Nura refused to say a thing about her performance that would confirm or deny people’s suspicions. But after Steve gaining an unexpected portion of the prize money, the audience could not help but wonder, some even drifting towards accusations. They wanted to get a straight answer out of her, but Nura wouldn’t give in.
It seemed as though she may have taken a tactical step back so that her former co-combatant could shoot for some of the spoils. A sense of camaraderie was in the air and beginning to be the underlying theme of the event. True to the spirit of Veterans Week.
Pat Sajak's Curiosity Got the Better Of Him
The game was now over, everyone just wanted to know what Nura was thinking. Sajak was dead curious about her guesses and, surely enough, approached and inquired about her strange picks.
As if Nura knew she was going to be asked this question, she appeared prepared, and responded cryptically, “That’s what I saw.” The only problem was that nobody in their sound mind could have chosen those letters. Her answer simply wasn’t plausible enough. “That was an unsatisfactory answer,” Sajak said. “But she’s not under oath.”
The Consolation Prize
Everyone who watched the show must have thought that Nura was playing a different game entirely. But who would deliberately give up the chance to win so much, and why? No one who had been watching her solid early performance could have anticipated her losing in those crucial rounds. Especially in such an obscure manner.
She still did well by proceeding to the final, but her abstruse performance at the end gave Steve a window of opportunity to score for himself. It gave him a sort of consolation prize.
The Big Realization
Those who watched the show had given up on trying to get a clear answer from Nura. After a while, it seemed that Nura didn’t have to provide an answer after all, as the audience had already convinced themselves that what happened before their eyes was an act of generosity that deserved praise.
A certain Jeremy Pond went on to express his thoughts on Twitter saying, “just saw the classiest move on Wheel of Fortune. Nura threw the final puzzle to let a fellow military person win it. Much respect.” Retro Roger tweeted, “Never saw someone throw a round so everyone could win some money.” And they were right. This became the most memorable installment in Wheel of Fortune history: a competitive game show that had unexpectedly turned into a venue for charity and humanity.
High Stakes
Proceeding to the final round in spite of her curious performance earlier, Nura was back in her formidable shape. This time there was no doubt that she was going in for the kill. The prize at stake: $33,000.
At this point, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that Nura had, in the previous round, given way for Steve to take home some money. This attitude made them appreciate her more than ever. They wanted her to take home the grand prize for what she did, and Nura did her part by giving it all her attention. However, the war veteran failed to come up with the final puzzle: “by appointment.”