‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans say this Bonus Round puzzle was brutal — and it cost one player big time

She walked away smiling, but this ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant just lost $60K in the most frustrating way
PUBLISHED JUN 27, 2025
A screenshot of Vanna White and Kylene Foster from an episode of 'Wheel of Fortune' Season 42 (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
A screenshot of Vanna White and Kylene Foster from an episode of 'Wheel of Fortune' Season 42 (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

A 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant missed the golden opportunity to take home a staggering $60,000 after getting a raw deal during the Bonus Round. In an episode of 'Wheel of Fortune' Season 42, which was released on May 29, Kylene Foster, from Tiffin, Ohio, competed against Buffy Davis, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Jimmy Bryant, from Petal, Mississippi. Davis, who is a huge fan of Grammy-winning musician Taylor Swift, began the game by solving the first two toss-ups, adding $2,000 to her bank. Soon after, Davis took the lead by cracking the first puzzle that read, “Exciting Innovations”, putting $3,450 in her bank. 



 

During the Mystery Round, Bryant, who is a gold panner, managed to solve half of the puzzle before landing on Bankrupt. Shortly afterward, Davis also went Bankrupt. Eventually, Foster deciphered the puzzle, “Periodic & Ping-Ping Table”, maintaining the lead with $6,150. Following that, Foster also solved the Prize Puzzle, “Some People Have All The Luck,” and won a trip to the Canadian Rockies, taking her total to $18,950. Then, Bryant finally made his way on the scoreboard when he solved one of the three Triple Toss-Ups. The remaining two contestants solved the other two toss-ups.



 

Subsequently, Davis solved the final puzzle, but despite that, she couldn't advance to the Bonus Round as her total score was $11,400; meanwhile, Bryant was left with $2,000. On the other hand, when we talk about Foster, she was the big winner of the night with $20,950. During the Bonus Round, Foster was joined on the stage by her 17-year-old son, Riley, and her mom, Robin. When Foster was asked to pick a category, she chose “What are you doing?” After 'Wheel of Fortune' gave Foster, “R, S, T, L, N, and E,” she selected “C, H, B, and O.” At last, the puzzle looked like  “_O_ _N_  O_ _.” While guessing the puzzle, Foster said, "Boxing Old", "Boring Old.” Neither of the two guesses made was correct.



 

The right answer to the puzzle was "Dozing Off." As per TV Insider, the game show's host, Ryan Seacrest, revealed that $40,000 was in the envelope. Regardless of her big loss during the Bonus Round, Foster kept a positive attitude and shook Seacrest's hand. Foster even hugged Seacrest and told him, "Great to meet you. Thank you. I'm going to Canada." In his response, Seacrest quipped, "I know. You're gonna have a great trip." 



 

Once the episode dropped, the fans couldn't stop talking about Foster's Bonus Round puzzle. One social media user stopped by the comments section and wrote, "Kylene had the RAW DEAL list. Kylene, picking WHAT ARE YOU DOING...was a bad decision. Good, you didn't pick the G or I, BUT this was very tough. The O was a good pick, though, but not enough." Another 'Wheel of Fortune' fan commented, "Got it…After pausing the video and giving myself 10 more seconds!" Followed by a third user who penned, "Another borderline impossible puzzle." A user went on to say, "A bit difficult, but the o was a good call. The D could have been chosen."

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