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

'Wheel of Fortune' player misses out on $40,000 prize money after failing to solve easy puzzle

"Boo, Boo!...BOOTS I was cursed by B and F again today," a fan criticized.
UPDATED JAN 7, 2026
Vanna White and contestant Kimmy on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Vanna White and contestant Kimmy on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

"Wheel of Fortune" cruise week edition continued tonight, and a contestant named Kimmy bagged herself an exotic cruise to Alaska valued at $10,625. She then advanced to the Bonus Round but couldn't guess the tongue twister puzzle and had to walk away with $25,260. 

Wheel
Ryan Seacrest and contestant Kimmy on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

She started by earning big on the game show. Round 2 (Crossword - Day Blank): Kimmy solved the crossword, which turned out to be "Trip, Time, Dreaming, Care," and won $9,898. Prize Puzzle (Travel Tips): She solved "Check out the awesome scenery" and won a $10,625 worth cruise to Alaska. Kimmy then moved on to the bonus round after claiming $25,260 to her total winnings.

Wheel
Contestant Kimmy's husband on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

During the final segment of the game show, Kimmy revealed that she is a school teacher at John Yehall Chin Elementary School in San Francisco. She then introduced her supportive husband, Dennis, to the host Ryan Seacrest. The host playfully suggested calling her principal, Mr Lee, to get approval for her time off for the Alaska trip. "And can you get that time off to take these trips? What's his name or her name? Principal Lee, we're calling," Seacrest indulged in a light-hearted conversation before the big spin. Kimmy earned an "A+" on the wheel, and she chose the "What Are You Wearing?" category.

Wheel
Vanna White and contestant Kimmy on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

She then proceeds to choose the consonants D, C, H, and vowel A for the puzzle after receiving the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E. The puzzle board looks tough to crack: _, A, _, R,_,_,_, A ,N ,C_,_,_,_, T, S. "Pair of dance shoes. Pair of dance flats. Pair of dance cuts. Play a pair of dance hats. Pair of dance," Kimmy tries to guess the right answer. After several attempts, she fails to solve the puzzle, "Pair of Fancy Boots". Kimmy misses out on the $40,000 bonus cash prize and takes home $25,260 along with the exotic cruise. 

Wheel
Vanna White and contestant Kimmy on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

Fans blamed Kimmy's choice of letters for the miserable result. "Boo, Boo!...BOOTS I was cursed by B and F again today," @sy-kd6km complained. "I figured out the puzzle and I was right with Pair of Fancy Boots, now if Kimmy would've add a "B" then that would've done it," @jacobwilson6192 criticized. "I knew it said Pair of Fancy Boots I said P B F and O and all them were on the board," @JasonFoo1653 chimed in. "CDHA CDMA CDPA deserved fail," @markh pointed out. "Tough puzzle. SMH. Tomorrow will be better," @myles-spikewebby8519 added. 

Wheel
Ryan Seacrest and contestant Kimmy on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

You can watch the disappointing moment here

More on Market Realist:

'Wheel of Fortune' fans stunned by identical twins who worked together perfectly to win $88,000

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant's perfect run ends with a $40,000 loss after failing to solve final puzzle

'Wheel of Fortune' player mistakes Paris for a country in awkward TV moment: 'A new type of fail'

RELATED TOPICS WHEEL OF FORTUNE
MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Martha Shedden believes Trump's plan was only aimed at helping wealthy Americans.
14 hours ago
The president's pick for Fed Chair has repeatedly said AI productivity gains will allow rate cuts.
14 hours ago
A police investigation confirmed the fraud and the accused has been sentenced to prison.
14 hours ago
This is not the case in all states but it certainly holds true in most cases.
14 hours ago
Madogiwa-zoku or the Window tribe are a set of elderly employees retained in a company with a menial desk job without being rendered obsolete
18 hours ago
The Social Security fund is running low and could be insolvent in six years.
19 hours ago
A new report shows 182,000 residents exited the high-tax state of Massachusetts in the past 5 years.
1 day ago
AI adoption is accelerating, but hidden risks could cost companies dearly.
1 day ago
The job growth was mostly driven by the healthcare and social assistance sector.
1 day ago
Pressure from the government and consumers choices have forced this decision.
3 days ago
She took her time to secure the big prize, drawing a loud cheer from the audience.
3 days ago
The billionaire also predicted that other companies would follow suit in the future.
3 days ago
His comments have led to several Americans calling him out for not reducing beef prices.
3 days ago
Billionaires grew their wealth by an incredible 22% in the last year as regular Americans struggled.
3 days ago
Americans in a Reuters/Ipsos poll identified the cost of living as the primary factor influencing their votes in the upcoming midterms.
3 days ago
This will be damning for the DHS, which is already under immense pressure from the public.
4 days ago
Experts believe that it has to do with getting a sense of momentary control.
4 days ago
It seemed like the contestant was heading towards defeat, but his luck soon turned around.
4 days ago
The company says it has taken action to protect its rights as an importer to seek duty refunds.
4 days ago