In a competitive episode of “Wheel of Fortune” on May 14, 2024, three eager contestants battled for the top prize. Zemma Meshesha, a woman from Altadena, emerged as the winner of the night, securing a total of $60,705 in cash and prizes. Her competitors, David Pryor, a professional bowler from Allen, TX, and Melissa Dill, a registered nurse from New Paltz, NY, provided strong competition but ultimately fell short. David displayed his quick thinking during the toss-up rounds, while Melissa encountered unfortunate setbacks with a couple of BANKRUPTS.
The Bonus Round
The climax of the episode was the bonus round, where Zemma faced the puzzle “COMPARING PRICES” under the category “What Are You Doing?”. With only a few letters revealed after the standard RSTLNE, she opted for PCDI, which turned out to be an excellent choice, revealing enough letters for her to correctly guess the puzzle. This win added a Murano SV AWD, valued at $41,705, to her earnings, making her total grand prize a substantial $60,705 in cash and prizes.
Puzzles and Gameplay Highlights
The game’s puzzles spanned a range of categories, from “What Are You Doing?” to “Before & After”. The $1,000 and $2,000 toss-ups were quickly solved by David, who guessed “TROPICAL FRUIT SALAD” and “BASEBALL GLOVE” respectively. As the rounds progressed, each contestant had moments of triumph and struggle. Zemma strategically navigated through the puzzles, maintaining steady gameplay, which led her to win the prize puzzle round with the solve of “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE”, securing a vacation alongside her game earnings.
During the triple toss-ups, David regained his lead momentarily by solving “A LOT OF MONEY” and “A PILE OF CASH”, but it was the final puzzle of the night, “BUSY INTERSECTION”, solved by Zemma, that clinched her victory.
Puzzle Solutions Table
Here is a summary of the night’s puzzles and their solutions:
Round | Category | Puzzle Solution |
---|---|---|
$1,000 Toss Up | Food & Drink | TROPICAL FRUIT SALAD |
$2,000 Toss Up | Fun & Games | BASEBALL GLOVE |
Round 1 | What Are You Doing? | ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING |
Round 2 | Before & After | CLOSET SPACE EXPLORATION |
Round 3 (Prize) | Song Title | ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE |
Triple Toss Up 1 | Thing | A LOT OF MONEY |
Triple Toss Up 2 | Thing | A PILE OF CASH |
Triple Toss Up 3 | Thing | BANKRUPTCY |
Round 4 | Place | BUSY INTERSECTION |
Bonus Round | What Are You Doing? | COMPARING PRICES |