One word costs ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant a luxury car — and her frustrated groan is painful to watch
CBS 'Wheel of Fortune' has witnessed countless players taking big prizes home. However, there have been situations where, despite best efforts, contestants lose because of tiny mistakes. In one such instance, a contestant made a heartbreaking mistake when they lost a Mercedes-Benz, just because of one word. The player was highly disappointed as they let out a loud groan, and honestly, we totally get their frustration.
Wanda played exceptionally well and won more than $21,300 along with a trip to Portugal, according to TV Insider, as reported by Market Realist. Her strong showing secured her a spot in the Bonus Round, where she selected the Thing category. Following the rules, she received the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E, but these letters hardly helped her in solving the puzzle. The five-word puzzle revealed only a couple of Ts. Wanda then carefully chose her extra letters, H, C, D, and A. These were good choices, as they revealed much of the puzzle, which now reads, 'A ATCH _ TH C _ _ _.'"
Wanda came very close to solving the puzzle but stumbled on the last word. She guessed, "A patch of thick, a match of thick, a watch of thick," but never quite got it. As her 10 seconds ran out, host Ryan Seacrest revealed the correct answer was "A Patch of Thick Fog." Seacrest reassured her, saying, "You were on to something there." The miss was especially tough since Wanda could have won a brand-new Mercedes-Benz. She let out a loud groan and threw her hands up in frustration. Fortunately, Seacrest reminded her that she still walked away with "well over $21,000," which lifted her spirits.
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Fans were also left disappointed and shared their opinions in a YouTube comment. A fan commented, "I wouldn’t have gotten that at all. That sounds more phrase-like than an actual thing," while another added, "I cringed when Wanda picked THING. It was a tough puzzle, but it wasn't as bad as the WHAT ARE YOU DOING puzzles this week. Believe it or not I managed to get this puzzle." Meanwhile, a fan remarked, "I wouldn’t have gotten that at all. That sounds more phrase-like than an actual thing."
Reportedly, Seacrest shared a behind-the-scenes secret about 'Wheel of Fortune.' The host, who took over from Pat Sajak in 2024, told ABC News on Friday, September 5, what creates the game's signature sound, as per USA Today. "Do you know the clicking sound? There are rubber bands, like you used to have with orthodontia on your teeth, that's what makes the clicking," Seacrest explained to Good Morning America's Trevor Ault. Vanna White, in her 43rd season, was surprised by the revelation. "Do you know I never knew that?" she said, sparking laughter from both Seacrest and Ault.
White praised Seacrest during the segment, saying he "did his homework" and that the "transition was amazing." She added, "He just slipped right in like he'd been doing it forever," while noting that although Sajak has stepped back from the spotlight, she's not planning to follow his lead anytime soon. White made it clear she isn't stepping away, saying she's "not ready to retire" because she's "having too much fun."