Breakdown of Laut dem Moderator darfst du nicht drücken, außer wenn du den Joker benutzt.
du
you (informal singular)
nicht
not
dürfen
to be allowed to, may
laut
according to
Questions & Answers about Laut dem Moderator darfst du nicht drücken, außer wenn du den Joker benutzt.
How does außer wenn affect the word order in the second half of the sentence?
außer wenn acts as a subordinating conjunction, which kicks the conjugated verb to the very end of its clause. That is why the verb benutzt is placed at the end of the sentence, rather than immediately after the subject du.
Could I use außer dass instead of außer wenn here?
No, because they have different meanings. außer wenn means "unless" or "except if" and introduces a condition. außer dass means "except that" and introduces an established fact. Because using the lifeline is a condition that allows you to press the button, außer wenn is the correct choice here.
Why does the sentence start with Laut dem Moderator and put the verb darfst immediately after?
Laut is a preposition meaning "according to," and in modern German it usually takes the dative case (hence dem Moderator). Because this whole prepositional phrase takes up the first position in the sentence, the conjugated verb (darfst) must take the second position, coming right before the subject (du).
Wait, doesn't Joker just mean the playing card?
It can, but in German television and game shows (most famously in the German version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?), a Joker is the standard word used for a "lifeline" or a special hint you can use when you are stuck.