Additional Coverage:
- ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant loses Chevy over ‘tricky’ puzzle and viewers are feeling bad for him (marketrealist.com)
Navy Vet Wins Big on Wheel of Fortune, But Misses Out on Chevy in Bonus Round
A 20-year Navy veteran, Billy Kendra, experienced the highs and lows of game show competition on a recent episode of “Wheel of Fortune.” After a slow start, Kendra rallied, winning a trip to Florida and amassing $14,350 in cash.
He even brought along his Navy buddy, Gary, for support. However, the bonus round proved a heartbreaking hurdle.
Kendra spun the wheel, secured the coveted Golden Envelope containing a brand new Chevy Blazer, and faced a two-word puzzle. With the standard letters revealed, he chose D, M, F, and I for his additional picks.
The puzzle read “S _ _ _ _ _ _ N S _ M E R.” While he quickly solved the second word, “Consumer,” the first word stumped him.
As the clock ticked down, Kendra guessed “Super Consumer,” “Scary Consumer,” and “Story Consumer,” before time ran out. Host Ryan Seacrest revealed the answer: “Savvy Consumer.”
Although Kendra missed out on the Chevy, he took the loss in stride. Fans online sympathized with his near-miss, many commenting on the difficulty of the word “savvy” with its double V.
One fan noted that if Kendra had chosen “V” as one of his letters, he likely would have solved the puzzle. Despite the loss, Kendra walked away with a substantial cash prize and the admiration of viewers.