
What you didn’t see. Tyson Apostol is opening up about his time on The Problem: USA and why he determined to give up through the last alongside a few of his different rivals after a Sudoku puzzle with no directions tripped them up.
The Survivor: Blood vs. Water winner spoke completely to Us Weekly about what was going by his head throughout that point and what conversations he was having with the manufacturing workforce.
“Relating to Sudoku, they’re not letting us outing,” Tyson tells Us. “And so, I simply need to give up. I’ll attempt to do that Sudoku. I’ve by no means performed it earlier than. I do know the premise and I’m gonna attempt one time. It’s taken me some time. I didn’t get it. They’re like, ‘That’s incorrect.’ I used to be like, ‘OK, effectively I don’t know what else to do.’ And so they’re like, ‘Nicely, we are able to’t do the puzzle for you.’ And I used to be like, ‘I’m not asking you to do the puzzle for me.’ I’m simply saying I can’t do it as a result of I don’t know the way to do that. They had been like shoulder shrug after which I give up.”
He provides, “And apparently, there have been some arguments about whether or not or not they had been gonna let me outing. And I had lots of people instantly after that from manufacturing sobbing to come back in and inform me sorry. Like, ‘We’re sorry that occurred to you.’”
There appeared to be a number of inconsistencies about whether or not you may outing of the duties, as some individuals did however then others weren’t allowed.
“You’d ask in regards to the guidelines and any individual can be like, ‘Yeah, that’s the guidelines.’ And you then’d be like, ‘Present them to me’ they usually’d be like, ‘They’re in my head,’” Tyson explains. “And also you’d be like, ‘OK, effectively, and there’s not quite a bit in there so I’m assuming they’re simple to seek out.’ However yeah, it was undoubtedly … it was bizarre. It was undoubtedly bizarre. It was a bizarre vibe. After that occurred, I instructed lots of people, I used to be like, ‘That was the worst couple days of my life,’ and never as a result of it was depressing.
As for whether or not followers will see Tyson return for this much-talked-about “World Championship” season on Paramount+, the Utah native tells Us, “They’ve already known as me for each and I’ve already handed them each up. A number of instances. Many, many instances. Simply 10 cellphone calls.”
Scroll all the way down to learn our full interview with Tyson Apostol.

Us Weekly: I don’t even know the place to begin. Let’s begin with the Sudoku puzzle as a result of that’s the place you and Dom [Abbate], Justine [Ndiba] and Cayla [Platt] all ended up quitting. How lengthy had been you doing it and what had been the directions that you just guys got?
Tyson Apostol: The directions had been what you noticed on the display. It mentioned “end the sample.” And at this level, I’m trying, like, “Is that this a joke?” They will need to have been instructed to not speak us in any respect on this second. So I’m like, “OK, effectively I do know the premise of Sudoku, however I by no means performed Sudoku.” I do know that there’s the 9 dice and the cross and the down, however I’ve by no means performed. I feel I used to be at that puzzle 20 to half-hour earlier than Danny even confirmed up.
Then I used to be there no less than that period of time afterward, so in all probability near an hour? However then, Dom confirmed up. He had by no means performed or didn’t even know the premise of Sudoku and neither had Justine. And when “end the sample” is your instruction, that’s a really tough factor to determine. However it’s on me. I don’t know the best way to play Sudoku. I simply may have received this factor if I might’ve taken the time on airplane screens to play Sudoku as an alternative of watch films.
Us: Let’s speak in regards to the timeout inconsistencies although. Why may Justine and Sarah [Lacina] outing on their puzzles however you couldn’t on this one? And did having the ability to outing issue into Angela [Rummans]’ choice to not dig?
TA: Sure. That undoubtedly factored into Angela going to sleep. That was the entire thing. And he or she mentioned it. She was like, “I’m going to sleep. I can’t win this.” So mainly, every pairing needed to transfer a pile of gravel from one facet of the sector to the facet of the sector. After which again. And so they mentioned, “OK, since you’re by your self, you need to transfer two-thirds of the unique pile, which mathematically, you probably have two individuals shifting a pile and one particular person shifting one other pile … so already she has to maneuver greater than every particular person particular person would by herself. Plus, she doesn’t take any breaks. And so she simply was like, “I’m gonna outing.” Justine timed out of the final one as an alternative of them making her run again and determine her decoding state of affairs. After which, her and Dom timing out of the very first puzzle. That was bizarre too as a result of even with Cayla’s factor, like, they compelled her to eat the onion and I believed they had been simply gonna time her out after which they didn’t. They had been like, “if she doesn’t end consuming the onion, she’s completed.”

Us: Fascinating. Additionally although, so she solely received one portion of meals, however Justine needed to keep in mind 10 numbers? It appeared like the foundations weren’t at all times the identical.
TA: Proper. Justine’s was insane. The truth that she even memorized these 10 numbers was insane. Cayla didn’t need to eat two onions, proper? However that was how the entire thing went. It was simply, like, you’d ask in regards to the guidelines and any individual can be like, “Yeah, that’s the guidelines.” And you then’d be like, “Present them to me” they usually’d be like, “They’re in my head.” And also you’d be like, “OK, effectively, and there’s not quite a bit in there so I’m assuming they’re simple to seek out.” However yeah, it was undoubtedly … it was bizarre. It was undoubtedly bizarre. It was a bizarre vibe. After that occurred, I instructed lots of people, I used to be like, “That was the worst couple days of my life,” and never as a result of it was depressing.
Us: Proper, I imply, I’m assuming you may survive the weather.
TA: The weather had been superb. Relating to Sudoku, they’re not letting us outing. And so, I simply need to give up. I’ll attempt to do that Sudoku. I’ve by no means performed it earlier than. I do know the premise and I’m gonna attempt one time. It’s taken me some time. I didn’t get it. They’re like, “That’s incorrect.” I used to be like, “OK, effectively I don’t know what else to do.” And so they’re like, “Nicely, we are able to’t do the puzzle for you.” And I used to be like, “I’m not asking you to do the puzzle for me.” I’m simply saying I can’t do it as a result of I don’t know the way to do that. They had been like shoulder shrug after which I give up. And apparently, there have been some arguments about whether or not or not they had been gonna let me outing. And I had lots of people instantly after that from manufacturing sobbing to come back in and inform me sorry. Like, “We’re sorry that occurred to you.”
Us: I listened to your podcast and also you additionally talked about that Sarah timed out on the hexagon puzzle?
TA: She did. She undoubtedly did outing of the hexagon puzzle, for certain. And I wasn’t there – that is rumour solely – in a a lot faster period of time than I spent at Sudoku.

Us: Fascinating. So had been you speaking quite a bit to producers earlier than you give up? Did you guys all give up collectively? Did they attempt to get you to not?
TA: No, I simply noticed that they weren’t gonna clarify to them the best way to play Sudoku or what to do, they usually had had it. And so at that time, I used to be like, in the event you guys are quitting then I can’t get any additional on this puzzle too. So yeah, I’m quitting too. And there was a second of pressure with manufacturing there as they had been like, “We don’t even know the way to do that.” It was type of like a heated second with manufacturing. After which I used to be like, “I’m not even providing you with guys the …. I’m completed too. I’m completed, I’m completed with this complete factor.”
Us: And I’m assuming when you noticed Danny [McCray] end the puzzle and go away, you had been like, “OK he’s he’s gonna win anyway.”
TA: Yeah, when he left and there had been a sure period of time handed, I used to be identical to, “Ah, he’s received. We’re too near the highest right here.” So yeah, that was additionally a part of it. However regardless of how lengthy I might’ve spent on the Sudoku, I don’t assume I might’ve gotten it.
Us: Discuss to me about Sarah. What did you concentrate on her not even realizing she received and Danny having to inform her?
TA: She was up to now behind. I spent an hour or extra on Sudoku. Sarah wasn’t even there but. She the slowest up the hill. It wasn’t even only for the puzzle that she hung out and had the timeout, she was the slowest up the hill your entire approach. She was in lifeless final. She was in lifeless final place when she received to the puzzle. So it was humorous and due to that, no person was even on the Sudoku puzzle by the point she received there, as a result of we’d both all been shuffled off or Danny had gone on to the highest. So when she received to the Sudoku, I didn’t see a video of her even ending that.
Us: Yeah, she had some phrases about Angela not doing the digging, however she seemingly didn’t end some issues both? Did you speak to her after the ultimate? Was she stunned about you guys quitting?
TA: I don’t know. I suppose for Sarah, I’m certain she’s very, very happy with herself and really, very completely satisfied that me and Angela didn’t win. However that’s all I can assume. I imply I feel on Instagram, she already received on and was like, “Angela’s a quitter. I’m displaying all people how sturdy you may be as a woman cop.” And so I’m certain that’s taking place someplace.

Us: What do you concentrate on among the authentic Problem followers on Twitter who’re saying that you just and these different CBS personalities “can’t deal with” The Problem and the ultimate, or no matter.
TA: I imply, the people who find themselves tweeting that, in the event that they mainly can’t perceive what’s occurring simply by watching the present, I already know that their capability to grasp isn’t price my time. Generally if they are saying, like, the precise proper phrases, I’ll be like, “OK, let me consider a comeback for this man for a second.” After which after a short time I’m like, “Oh no, I’m already over it.” However yeah, they weren’t there. I’ve nothing to show. I already know the way sturdy I’m and the way good I’m at this sport. And so, for me, it’s actually doesn’t faze me. It’s like, “OK, I don’t know the best way to do Sudoku. I couldn’t do Sudoku. And that’s the factor that beat me? Was me. I defeated myself.” So like, yeah. OK, cool.
Us: Lots of people additionally requested me about your gloves. I do know you talked about this in your podcast however did they not put together you guys for every leg of this?
TA: I don’t assume they thought it was gonna be this chilly. We present up for the primary leg, they usually give us some heat clothes. We get by it after which we’re freezing, so they offer us this winter jacket. I feel they had been simply, like, operating to Walmart or one thing and shopping for stuff after which bringing it again. They’d a tough time discovering any sneakers in Danny’s measurement. After which hastily they confirmed up with like snowsuits and snow pants, however they had been all like one measurement suits all. So the women needed to tie knots in them and the fellows needed to put on them open with the fly open, as a result of they wouldn’t match across the guys’ waists and stuff. You weren’t allowed to not have your garments after which have them on a special leg. So Sarah and I, on the consuming leg, we dropped our winter jackets realizing it was gonna be a run. After which once we completed, it was very, very chilly, freezing chilly. It was like a cold fall kind of temperature. And once we stopped, we had been freezing, they usually had been like, “No, you need to carry. If you would like that jacket, you gotta carry it.” Which, superb. That’s superb. In Survivor, in the event you don’t want one thing throughout a problem, you set it off to the facet and it makes its approach again to you. However right here, you’ll be able to by no means set your clothes down as a result of any individual will snatch it proper up.
The following leg, they instructed us to put on these snow garments and we ran. And so then all people was drenched in sweat, after which they made us wait once more for such a very long time. I feel in all probability a few of it has to do with lights and timing as a result of for nighttime stuff or no matter, no matter it was. These had been in all probability truthfully probably the most uncomfortable components of the finale was the couple hours ready exterior with somebody from manufacturing telling you it might be simply 5 extra minutes. There have been so lots of these individuals. There’s gotta be a list for Bunim/Murray that’s like, “Are you able to with a cheerful angle say will probably be “simply 5 extra minutes” for six hours straight?
Us: That particular person hated their life that day.
TA: I do know. And I felt so dangerous for them they usually had been so cheery, and you may see on their face that they had been like, “I do know that is fallacious.” And also you needed to consider them and also you had been like, “Possibly that is actually the 5 minutes.”

Us: I do know we’ve got to wrap up quickly, however was there something you discovered after filming and even whereas watching that stunned you?
TA: No, probably not. I had my finger on the heart beat the entire time. I knew what was taking place in the home and I knew, like, even when individuals didn’t come out and say it, I knew who didn’t like me and who appreciated me. And so I assumed that some individuals can be saying stuff, however I feel usually, I imply, I don’t assume there’s something that I used to be like, “Ohhhhh.” I drove the sport from day one and probably the most anyone may do towards me was myself dropping at Sudoku or Dom being like, “Oh, Tyson doesn’t get his approach right here.” And I’m like, “I already made my approach to the ultimate bro. I don’t know why you assume I’m so affected by this half?”
Us: Did profitable the primary every day problem with Angela set the tone for you guys working collectively?
TA: Yeah, undoubtedly. At that time, we had been like, let’s preserve all people with the cash in an alliance to guard the cash. And that approach we defeat the algorithm as a result of then we are able to promote it to individuals. As quickly as any individual wins a problem, we are able to go to them and be like, “Hear, we’ve got this setup with all people who’s received cash. In case you promise to not go towards anyone with cash, they’ll do the identical for you. We’re all on this factor collectively. You earned your cash. Let’s all get to the ultimate.” And that was the one approach to fight the algorithm. In order a brand new couple would win, you’d go in and be like, “Hey, only a heads up. In case you go towards anyone with cash, all people with cash is then gonna come for you. So the good factor is simply to stay with the cash individuals.” And that labored for about three quarters of the way in which by very simply.
Us: I feel I do know the reply but when they name you for this “World Championship,” are you saying sure or passing?
TA: They’ve already known as me for each and I’ve already handed them each up. A number of instances. Many, many instances. Simply 10 cellphone calls.
Us: Oh wow. You’re not completed with actuality TV endlessly although. Are you?
TA: I don’t know. I imply, who is aware of? I can’t do it twice a yr for certain. That’s an excessive amount of time away from my household. By no means say by no means. I received’t be there in October, however possibly two years down the highway, I’ll be like, “Nicely, let’s see how it’s now,” however I don’t envision myself doing that. But additionally, you’ll be able to’t rule it out fully.