Kchristshan solves the second Triple Toss-Up MULTIPLY AND DIVIDE with only the E showing.
On February 4, Round 1 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
February 7 is Bed & Breakfast, taped November 11.
On February 8, Round 1 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
On February 9:
- The "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is Vanna talking about wearing a girdle during the closing chat of a 1997 episode.
- Contestant Nicole solves the second Triple Toss-up TOP HAT with only the second T showing.
Between February 7 and 9, for the first time ever, there are three consecutive $100,000 wins. February 8 also marks the first time that the prize is won twice in one week, much less on consecutive shows. This is the first instance of the grand prize envelope being hit three times in one week, and this is also the first month with three $100,000 wins.
On February 10:
- There is a cold open with Pat mentioning the $100,000 wins and the possibility of having a fourth.
- Contestant Donna fills in the Round 3 puzzle ENJOYING THE OCEAN BREEZE entirely by herself.
- Both the original airing and July 21 rerun of this episode are pre-empted on West Coast NBC affiliates by the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and a public hearing regarding the investigation on the attack on the United States Capitol, respectively.
The week of February 14 has no theme, taped December 3.
On February 14:
- The Gift Tag is shown on the purple $500 near Lose a Turn when contestant TuRhonda picks it up in Round 3.
- The bonus puzzle THIS IS MY FINAL OFFER has at least one of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
Between February 10 and 14, three contestants in a row win two trips, each by claiming the Wheel Prize and solving the Prize Puzzle.
On February 17:
- Contestant Jonathan uses the Wild Card on $900 in Round 3.
- Vanna forgets to touch the L in the bonus puzzle AN OBVIOUS EXAMPLE.
February 21 is Hawaii week, taped November 12. During this week, Jim wears a floral shirt and a lei, and is shown holding a cocktail.
On February 21, Rachel wins despite failing to claim $19,700 in Round 1.
On February 22:
- Six rounds are played.
- Contestant Debbie name tag falls off. It is retrieved before the Bonus Round.
- All of the puzzles are very short, with the $1,000 Toss-Up (STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD) being the longest at only 18 letters.
On February 23:
- Most Pacific Time Zone airings of Wheel are partially pre-empted due to breaking news updates on the Ukraine-Russia Crisis:
  - On ABC affiliates, 7:00 PM airings are cut off during Round 2. 7:30 airings begin during the commercial break between Rounds 1 and 2.
  - On NBC affiliates, no gameplay is lost on 7:00 airings as NBC's Special Report cuts in at 7:28. 7:30 airings begin during Round 3.
  - No CBS airings are affected, as CBS's Special Report runs from 7:15-7:30; there are no 7:00 PM Pacific airings of Wheel on CBS affiliates at this time.
- The Mystery sound effect does not play when contestant Tenaya lands on the Mystery Wedge in Round 2.
- For unknown reasons, the contestants' scoreboards are cropped out of the split-screen shot during the Speed-Up, despite this not being the case during the Triple Toss-Up. This may have been done to hide an error on the scoreboards.
On February 25:
- All of the puzzles are very short, with the Round 1 (IS THERE AN APP FOR THAT?) being the longest at only 19 letters.
- Vanna talks about her cat, Stella, during the closing, with Pat acknowledging her old age and Vanna saying that "she could live for a lot longer". Coincidentally, Stella dies around the same time this episode airs (sometime between February 17 and March 2). Possibly due to this conversation, this episode appears to be barred from reruns; a scheduled weekend rebroadcast on June 3, 2023 is replaced at the last minute with the February 24 episode.
All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of February 21.
The week of February 28 has no theme, taped December 15.
On February 28:
- The Round 2 puzzle GOOD MOOD FOOD has only one vowel and none of the five main consonants.
- Same Name, Before & After, and Same Letter are not used despite no Crossword being played.
- During the post-game chat, there is an inside look of the winners of the Winnebago Solis (Eddie & Joyce Hightower) from the previous season's National Parks week.

March 2022[]

On March 1:
- Eight of the last ten turns of Round 2 are lost, none of which are edited out. This includes three incorrect answers from contestant Laura. This round goes viral online.
- Contestant Thomas solves the second Triple Toss-Up DEEP-SEA FISHING with only the A showing.
- Contestant Christopher's score display accidentally lights up before he calls his first letter in the Speed-Up.
- The "No More Vowels" graphic appears in the Speed-Up.
- Laura leaves out the S in the Speed-Up puzzle PEELED CHESTNUTS, but it still credited with a correct response. This does not affect the outcome.
On March 2:
- The "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip is Pat talking about Vanna's golf game in 2021 followed by another clip of Vanna saying she hasn't broken 100 yet in golf in 2020. This is the first instance of two flashbacks shown in the same segment.
- There is a $100,000 loss.
On March 3, Round 2 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
On March 4, the bonus puzzle PLEASE QUIT GOOFING AROUND has at least one of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
The week of March 7 has no theme, taped December 16.
On March 8, the Speed-Up puzzle A WIN IS A WIN has only three unique consonants.
On March 9, Husband & Wife is used for the third time in a Toss-Up puzzle and also uses the word "AND" instead of an ampersand.
On March 11:
- Contestant Carrie forgets to get rid of her Prize after she hits Bankrupt in Round 1.
- Nobody rings in on the third Triple Toss-up MUDPUPPY; this is the first aired instance of this ever happening.
March 14 is America's Game.
On March 14, the T in the Speed-Up puzzle SHAKE IT UP BABY fills in much later than the other letters when the puzzle is solved.
On March 15, Round 2 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
On March 16:
- A "null" cycle is not edited out of Round 3 (an incorrect answer followed by two incorrect consonants).
- Round 3 goes viral due to two contestants giving the same incorrect answer, followed shortly by two lost turns with only the L missing in the puzzle RENTING A PEDAL BOAT.
- Nobody solves the first Triple Toss-Up puzzle LATE BLOOMER. This puzzle was also used on January 9 on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, setting a new record for shortest timespan between a repeated puzzle, if multiple versions are counted.
On March 17:
- In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Pat sticks a piece of green duct tape at the bottom of his necktie.
- The Wheel of Fortune Memories clip is Pat and Vanna's last episode with the mechanical puzzle board and first with the monitor-based puzzle board (February 21 and 24, 1997).
- Every consonant is called in the Speed-Up except Q, X, and Z.
On March 18:
- As it is the sixth episode of Hawaii Week, Jim wears a floral shirt and lei.
- During the post-game chat, Pat and Vanna show off a Wheel of Fortune blanket.
- The credits accidentally list the providers of the previous day's Prizes.
All five Bonus Rounds are lost on the week of March 14, part of an eight-day losing streak through to the 23rd.
The week of March 21 is College Week, taped March 3. During this week:
- Except on Friday, there is a cold opening of Maggie and Pat:
  - On Monday: She finds her dad doing collages in his dressing room, as he mistakenly thinks it's Collage Week.
  - On Tuesday: She finds her dad rehearsing his lines for the next show in his dressing room.
  - On Wednesday: They look at Pat's college transcript in the dressing room.
  - On Thursday: Pat supposedly gives the contestants a pep talk. Vanna tells Maggie that Pat is enthusiastic about the players, only to reveal Pat talking to an empty contestant area.
- Jim's podium is positioned by the Wheel.
- Pat and Vanna do a promo for the upcoming Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts Family Vacation Giveaway after Round 2. This is omitted in reruns.
On March 21:
- Patrick solves the second Triple Toss-Up JUNIORS with only the S showing.
- Patrick leaves with $51,740 despite losing the Bonus Round.
On March 22, Maggie joins Pat and Vanna for the post-game chat.
On March 23:
- Bellamie Blackstone is named the show's new executive producer, and former senior producer Steve Schwartz is promoted to co-executive producer. As the season has already completed production by this point, these changes are not reflected in the credits until Season 40.
- Contestant Amaya is the daughter of contestants Shaun and Kim, who competed on Sandals Romance Week in 2013.
- The Prize copy includes a trailer for the DVD and Blu-Ray release of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
- Pat and Vanna read the first line of the Prize Puzzle copy.
On March 24:
- Round 2 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
- As the Triple Toss-Ups are all College Life, this is the first time that category has been used more than once in the same show.
- During the post-game chat, Pat eats a hamburger and some potato chips.
On March 25, contestant Andrew solves the second Triple Toss-Up SUMMER BREAK with only the first R showing.
The week of March 28 is Margaritaville Resorts Family Vacation, taped January 20. During this week:
- On Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Jim's podium is once again in front of the Wheel, and it has flowers and a parrot on it.
- On Tuesday and Thursday: Jim introduces Pat and Vanna from a juice stand on set instead of at his podium.
- All of the Prizes are Margaritaville themed.
- All 15 contestants are from or near Southern California. This may be due to a rise in the COVID-19 Omicron variant around the time of this episode's taping on January 20.
On March 28, Jim appears on-camera during the interviews due to contestant Karina saying that her children "idolize" him.
On March 29:
- Round 1 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
- Pat and Vanna do the closing chat in front of an oversized flip-flop on set.
On March 30, Jim and the ceramic Dalmatian join Pat and Vanna for the closing chat.

April 2022[]

On April 1, there is a cold opening with Pat and Vanna doing the post-game chat at the beginning of the show, only to reveal that it's an April Fool’s prank.
April 4 is Wheel Around the World, taped February 17. During this week, except on Monday, clips of an international version are shown during the closing chat: Argentina on Tuesday, Finland on Wednesday, Uruguay on Thursday, and Spain on Friday.
On April 5, contestant Barbara adds an "and" to the Round 2 solution POLAND PANAMA PORTUGAL, then corrects herself before Pat can rule against her, but then comments, "And I put an 'and' in there." She is ultimately ruled incorrect.
On April 6:
- The Wheel of Fortune Memories clip is Pat's children Maggie and Patrick doing the post-game chat from September 25, 2000.
- Contestant Candace solves the Speed-up Puzzle SWISS CHEESE with only the C and H showing.
On April 7, the Round 4 puzzle SINGAPORE is shorter than ten letters.
On April 8:
- Contestant Angie solves the second Triple Toss-up CARROT STICK with only the first T showing.
- Contestant Calvin is credited with solving the bonus puzzle THE FINAL BUZZER despite getting no help from his extra letters. However, he lists multiple incorrect guesses for the latter two words in between saying the words THE and FINAL BUZZER. Despite this, Pat immediately rules it as a win. Likely to avoid backlash over the inconsistent ruling, the show does not upload the win on most of their social media pages (except YouTube).
April 11 is America's Game.
On April 12:
- As it is the sixth episode of Margaritaville Resorts Family Vacation, Jim introduces Pat and Vanna from a juice stand on set instead of at his podium.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
On April 13:
- The Wheel of Fortune Memories clip is Pat and Vanna reading a letter from a home viewer from the 1980s.
- The Speed-Up puzzle NEVER BEEN BETTER has only one vowel.
On April 14:
- Jim appears on camera after reading the Prize Puzzle copy.
- There is a $100,000 loss.
On April 15:
- During Round 2, Pat "meows" at a point where the puzzle LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION only has the C's, A's, and T's revealed, showing the word CAT three times. The puzzle is categorized as Phrase instead of Same Letter.
- The third Triple Toss-Up TREE HOUSE is misspelled as it should be one word.
- The bonus puzzle IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE has at least one of R, S, T, L, N, and E.
April 18 is Home Sweet Home, taped January 21. During this week:
- There is a cold open in which Pat and Vanna promote the theme from in front of a Margaritaville home.
- As with prior seasons, a sweepstakes is held where viewers can enter each night's bonus puzzle for a chance to win a Margaritaville home. This is removed in reruns.
- Once again, a contestant may win a Margaritaville home through the Bonus Round.
- The Home Wedge is used in gameplay and (except on Thursday) is displayed on the front of Jim's podium.
- All of the Prizes are Margaritaville themed.
- Jim promotes Latitude Margaritaville before Round 3.
On April 18, the closing segment features a follow-up with the first Margaritaville Home winner Laura Trammell and her husband Dave. According to Pat, their new home in Daytona Beach, Florida is still under construction, and they are expected to move in by the end of the year.
On April 19:
- After Round 1, there is a Winner's Circle segment on January 15, 2021 for contestant Angelina.
- Director of Latitude Margaritaville Mona Ward joins Pat and Vanna during the post-game chat in Dayton Beach, Florida.
- In the Kitchen is chosen as the Bonus Round category for the only time this season. It is won, resulting in a perfect record for the category for the season.
On April 20, contestant Kevin solves the bonus puzzle BEING PLAYFUL before the timer can start.
On April 21:
- Jim does the opening from a pagoda next to the puzzle board.
- Occupation is chosen as the Bonus Round category for the first time since March 8, 2021, and offered for the first time since May 19, 2021. It is also the only time this season that the category is offered. It is won, resulting in a perfect record for the category for the season.
On April 22:
- The show announces that any input will be accepted for the Home Sweet Home sweepstakes due to pre-emptions on West Coast ABC affiliates caused by an NBA Playoffs game. Despite this, all affected affiliates still air Wheel in its entirety in primetime slots following the game. Although the episode is rebroadcast on June 24 (without the sweepstakes), this airing is also pre-empted on West Coast ABC affiliates by Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, which overruns, resulting in some airings starting late or getting joined in progress.
- Pat continues the tradition of acknowledging the birthday of Harry Friedman's wife, Judy, which was the day prior.
All five Bonus Rounds are won on the week of April 18, part of a six-day winning streak starting on the 15th. Strangely, this is never acknowledged on the show proper, though it is mentioned on the show's social media pages and in a Wheel Watchers Club Email.
The week of April 25 has no theme, taped March 2.
On April 25:
- Wheel is moved to later time slots on ABC affiliates in the Mountain Time Zone due to that day's episode of American Idol airing live in all time zones.
- Round 4 (BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD) is the longest puzzle.
- Pat announces that Vanna's cat Stella has died. A tribute is shown during the post-game chat with pictures and clips of Stella, as well as moments of Pat and Vanna acknowledging her. Coincidentally, this episode taped only five days after the airing of the February 25 episode, during which Pat and Vanna discuss the possibility of Stella living for many more years.
- The September 9, 2023 rerun of this episode features an alternate closing segment. Following a Collette plug featuring photos of Prize Puzzle winner Charles from January 22, 2021, Pat tells Vanna that he owns two Wheel of Fortune pinball machines. This version of the episode also features a full credit roll while the original airing did not. The closed captioning on the rerun version still shows the lines from a clip of Pat and Vanna shown at the end of the original airing's credits, even though the clip is not used in the rerun's credits.
On April 26, contestant Sheida solves the Speed-Up puzzle A ZEST FOR LIFE for no money.
On April 28:
- Wheel is pre-empted on the East Coast ABC O&O's by a special preceding the first round of the NFL Draft.
- After Round 1, the Winner's Circle segment from the October 2, 2021 weekend repeat (on October 12, 2020 contestant Patrick McIntosh) is aired again.
- Contestant Scott solves the second Triple Toss-up GETTING A PEDICURE with only the third E showing.
On April 29:
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on January 15, 2021 for contestant Angelina.
- Contestant Danielle solves the second Triple Toss-up AVOCADO PIT with only the second O showing.
- All of the puzzles are very short, with Round 3 (A PLUSH HOTEL BATHROBE) being the longest at only 19 letters.

May 2022[]

May 2 is Big Money 25th Anniversary Celebration, honoring the 25th anniversary of the International Game Technology (IGT) Wheel of Fortune line of slot machines, taped February 16. During this week:
- An IGT logo is on the floor at center stage and in front of Pat.
- Several of the slot machines are on set.
- The Prize is a trip to Las Vegas.
- The Prize Puzzle is a cruise from Carnival Cruise Lines.
- The Bonus Round money and total graphics are changed to new ones with a slot machine theme. The former is gold and the latter is silver. The graphic's animation shows digits and various currency symbols in Helvetica; the graphics spin like slot machine tumblers and make beeping noises before stopping to reveal the total.
On May 2, during the post-game chat, the camera pans by a giant "25" at center stage and then to Pat and Vanna standing next to the slot machines.
On May 3, after Round 1, there is a Winner's Circle segment on September 1, 2020 for contestant Tina.
On May 4:
- Contestant Ashish solves the Speed-Up puzzle ATLANTIC CITY NEW JERSEY with only the T's revealed.
- There is a $100,000 win. This is spoiled in the daily and weekly promos. The winner (Chanelle) is also indirectly spoiled in these promos, as a clip of this episode's contestants is shown, followed by Chanelle juxtaposed with two contestants not from this episode as the promo teases that "one of these contestants" will win the prize.
On May 5:
- Unusually for this season, none of the contestants are from Southern California or surrounding areas. This is the only episode this season outside of "city salute" weeks where this is the case.
- After Round 1, there is a Winner's Circle segment on October 27, 2021 for contestant Jordan.
- All three contestants hit Bankrupt consecutively in Round 2.
- Contestant Darius hops on the Express with only one consonant remaining.
On May 6:
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on September 14, 2020 for contestant Jolena.
- Contestant Brad solves the third Triple Toss-up DECAF with only the F showing.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
The week of May 9 has no theme, taped March 23.
On May 9:
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on January 15, 2021 for contestant Angelina.
- There is a $100,000 win. This is spoiled in the weekly and daily promos, which briefly show contestant Mike's sleeve. Similarly to last week's promo, Mike's victory is also indirectly spoiled by grouping him with two contestants who do not appear on this episode. Both this win and the previous one are also the only Bonus Round wins of their respective weeks.
The episodes originally scheduled to air May 9 and 13 are swapped, likely for ratings purposes, as Fridays tend to have the lowest viewers. The swap is proven by multiple things:
- Contestant Mike's "Hometown Howdy", which is publicly posted by WJLA-TV with slate, states an air date of May 13 and production number 7600, instead of Monday's 7596. As usual, the swapped episodes themselves have their numbers changed by the time they air.
- The website's gallery of Vanna's dresses for the week still has Monday and Friday's dresses on their originally-scheduled days.
- Round 4 on May 9 is HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
- On May 9, Pat says "That's the way to go out" before signing off, indirectly referring to this episode originally being the end of the week.
On May 10:
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on $100,000 winner Patrick from October 12, 2020.
- Same Name, Before & After, and Same Letter aren't used, despite no Crossword being played.
On May 11:
- The Wheel of Fortune Memories clip is Pat and Vanna switching their respective places for the Bonus Round in order to give Pat's voice a rest (November 21, 1996).
- During the post-game chat, Pat mentions the prior million-dollar winners, but does not mention Melissa Joan Hart's million-dollar win on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, indicating that winners on that version are not officially counted.
On May 12, after Round 1, there is a repeat of Winner's Circle segment on September 1, 2020 contestant Tina.
On May 13:
- The Speed-Up puzzle SNACK SHACK has only one vowel.
- During the post-game chat, there is a Winner's Circle segment on $100,000 winner Scott from March 18, 2021 about his donations to Uplift Family Services and L.A. Regional Food Bank.
May 14 is the only weekend repeat this season to be of a Tuesday episode (March 2, 2021). On this airing, all T-Mobile plugs are removed, including reverting the Toss-Up wipes to the normal ones, and editing out Pat's verbal mention of the brand before the Triple Toss-Up.
May 16 is Great Outdoors, taped March 16.
On the March 18, 2023 rerun of the May 16 episode, the Mystery Round sponsor is changed from Prevagen to Eggland's Best, and as a result, the bumper uses the Season 40 version of the stock clip of the Wheel slowing down on a Mystery Wedge. However, the clip of the $10,000 Mystery Wedge dropping onto the Wheel is retained from the original bumper.
On May 17:
- Jim does the opening sitting in front of the cabin to the right of the center stage monitor.
- Round 1 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
- During the post-game chat, Pat picks some flowers on the set and gives them to Vanna.
On May 19, Jim does the opening sitting in front of the cabin to the right of the center stage monitor.
The week of May 23 has no theme, taped March 24.
On May 23:
- After Round 1, there is another repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on $100,000 winner Patrick from October 12, 2020.
- The ding does not sound when the R is revealed in Round 2.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
On May 24:
- Due to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, several airings of Wheel in the Eastern, Central, and Mountain Time Zones are interrupted for breaking news updates:
  - 7:30 PM Eastern airings on ABC affiliates are interrupted during Round 3 and return during Round 4. Ones on NBC affiliates are interrupted during Round 4 and return during the Bonus Round. No 7:00 PM airings are nationally affected, nor are any CBS airings during the hour.
  - Due to President Joe Biden addressing the nation, all 6:30 PM Mountain airings are interrupted during Round 2 and return during Round 4.
- There are no T-Mobile plugs, including on the Toss-Up wipes.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on January 15, 2021 for contestant Angelina.
- The closed captioning adds an extra hyphen between the last two words of the second Triple Toss-Up TWO-FOR-ONE SALE.
- Contestant Theotto solves the third Triple Toss-up GARAGE SALE with only the first E showing.
Between May 16 and 24, the Million-Dollar Wedge is picked up six times, and its surrounding Bankrupt spaces are never hit.
On May 25:
- Some 7:00 PM Eastern airings on NBC affiliates are pre-empted due to an optional extended edition of NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt covering the aftermath of the Robb Elementary School shooting.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on September 14, 2020 for contestant Jolena.
On May 26:
- Round 1 is a Crossword Round with only three words.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of Winner's Circle segment on October 27, 2021 for contestant Jordan.
- Neither Bankrupt nor Lose a Turn is hit.
- Contestant Jinger solves the bonus puzzle ON THE BANDWAGON before the timer can start.
- There is a $100,000 win, the seventh of the season. This sets a new record for most grand prize wins in one season.
- For the first time since Season 24, the traditional (round) show logo is used on the $100,000 envelope on the syndicated show. This is likely because the show has exhausted all of its other such envelopes with the two-row logo after giving them to the several other winners over the past two seasons as souvenirs. On this version of the envelope, the numbers are slightly larger.
On May 27, Vanna wears a sleeveless top and pants.
May 30 is Gone Fishin', taped March 17. During this week, Jim's microphone is inside of a red fish prop.
On May 30, contestant Erik solves the bonus puzzle GOOD TIMING before the timer can start.
On May 31:
- Jim does his introduction while sitting near the cabin to the right of the center stage monitor.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on September 14, 2020 for contestant Jolena.
- Jim is shown on camera just before Round 2.

June 2022[]

On June 1, contestant Kevin joins Pat and Vanna for the post-game chat and shows off his "Gone Fishin'" socks.
On June 2:
- Most 7:30 PM Eastern airings of Wheel are mostly or entirely pre-empted due to an address from President Joe Biden on gun safety. ABC and CBS's coverage runs for the entire half hour. FOX's coverage cuts in during the contestant interviews and returns during the Speed-Up, and impacted NBC airings only show the Bonus Round. Although this episode is rebroadcast on May 20, 2023, 7:30 airings are pre-empted again on some CBS affiliates due to overrun from the third round of the PGA Championship, and on FOX affiliates by Major League Baseball.
- Both the original airing and rerun of this episode are also pre-empted on West Coast ABC affiliates by NBA games, which run long on both days.
- Jim wears a hat and holds a fishing pole while introducing the hosts from near the cabin. Pat walks up to him as he approaches his podium and orders him back to his booth.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on September 14, 2020 for contestant Jolena.
- On the rerun airing, the Mystery Round sponsor is changed from Noom Weight to Eggland's Best, and as a result, the bumper uses the Season 40 version of the stock clip of the Wheel slowing down on a Mystery Wedge. However, the clip of the $10,000 Mystery Wedge dropping onto the Wheel is retained from the original bumper.
- The Wheel of Fortune Memories clip is Pat and Vanna doing the post-game chat on a fishing boat from last season's Gone Fishin' week.
- Contestant Jason solves the second Triple Toss-up THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE with only the E showing.
- All three contestants ring in but do not solve the third Triple Toss-Up HIGHLY IMPROBABLE.
On June 3, during the post-game chat, clips of Vanna going fishing are shown.
The June 4 weekend repeat is originally scheduled as the April 14, 2021 episode (the only episode of its week to not appear in Season 38's summer reruns), but is changed at the last minute to the April 16, 2021 episode.
June 6 is America's Game.
On June 6, after Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on March 18, 2021 contestant Scott.
On June 7:
- Contestant Dibs's last name is never stated on-air.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on September 14, 2020 for contestant Jolena.
- Contestant Graham only spins twice the entire game, landing on Bankrupt in Round 1 and Lose a Turn in Round 2.
On June 8:
- It is the sixth episode of College Week. As a result, the $1,000 Toss-Up is themed toward that instead of America's Game.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of Winner's Circle segment on October 27, 2021 contestant Jordan.
- The Wheel of Fortune Memories clip is Teen Best Friends contestants Candace and Chelsea screaming after solving a puzzle for a Cingular Gift Tag in 2005. The puzzle-solve cue is omitted from the audio.
On June 9:
- Wheel is pre-empted in most of the Mountain Time Zone due to the first public hearing regarding the investigation on the attack on the United States Capitol. Also, some NBC affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone air the show one hour later than usual (at 8:00 or 8:30 PM) to accommodate local newscasts following the hearings. Although the episode is rebroadcast on September 8, it is pre-empted on all NBC affiliates by the NFL Kickoff Game.
- After Round 1, there is a repeat of the Winner's Circle segment on January 15, 2021 contestant Angelina.
- Round 2 is a Crossword Round with only three words. Also, for the first time, the Crossword Clue "'New' States" has a word in quotation marks with Pat emphasizing such, similar to certain categories on Jeopardy!
- Contestant Victoria solves the above Crossword puzzle (JERSEY YORK HAMPSHIRE) with only the R's and S's showing.
- During the post-game chat, Pat discusses the Bonus Round's annually-increasing cash minimum, but incorrectly states that it started in Season 30 and that Season 31 had a cash minimum of $31,000. ($30,000 became the minimum starting in Season 28, following the retirement of the $25,000 envelopes, with the annual minimum starting at $32,000) Pat and Vanna then confirm that the minimum will be $40,000 for Season 40.
- Pat and Vanna acknowledge the season finale (albeit not on the actual day) for the first known time since the 2000's.

Post-Season[]

On June 13, Wheel's YouTube channel uploads a video of Pat and Vanna promoting summer reruns. The video includes clips of several episodes from throughout the season. Most of the episodes showcased in the video are indeed included in the reruns. However, the video also includes a clip from the March 18 episode of contestant Cherain winning the $10,000 Mystery Wedge, and a clip from the March 28 episode of Jim in his booth. This suggests that their respective weeks were planned to be included in the reruns, though they ultimately are not.
The weekend repeats for June 11 and 18 are both from Season 38's Father's Day week, in honor of Father's Day falling on the 19th. This is the first known time since the retirement of returning champions where two consecutive weekend repeats are from the same original broadcast week.
The weekly promo for the rerun week of June 27 is edited to replace two brief clips from the January 27 episode with one clip each from the December 2, 2021 (which replaces January 27 on Thursday) and January 24 episodes.
On June 29, several media outlets erroneously claim that the December 21, 2021 episode (featuring the controversial ruling resulting in a contestant losing an Audi) reran the day prior, resulting in the incident receiving newfound attention and the show receiving more backlash on social media. The actual episode that reran on June 28 was the January 25, 2022 episode, which had a $100,000 win.
On the July 2 rerun of the March 15, 2021 episode, the "Wheel of Fortune Memories" clip from that episode is edited out, and the Winners Circle segment from the May 13, 2022 episode (which is longer than most other segments) is inserted before the closing.

Wheel of Fortune timeline (syndicated)/Season 39

Contents

Season Changes[]

September 2021[]

October 2021[]

November 2021[]

December 2021[]

January 2022[]

February 2022[]

March 2022[]

April 2022[]

May 2022[]

June 2022[]

Post-Season[]

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