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'Wheel of Fortune' cancer scientist was on a winning streak — until one word cost him a brand-new car

Viewers were stunned that he missed the seemingly easy puzzle. 'I solved it in one second,' one wrote

James Sun, a cancer scientist, hoped to hit the jackpot after advancing to the Bonus Round on a December 2024 episode of 'Wheel of Fortune'. However, the Massachusetts native missed out on a brand-new Ford Escape after failing to solve an easy puzzle. Before the disappointment, Sun aced nearly all rounds on the game, taking home $25,154 in cash and winning a lavish trip to St Lucia. Right before host Ryan Seacrest explained the rules, Sun introduced his nine-year-old daughter Nina, his wife, Danny, and his brother, Andrew. "Oh, that's the pilot. I would definitely fly with her," Seacrest said after learning that Nina took flying lessons with her father. "She's the pilot, for sure," Sun proudly affirmed. "Yeah, I get it now," the host replied. 

After giving the wheel a big spin, the pointer landed on the A wedge. "Let's see if we can add to your winnings. Here we go. James, $100,000 on the wheel. We got that car. $75,000. Where will it land? It's going to be the A," Seacrest said as he picked up the envelope. Sun chose the Phrase category for the Bonus Round, and the puzzle board displayed the standard letters: R, S, T, L, N, and E. "As you know. And then it's your turn. Well, it's a nice start. So we need three more consonants and one vowel for me. James," Seacrest instructed. The scientist chose the letters P, H, D, and A, after which the puzzle board read: “_ _ R T H / T H E / H _ P E.”

"Okay, Vanna. How'd he do? Well, it's a lot of progress. So you know the drill here. It's a phrase you've got 10 seconds to try and solve it," Seacrest said. The 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant stood perplexed as the seemingly simple puzzle stared at his face. During the ten-second time run, he couldn't guess the correct phrase, even though it seemed so obvious to the audience. "Worth the hope," he blurted. "Forth the hope", First the hope," he fumbled with different variations. Each time he repeated "hope" instead of the right final word. 

The buzzer ruined his "hopes," and Seacrest announced the correct answer, “Are you ready for it? Worth The Hype. You were so close, right out of the gate!” He then proceeded to open the golden envelope, revealing that Sun had lost the chance to take home a brand-new car. Fans couldn't believe Sun's misfortune, "I Guessed The Puzzle ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I Thought It Was “Worth The Hope” At First, Didn’t Make Sense.. So “Hype” Was The Only Other Alternative," one YouTube comment read. "Just one letter wrong! Oh, well. Nothing to sneeze at," a fan wrote in jest. "James was so close, off by 1 letter. I was guessing, and I was about to guess "worth the hype", but I blanked out," said one commenter. "I solved the puzzle in about 1 second. I think that a lot of people thought it was "worth the hope." I immediately thought it was "worth the hype," a viewer boasted.