The change to 'Pasapalabra' follows the removal of its legendary final round, 'El Rosco', and the introduction of AlaZ as its replacement. A court ruling over format rights came after the programme moved from Telecinco to Antena 3. An Audiencia de Barcelona resolution directed Antena 3 to stop broadcasting 'El Rosco', information from an indexed description of the decision published by El Periódico. Mediaset, which holds the rights to 'El Rosco', has announced plans to sue, arguing that AlaZ still bears "insurmountable similarities" to the original.
The dispute has reshaped the competition and the branding of the programme’s final round. La Vanguardia reported that Atresmedia developed AlaZ based on a format from Swiss public television, while Mediaset retained or developed a competing version of the former final round, known as 'Rueda la letra'. The legal dispute concerns the rights to the format. The available description of the Barcelona resolution identifies the restriction on broadcasting 'El Rosco' but does not set out the full licensing arrangements.
Despite the visual overhaul, the core of the final duel remains: contestants race against the clock, answering definitions to win the show's jackpot. They can still say "pasapalabra" to skip a question and return to it later, and managing time accumulated during earlier rounds remains impressive. The mechanics and strategy have shifted in several basic ways.
The most visible change is the move from the iconic circular letter board to a horizontal layout. The new round updates its graphics and music, with typography tailored to the format, and contestants now compete from inside a booth. AlaZ also displays blank spaces for each word, revealing its length. The hangman-like element forces players to rethink their approach.
Unlike 'El Rosco', where multiple synonyms could be accepted as correct answers, AlaZ allows only one precise solution per definition, matching the number of letters shown. Contestants can also request a hint by saying "Letra", but each hint costs five seconds of their remaining time. To balance this, the starting time has increased from 85 to 110 seconds, making time management even more critical.
Another strategic twist: the contestant with the most accumulated time can now choose whether to start from A to Z or Z to A. La Vanguardia reported that the option to tackle the alphabet in reverse, together with new clues, adds another strategic dimension. The viewing experience has changed, too. The screen now tracks remaining time as it displays each definition and the current letter, then shows the correct answer once revealed. Previously, much of this information was available only by listening to the host.
AlaZ is now part of the programme’s regular broadcasts. In one Antena 3 report, contestant David built a run of 12 consecutive answers and reached 21 correct responses before finishing with 22; Moisés later matched that total despite having made an error. These figures describe that contest, not audience ratings or jackpot amounts.
The new round has also brought answer adjudication into focus. In an episode reported by La Vanguardia, contestant David Trigo said "carborara" in response to a clue for the Italian pasta dish carbonara, and the answer was marked incorrect. Presenter Roberto Leal explained that this was what had been heard and that the correct answer was carbonara. Atresmedia characterized the mistake as a lapse, saying David had experienced "a slip" in AlaZ.
The legal battle over the show's format is far from over. Mediaset maintains that, despite the new look and added features, AlaZ remains too close to 'El Rosco' in its core mechanics. The courts will ultimately decide whether the changes distinguish AlaZ as a new format or whether the similarities warrant further legal action. This dispute echoes other high-profile media conflicts in Spain, including recent tensions within the Partido Popular, covered in detail in our report on internal party criticism and legal debates.
According to ¡HOLA!, AlaZ marks a impressive shift for 'Pasapalabra', a show that has been a staple of Spanish television for years. The outcome of the legal proceedings could set a precedent for how TV formats are protected and adapted in Spain. For now, contestants and viewers are adjusting to the new rules as the industry watches how the courts will rule on the future of the show's final round. La Vanguardia’s report details the new format’s Swiss television inspiration and the on-air answer dispute.
