Some of you likely already know about the new wedge on the Wheel of Fortune big wheel. It's called "Free Play," and it replaces the Free Spin disc that has been around since the show began.Basically, if you land on Free Play, you get to pick any letter - a consonant or a vowel. If the letter you choose is not in the puzzle, you continue on without losing your turn. If you happen to choose a vowel, the same thing applies, but it also won't cost you any money. (Update: I should also add that consonants are worth $500, vowels worth nothing.)
I'm not sure why the time-honored Free Spin has been retired, but this new wedge isn't a bad idea in and of itself. It could certainly help contestants who want to go out on a limb and guess an uncommon letter, for example, to see if their hunches are right.
Regardless, the folks over at Sony Pictures Television were kind enough to send along a screen shot of the wheel with the Free Play wedge. You can click on the small image above to see a larger version if you wish.
What do you think of this new addition? Will you miss the Free Spin, or is this a viable replacement? I will absolutely miss the old Free Spin, but I'm also looking forward to seeing the Free Play in action. The show is currently taping, and will return on September 14th.
Photo courtesy Sony Pictures Television
Comments
Even if it turns out to be a bomb, it cannot be denied that that is one good looking wedge. Props to the Wheel crew on keeping the “Free” font from the ol’ Spin.
So, if you land on this wedge, and choose a consonant that IS in the puzzle, you get nothing? That’s not clear. If that’s the case, why would I want to land on it except to use it for a free vowel?
And since it appears by this photo that it remains in play after it’s been landed on (though I suppose the whole wedge could come up like a prize wedge…again, not clear), a spinner could conceivably keep landing on it and spend nothing on vowels…and receive nothing for consonants.
I kinda like the “Free Vowel” idea, though. In fact, I think the cost of a vowel should be adjusted for inflation. It’s been $250 since the Chuck Woolery version premiered. (I know it was $100 on Bob Goen’s CBS show.) $250 is less than the lowest dollar value on the wheel. No wonder everyone buys vowels right away! You can make it back in one spin…on one letter.
Now, make it $1,000 or even $2,500 for a vowel…it’s not as easy a decision. You’ve got to think about it a bit. And it may take a few spins before you even have enough in your bank to buy one. Then it makes a “Free Play” space a bit more valuable.
But hey, it’s cool that they do something every season to stir things up!
You’re right Myke, I wasn’t clear. You get $500 for guessing a correct consonant, nothing for a vowel. And I’m pretty sure the wedge stays on the board, but someone will come along and correct me if I’m wrong on that point.
Upping the price of vowels – I think they’d get some pretty angry fans on that one! But it’s an interesting idea, and you’re right that the money wedges have increased in dollar amounts, but the vowels have stayed at the low, low price of $250.
Chad, I kind of like it too. It looks like it’s lit up or something, ’cause the color is brighter than anything else on the wheel.
Wheel of Fortune is unbearable to me honestly, and my mother a non game show fan agrees, and we don’t agree on much. It’s just so anticlimactic, and most of these wedges add nothing to the game. If this is a gamechanger maybe it’s worth it, but usually I can’t watch Wheel.
Honestly, this looks to me like another way for Wheel to give away less money while making it look like they’re giving more….
Oh. Never mind. I see that consonants are $500. That’s okay, then. (Most spins tend to be less than that)
There is no bigger gameshow nut than myself! But for the life of me, I have never understood the appeal of Wheel Of Fortune! I can’t sit through an entire show! It’s so boring! I do watch the final bonus round! Be honest! Am I the only one who feels this way?
Walt, just as an advisory note, your first comment is pretty pretentious, if not inaccurate or highly debatable.
Walt,
Most viewers can’t watch an entire episode of WOF and not play along with the puzzles.
That’s why it’s been on for more than 30 years.
But in answer to your question…it looks like Brandon and his mom would agree with you. So, no…you’re not the only on who feels that way.
I could see how playing along would help… the problem is I love game shows for the suspense, and WOF hasn’t got a great deal of it. I’m not hating on it as much as that dude however, I see the point.
Wheel isn’t my favorite game show but I can plainly see why it’s been on for so long, it is anything but boring, it’s exciting at times, the money amounts are good, the play at home factor, etc.. I personally prefer Jeopardy though, I don’t really care for word puzzles
I think I remember seeing an episode of Wheel where Pat Sajak actually said “Free spin should be changed to Free Play” I guess they listened to him.
I attended the taping of the first use of the free play wedge. It is lit up like the jackpot wedge, it stays on the wheel, and each consonant earns $500. During the 6 episodes that I watched, contestants tended to use it for vowels, and (to my surprise) it did not seem occur to any of them to use it to fish for uncommon letters, probably due to their nervousness, combined with the fact that it’s not yet common knowledge to America that this would be a good thing to do.
But it really didn’t get landed on very much, anyway.
why do i keep losing my points playing wheel of fortune
I taped in Vegas on July 18th, the Free Play wedge stays on the wheel, it is also lit up with lights.
quite honestly this is the worst idea..they got rid of the free spin space years ago to prevent a player repeating his turn for free..now they have a simular free spin space which gives out money and nothing for a vowel, plus it does not let you use a free spin whenever you want to…which is totally unfair. I think the 400 dollar wedge should go back and they should just have that classic free spin go back. They should also up the ante on the wedges for money..atleast 400 dollars minimum and get some 1000 and 1500 wedges back like old times
There are some differences between “Free Spin” and “Free Play”:
- A “free spin” allows you not to lose your turn if you hit a Bankrupt or Lose-a-turn or call a non-existent letter later in the show. A “free play” is used right away.
- A “free spin” also allows you to solve the puzzle without losing your turn. I recall an episode years ago in which a contestant solved a puzzle incorrectly, passed over her free spin token, and tried again to solve the puzzle. I’m not clear on whether you can attempt a solve on a “free play” and keep playing if you solve incorrectly.
On ‘Free Play’ why would you always want to save $250 by choosing a vowel, when you could ask for a consonant and possibly win $500 or much more, with which you could buy lots of vowels? It seems that very few take that gamble. Almost everyone takes the free vowel.