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 / ECONOMY & WORK

Navy veteran on 'Wheel of Fortune' lost $100,000 because of tough puzzle but she isn't 'complaining'

She could have also won an all-expense paid trip to India along with the prize money.
PUBLISHED AUG 9, 2025
Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the contestant trying to solve the puzzle on "Wheel of Fortune" (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

"Wheel of Fortune" might seem like all fun and games, but once the puzzles get tougher, even someone as tough as an army veteran doesn't stand a chance. One contestant who found out about this the hard way was a Navy veteran who had won an impressive $34,000 on her way to the Bonus Round. However, things did not work out too well for her there as she faced an impossible puzzle.

The contestant’s name was Nekeia Borders, who had an advantage, which was the Wildcard. This would allow her to choose one extra consonant while solving the puzzle in the Bonus Round. Without further ado, the contestant spun the wheel and hoped for the best. It would have mattered only if she won.

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

As the wheel stopped, host Ryan Seacrest pulled out the card and the two made their way in front of the screen. The contestant had chosen the Phrase category and was given the letters R, S, T, L, N, and E as per the norm for the show. She then had the chance to pick one more vowel and four more consonants. Borders picked the letters D, M, P, I, and C. These opened up a lot of the puzzle, but not the important bits.

It now read, “L_ _ _   _ _C _   _ IT_  _ _N_NESS.” The Navy vet’s 10 seconds started counting down, but she had no idea what the correct answer was. Border did not give any answer in the time allotted and failed to win the round. The correct answer was, “Look back with fondness.” This was an incredibly tough puzzle to solve with the letters that she had.

Screenshot showing the contestant's reaction to not winning. (Image credit: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Screenshot showing the contestant's reaction to not winning. (Image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

However, the worst part came when Seacrest opened the envelope. It turned out that Borders had lost $100,000 and a trip to India. The disappointment was clear in her reaction, but she quickly composed herself. “I am not complaining,” she said as Seacrest reminded her that she had won a whopping $34,000. The Navy vet had played a fantastic game, considering that she was behind her competitors for most of it before the Bonus Round, as per a TV Insider report.

Fans of the show could not help but sympathize with Borders. She tried her best, but there was little chance of anyone solving that puzzle with those letters. “That was very difficult puzzle, but she still took home a bulk of cash! Congratulations 🎉,” one user commented under the clip on YouTube. “KILLER puzzle.  Unlucky to get that one.  No way anyone is solving that,” added another. “Yea that was impossible. You had to call the right letters to have any chance,” one more said.

More on Market Realist:

‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant wins a Mini Cooper — 10 years after her sister appeared on the show

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant's kids heartbroken as they won't get a dog after her $40,000 loss

'Wheel of Fortune' fans are unhappy with the kind of prizes being offered to bonus round winners

RELATED TOPICS WHEEL OF FORTUNE
MORE ON MARKET REALIST
“We finally got our first $75,000 winner in the Ryan Seacrest era!!!” a fan praised.
6 hours ago
It is a known fact that the first Barbie doll debuted in March 1959 during an annual toy fair in New York City.
8 hours ago
The contestant also won the biggest prize ever in the show's history.
13 hours ago
The duo disclosed that Chompshop was keen on building STEM skills in children with their monthly subscription-based projects. 
1 day ago
The item could bring in a five-figure sum as per the expert, which the guest didn't expect.
1 day ago
Mr. Wonderful did not want to be flexible but the entrepreneur made him an irrefutable offer.
2 days ago
Some believe the strategy to be too cruel, while others believe that it was a gamble on winning.
2 days ago
The contestant had her hands raised in celebration, only to be left disappointed and red-faced.
2 days ago
In a recent video on Instagram, the current host of the show harshly criticized his own clothing choices.
3 days ago
The shark believed that he was the best man for the job and got the deal he wanted.
3 days ago
Fans of the show were disappointed with the loss but it was still a good attempt.
4 days ago
Mr. Wonderful said that he wanted to make things interesting and changed his offer at the last minute.
4 days ago
The contestant had said at first that he wasn't worried about the consequences.
4 days ago
The host spoke during the time alloted to the contestant to answer, causing it to run out.
4 days ago
The contestant did not expect the game to have such a twist and was over the moon.
4 days ago
The contestant was quicker than most people who find the round challenging.
5 days ago
The guest wanted way too much money from Harrison for the car, and the latter said no.
5 days ago
Steve Harvey could not control his laughter after hearing the answer for several seconds.
5 days ago
The entrepreneurs had a good reputation as they had founded a successful ice-cream brand earlier.
5 days ago