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'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.

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