'Wheel of Fortune' player groans after Bonus Round loss — and fans agree the puzzle was nearly impossible
Despite quick thinking, a 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant missed a major prize because of an incredibly tough puzzle. Throughout its 42 seasons, the game show has welcomed countless contestants hoping to win big. However, solving the puzzle is not easy, and many contestants walk away empty-handed despite their best efforts. In one such instance, a contestant couldn't do anything but groan when she failed to solve a difficult bonus round puzzle, losing out on an extra $40,000.
In the April 2025 episode of 'Wheel of Fortune,' a marketing and sales manager from Ashland, Oregon, Eboni Lovell, competed against Kate Shearer from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and Leigh Price from Austin, Texas. A movie buff with a love for multiple fandoms, Lovell had a rough start, but she made a solid comeback by solving the first official puzzle of the night, 'Archaeological Sites,' which put $2,850 in her bank. Later, in the “Before and After” round, she nearly solved the board but guessed a wrong letter; her follow-up guess, “P,” was wrong too. This misstep allowed Price to swoop in and correctly solve the puzzle, giving him the lead, as per TV Insider.
Although each contestant solved one Triple Toss-Up, Lovell ultimately won the game with $22,108, while Price walked away with $17,750 and Shearer with $3,000. Lovell selected the 'People' as her 'Bonus Round' category. After receiving the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E, she chose P, C, M, and O, which revealed the puzzle as "_ N_CE RO_P O _ _ _S." She guessed phrases like "A nice group of pies" and "wine," but missed the correct answer, "A nice group of kids." After missing the 'Bonus Round' puzzle, Lovell threw her head back, groaned, and laughed as host Ryan Seacrest revealed she lost out on an extra $40,000. However, surprisingly, Lovell remained upbeat, saying she "wasn't mad" about her winnings and prizes.
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Lovell also voiced a similar opinion as she commented under the YouTube video posted by the official channel of 'Wheel of Fortune,' saying, "I had so much fun, and those 10 seconds go SO FAST when you're on the show. Sad I missed out on $40,000, but as I said, I'm not mad at $22,108!" Fans also shared their viewpoint, with many saying the puzzle was incredibly tough. A fan commented under the YouTube video, "That was another tough puzzle," while another noted, "That’s tough, but $22,108 is not bad." Another echoed the same sentiments, saying, "Goin Too Say Gotten it Right But Thee Last Puzzle Was Tough Tho!!" A fan simply said, "Last one is hard."
In another instance, a 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant, Will Jordan, gained major attention for his hilariously wrong answer. According to E! Online, the Coast Guard vet–turned–school resource officer blurted out “Treat Yourself to a Round of Sausage” on an almost-finished board. While the intended answer was "Give Yourself a Round of Applause," Jordan's unexpected guess quickly went viral. Host Seacrest stayed professional, telling him it was incorrect, then joked, “Although, Will, I kind of liked yours better. That sounds better than just clapping right now.”
