Additional Coverage:
- ‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant loses out on $40,000 after picking terrible choice of letters (marketrealist.com)
Tough Break on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ as Contestant’s Letter Choices Cost Him Big
“Wheel of Fortune” hopeful Clayton learned the hard way that sometimes skill, not just luck, is key to winning big. Despite a recent streak of bonus round wins, Clayton missed out on a hefty $40,000 prize after some unfortunate letter choices.
Clayton had already secured $27,548 and a trip to Japan before heading to the bonus round. Choosing “Around The House” as his category, he was given the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E.
He then selected C, K, D, and A as his additional consonants and vowel. Unfortunately, none of his chosen letters appeared in the puzzle, leaving him with the daunting “L _ER _ _ _ES” and only 10 seconds to solve it.
The correct answer, “Flower Boxes,” proved too difficult to decipher. Host Ryan Seacrest acknowledged the challenging puzzle, noting that Clayton “needed a head start.” While disappointed, Clayton still walked away with a substantial prize and a trip to Japan.
Fans reacting online agreed that the puzzle was particularly tough, with some calling it “brutal” and “designed to be a loss.” This incident follows another recent controversial puzzle, “Whoop It Up,” which also left fans scratching their heads and questioning the show’s choice of phrases.