*Wheel of Fortune* viewers were delighted on Monday night by Geoffrey Smith,
a contestant who quickly became a standout favorite after showcasing impressive puzzle-solving skills.
The Saint Cloud, Florida resident walked away with an impressive $66,000,
but it was his performance throughout the game that truly captured the hearts of viewers.
Smith, who was competing against Sonja Hughes, a beauty pageant enthusiast from Oklahoma City, and Kaitlyn O’Keeffe,
a high school social studies teacher from Deer Park, New York, wasted no time asserting his dominance.
He quickly won the first round puzzle, the mystery round, the triple toss-up, and the final speed round puzzle, which set him up with a healthy $26,000 as he entered the bonus round.
For the bonus round, Smith was given the ‘Phrase’ category, which is often considered one of the more challenging categories. He carefully considered the puzzle, which read: “_ _ S T / _ L _ R T / I T / _ _ T,” and selected the additional letters “C, F, M, and I.” This left him with a four-word puzzle that had just a few blank spaces remaining.
As the ten-second timer began, host Ryan Seacrest, sensing the challenge ahead, advised Smith, “Take your time, it’s a phrase, you’ve got ten seconds.” But Smith, exuding confidence, immediately gave his answer: “Just Blurt It Out.”
Seacrest was taken aback, exclaiming, “Yeah! Wait a minute… come on!” as the answer was confirmed, adding a spectacular $40,000 to Smith’s total winnings.
Seacrest, clearly impressed, joked, “You were looking down at me like, ‘I don’t need you to talk anymore, Ryan, I just wanna blurt it out.’”
The puzzle-solving moment instantly resonated with viewers. One fan on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Geoffrey is the best #wheeloffortune player of all time.
Holy smokes.” Others praised his quick thinking, with some commenting on how Smith’s solution seemed almost intuitive based on the letters that hadn’t been picked.
A fan wrote, “Feels like an example of being able to solve the puzzle based on what letters haven’t been chosen yet. Great job.”
Some viewers even speculated that Smith might have intentionally picked the wrong letters just to build suspense, with one commenting, “Geoffrey definitely knew the puzzle, but intentionally called the wrong letters except for the ‘I’ lol.”
Whatever the case, Smith’s performance won him widespread admiration and further solidified his place as a fan favorite.
Earlier in the episode, Smith shared a lighthearted moment with Seacrest, revealing that he grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, and watched *Wheel of Fortune* on his neighbor’s black-and-white TV.
Smith joked that he was amazed to see co-host Vanna White “in living colors.” White later congratulated him as he danced in celebration of his victory.
Smith’s combination of puzzle-solving prowess and humble demeanor endeared him to fans even further. One viewer commented, “He was awesome!! Wished it was more than $40,000!! CONGRATS,” while another added, “Geoffrey came to Wheel of Fortune to win big… congratulations!”
Unfortunately, some fans missed the episode due to its preemption for NFL post-playoffs coverage. A Reddit user explained, “ABC is airing an NFL Wild Card game tonight at 8 ET, with pregame at 7:30 pm, which means WOF will not be able to air in many cities where it airs on ABC.” The episode will be aired later in the week for those cities that missed it.
Despite some fans still adjusting to new host Ryan Seacrest, the show has seen impressive ratings since his arrival. According to Nielsen data, *Wheel of Fortune* averaged 7.99 million viewers during Seacrest’s first month as host, making it “the most-watched entertainment series across broadcast, cable, and syndication.”
Geoffrey Smith’s impressive performance on *Wheel of Fortune* not only earned him a substantial prize but also made him a fan favorite.
His skillful puzzle-solving, charming personality, and memorable moments on the show have left viewers excited to see more of him in the future. Fans can only hope this won’t be the last time they see Geoffrey in the spotlight.
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