Contestant auditions are now held exclusively online.

When a main round ends, Pat remains at his podium, instead of walking up to the contestant who solved.

Due to the above statement, the red and blue arrows are moved, resulting the flippers now being eleven pegs apart instead of seven.

The contestant area is extended and curved more outward, so that the contestants are six feet apart from each other and at least six feet apart from Pat.

For the first time since Season 5, there are no team weeks.

Despite this, Pat still acts as if there is an audience. As a result, almost all audience sounds are added in post-production (including not only the applause machine in use since at least Season 19, but also shouted suggestions for Mystery and Express hits where applicable). In addition, this means that contestants do not have guests in the audience.

No audiences are present, except for the other contestants of that particular taping session (who are now asked to stay for the entire day, instead of being allowed to leave once completing their own show).

All contestants are tested before coming to the studio, and all staff members are tested regularly.

While Jeopardy! eventually resumes casting contestants from the East Coast mid-season, Wheel does not do so until Season 39. Those that are not are from surrounding areas including San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Bakersfield, Fresno, Sacramento, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson.

Nearly all contestants this season are from the Los Angeles area, due to Wheel refusing to allow contestants to fly in.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, various changes are made:.

The page may have been moved, or the link could be outdated.

The 404 page now features an animated GIF of the 'Pat and Vanna pie-throwing' flashback clip, '404' in the form of a Wheel wedge, and the text 'The requested page was not found.

If a visitor wishes to solve the previous show's Bonus Round puzzle, they must now do so before 4:00 PM Eastern (previously 5:00 PM).

Weekend repeats through Janustill use the previous logo. Unlike the previous logos, the word 'Sony' is not in the font of the company's logo.

The Sony Pictures Television logo now reads 'Sony Pictures Television Studios' and is revealed with a single high piano note.

For example, the season premiere is numbered S-7231, but is actually the 7,188th nighttime episode.

As of this season, due to several episodes last season changing air dates and/or being cancelled as a result from the COVID-19 pandemic, production numbers are now 43 greater than the actual episode count.

Pat is now credited as a consulting producer.

Mike Richards replaces Harry Friedman as executive producer.

Wheel of fortune season 31 logo