‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant guessed puzzle with just 1 letter—15 years later, it’s still the best solve
Caitlin Burke, a fashion editor from New York who was 26 at the time, shocked everyone when she solved a 27-letter 'Wheel of Fortune' puzzle with just a single letter on the board. The puzzle was: 'I’ve Got a Good Feeling About This,' under the 'Phrase' category. The board had just one letter filled in—the 'L' in 'feeling'. Host Pat Sajak was left stunned but gave her the green light as Burke said the full phrase confidently in one breath. The studio went silent, too, for half a second, then erupted in cheers. Even the show’s longtime letter-turner, Vanna White, looked amazed as she revealed the rest of the board, Daily News reported.
“Is it just me, or was that the most amazing solve we’ve ever had on the show?” Sajak said, still in shock. Burke later explained her thought process. She said she noticed the first word was short and guessed it would be “I’ve.” Then she followed her gut instinct. She had a feeling the puzzle might be a common phrase—and she went with it. “I saw that it was a small word, so ‘I’ve.’ And I thought maybe ‘Got a Feeling About,’ so I’ve got a hunch,” Burke explained. “Then I said, ‘I’ve Got A Good Feeling About This.’” And she was absolutely right! Her bold guess not only earned her internet fame but also won her a luxury vacation to the Caribbean worth $6,500. The episode was recorded in September 2010 but aired in November that year.
Burke grew up in Clinton Township, New Jersey, and at the time worked as a fashion editor for Hearst Magazines in New York City. Commenting on her time on 'Wheel of Fortune', she shared that it was something she had always dreamed of. “I was always really good at it,” she said. “I’m not good at a lot of things… but ‘Wheel of Fortune’ I was really good at.” Although it has been nearly 15 years since the episode aired, it’s still one of the most widely discussed moments of the show to this day.
Sharing her secret to winning the show, Burke told 'Early Show' co-anchor Harry Smith how the whole experience was straight up 'funny'. “I just think it’s funny,” she said, as per CBS News. “It’s funny that, you know, all this has become of it. I don’t know, I guess I’m excited.” She attributed her incredible guess to years of practice. “Just years of practice and watching... I don’t know, you just try to instantly think of -- instead of getting so caught up on the letters on the board, rather than thinking this is a phrase. Seven letters, that’s a phrase. How many of those do you know that start with 'I.'"
