'Wheel of Fortune' player loses car after failing to solve a tough puzzle: 'It took me a while'

The contestant made some poor choices when it came to picking his letters for the puzzle.

PUBLISHED JUL 21, 2025

The puzzle that the player failed to solve (Covered image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

Some contestants on "Wheel of Fortune" have surprised people with their incredible game to win big prizes. But sometimes, there are players who manage to throw away their chance at winning in the most unbelievable fashion. Although it might seem like an unfortunate turn of events, fans are not so kind towards such players. That was the case with a contestant named Bill, also called “Big Bill” by his wife, Lee. Unfortunately, Bill was not able to get the Bonus Round puzzle right and failed to win what would have been a brand-new car. But he wasn't too upset about the outcome.

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The contestant had earned $31,600 in cash and prizes on his way to the Bonus Round. Bill had chosen the ‘What Are You Wearing?’ category and, as per the norm for the show, was given the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. He then had the chance to pick three more consonants and one more vowel. The contestant made a funny decision here as he picked the first four letters of the alphabet.

Unfortunately, that did not do anything for him, as only one spot was opened. The puzzle now read, “_A_R __ ___TE _L__ES.” The contestant’s ten seconds started counting down, and the first thing he said was, “Hair on white cliffs.” That was obviously not the right answer and didn’t make much sense either. He then said with confidence, “Hair on white glasses,” which was not the correct answer either.

Screenshot showing the contestant's wife. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

It was revealed to be “Pair of white gloves.” Although Bill was pretty far from the right answer, Ryan Seacrest liked the fact that he went all in with what he guessed to be correct. “But you went for it. You really did,” he said. The host then revealed that the contestant could have won a brand-new Ford.

Fans of the show, however, believed that the contestant should have gotten the answer right. Some of them claimed to have guessed what it was at just the R, S, T, L, N, and E. “I was screaming the answer at the tv 😂🤣But Bill did great!!! I do understand cause I was in front of the bonus puzzle last year and totally went blank! Congratulations, fellow WOF alumni!!” one fan commented.

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

“Got it with just the RSTLNE!” mentioned another. “P W G and O would've been the solution,” one more fan wrote. “It took me a while, but I figured it out,” another fan noted. Many fans still believed that it was a tough solve given the letters Bill had picked.