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Last December, the Upshot printed a information to Wheel of Fortune methods, utilizing knowledge from greater than 6,000 bonus-round puzzles. Our information has influenced the habits of not less than one contestant. Scott Menke, a knowledge analyst from New Jersey, received $52,690 in money and prizes on an episode final month after creating a method based mostly on our article, he mentioned.
Some of Mr. Menke’s preparation, and his calmness underneath strain, shouldn’t be simply replicable. It got here from expertise: He had been a semifinalist on the “Jeopardy!” school championship, received $20,000 on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” and banked $50,000 on “The $100,000 Pyramid.”
When competing on “Wheel,” he mentioned, he hardly had any nerves.
But a lot of his preparation is a sensible case examine for future contestants. He went past our information and got here up with an excellent set of ideas for clean phrases.
Here’s Mr. Menke’s ultimate bonus-round puzzle (with the letters R, S, T, L, N and E already given and B, G, H and O chosen). Feel free to pause and take into account doable options. Then learn on to see how he ready for the second.
Once Mr. Menke realized he was going to be on “Wheel of Fortune” in February, he had simply 20 days earlier than taping. To examine for the principle recreation, when he could be up in opposition to two different contestants, he downloaded outdated puzzles from the fan-created Wheel of Fortune Puzzle Compendium. But given the unpredictability of the principle recreation, he determined that “95 %” of his prep could be on the bonus spherical. He discovered our article on bonus-round technique and commenced coaching.
Scott Menke’s ‘Wheel’ Training Regimen
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First, he determined that if he made it to the bonus spherical, he would choose the “Phrase” class, which we advisable in our information, and BGHO as his further letters, which we advisable as tied for the very best mixture. (The participant is robotically given RSTLNE first.)
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Since he knew he was undoubtedly selecting BGHO, he practiced outdated bonus-round puzzles with each the default RSTLNE and his BGHO stuffed in.
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Mr. Menke says the very best factor to review is phrases which might be all clean. Although clean phrases are intimidating at first, the variety of phrases that may be clean after the letters RSTLNE and BGHO are stuffed in is smaller than you’d assume. For occasion, of the 24 commonest two-letter phrases, solely 4 should not have any of these letters. Using the info from previous bonus-round puzzles, he decided that such a clean two-letter phrase would almost certainly be MY or UP.
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He then did this for all clean phrase mixtures from two to seven letters. The examine sheet he created is beneath.
When the letters had been revealed for the ultimate bonus spherical, he instantly knew the ultimate three phrases (AT THE OPPORTUNITY) however didn’t know the primary clean phrase. He began “biking by the listing” of clean phrases out loud, saying PICK and PACK first. When he lastly bought the right reply, JUMP, he didn’t notice it at first.
Mr. Menke mentioned he knew his preparation was working when, whereas training at residence on outdated bonus-round puzzles, he was in a position to resolve an nearly utterly clean puzzle instantly. Although the puzzle beneath appears unsolvable at first look, in case you use his examine information, it could really be simpler than most clues which have many letters stuffed.
