The iconic 'El Rosco' round is gone from 'Pasapalabra'. Its replacement, AlaZ, brings new rules and a fresh look. Mediaset has already announced legal action, citing similarities with the original format.
'Pasapalabra' has entered a new phase after removing its legendary final round, 'El Rosco', and introducing AlaZ as its replacement. The change, prompted by a court ruling over format rights, has not ended the legal wrangling. Mediaset, which currently holds the rights to 'El Rosco', announced plans to sue, arguing that AlaZ still bears "insurmountable similarities" to the original.
Despite the visual overhaul, the core of the final duel remains: contestants face a race against the clock, answering definitions to win the show's jackpot. The option to say "pasapalabra" and skip a question for later is still present, as is the importance of managing time accumulated during earlier rounds. However, the mechanics and strategy have shifted in several key ways.
The most visible change is the move from the iconic circular letter board to a horizontal layout. The new round features updated graphics, music, and typography, and contestants now compete from inside a booth. Another significant difference is that AlaZ displays blank spaces for each word, revealing its length—an element reminiscent of hangman and one that forces players to rethink their approach.
Unlike 'El Rosco', where multiple synonyms could be accepted as correct answers, AlaZ only allows 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 from 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, a flexibility not previously available. For viewers, the experience has changed as well. Definitions, remaining time, the current letter, and the correct answer (once revealed) are all displayed on screen, whereas previously, much of this information was only accessible by listening to the host.
The legal battle over the show's format is far from over. Mediaset maintains that, despite the new look and added features, AlaZ is still too close to 'El Rosco' in its core mechanics. The courts will ultimately decide whether the changes are sufficient to distinguish AlaZ as a new format or if the similarities warrant further legal action. This ongoing dispute echoes other high-profile media conflicts in Spain, such as the recent tensions within the Partido Popular, which were covered in detail in our report on internal party criticism and legal debates.
According to ¡HOLA!, the introduction of AlaZ marks a significant 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, both contestants and viewers are adjusting to the new rules, while the industry watches closely to see how the courts will rule on the future of the show's final round.
