ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant surprised herself after solving a difficult puzzle on the first try

She did not have a lot of confidence when she gave her answer, and her reaction was hilarious.
PUBLISHED APR 4, 2025
Screenshots showing Ryan Seacrest and the contestant on "Wheel of Fortune." (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshots showing Ryan Seacrest and the contestant on "Wheel of Fortune." (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Getting to the Bonus Round on “Wheel of Fortune” is a big deal for several contestants, but winning big money in that round must feel extra special. In a recent episode of the show, a contestant had made it to the final round and was faced with what seemed to be a difficult puzzle. However, she got the answer right on her first attempt. The contestant was not expecting this at all, and her expression after winning was priceless.

The contestant was a woman named Nora, who had her husband on stage supporting her. “I love you so much, baby. Good job. Bring it home,” he said. It was then time for the puzzle, and the contestant had chosen the person category. As per usual, she was given the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. After these were revealed, the puzzle read, “_RE____S ______NT.” She then had to choose three consonants and one vowel.

Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest and the contestant on
Screenshot showing Ryan Seacrest and the contestant on "Wheel of Fortune." 9Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Nora chose the letters P, C, M, and A. There were good guesses as the puzzle now opened up a bit more to read, “PRE____S _CC_PANT.” Although many of the letters were revealed, it was still tough. The show has seen contestants fluff the simplest of puzzles in this round and history could have repeated itself. Nora wasn’t all that confident but she took a chance and said, “Previous occupant.”

Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

“Congratulations,” said host Ryan Seacrest immediately afterward, as it was the correct answer. The contestant’s jaw dropped as she could not believe that she had gotten it right on her very first try. “We’re quite sure that was right, and we’re adding this,” the host added as he revealed that Nora had won an additional $40,000. That got her total winnings from the episode up to a whopping $67,912. It was an incredible moment.



 

While some contestants get lucky and are able to solve the tough puzzles in a matter of seconds, the same cannot be said for others who sometimes fail to get even the simplest ones right. That’s what happened in a different episode, which also aired recently and left fans stunned. The contestant was a man named Stephen, and he too had made it to the Bonus Round. He had chosen the Phrases category for his puzzle.

As per usual, the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E were given, after which the three-word puzzle read, “_N __R ___.” Stephen was then asked to choose three consonants and one vowel, and he chose the letters C, M, G, and O. After these were revealed, the puzzle read, “ON O_R ___.” It seemed simple, and many people thought that the contestant would get it right.



 

“On our zip, on our pair, on our own,” he said. Unfortunately, neither of those was correct. The right answer was ‘on our way.’ The contestant could have won an extra $40,000, but it was just not meant to be. Maybe if he had a little more time, he could have gotten it right, but we’ll never know.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
U.S. Trade Representative launched Section 301 probes into unfair trade practices of 60 countries
20 hours ago
The Customs and Border Protection said the four-part refund system will be operational in a few weeks
1 day ago
Jeopardy! threw indirect shade at the actor for saying no one cares about Ballet and Opera .
1 day ago
Harvey, in his wildest imagination, couldn't believe the answer was popular.
2 days ago
The host couldn't believe his eyes when the answer showed up on the board.
2 days ago
David Malpass told Fox Business that U.S. energy independence will be crucial for growth measures
2 days ago
Sen. Rick Scott has proposed 'American Dream Accounts' that would help people save for a home.
2 days ago
The nonpartisan fiscal watchdog CFRB has warned that the U.S. may be heading blindly into the next crisis.
3 days ago
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei explains if AI models can actually go rogue and rebel against humans.
3 days ago
By the end of the game, Harvey was left wondering what he had just heard.
3 days ago
Senator Cory Booker is set to introduce the new tax with the aim to curb the cost-of-living crisis
3 days ago
Illinois is looking to setup Newborn Equity Support Transfer program to help mothers with childcare
3 days ago
Harvey was disappointed with the players who couldn't come up with the most obvious answers.
4 days ago
Some of the answers were too bizarre even for the seasoned host, Steve Harvey.
4 days ago
While the host fumbled the card, it had just enough for Brenda to win a brand new car
6 days ago
The nonpartisan fiscal watchdog revised its estimates to add $2 trillion to its earlier projection.
6 days ago
Chevron president Andy Walz urged the state's regulators to review their climate policy.
7 days ago
Harvey looked like he had enough as yet another question popped up, targeting him on the show.
7 days ago
Frito-Lay has recalled certain bags of its popular Miss Vickie's Dill Pickle Potato Chips
7 days ago