Even host Ryan Seacrest was baffled by a contestant’s mistake on the Wheel of Fortune during the bonus round.
Joey Sweet, a program director from Oceanside, California, almost missed earning a $40,000 prize on the November 18 episode. The category was “phrase,” and when Sweet made his guess, he had a puzzle that was almost finished.
“CA_ED’ ‘_ _’ ‘_AND,’” was the puzzle’s expression once Sweet had chosen the letters C, D, M, and A along with an additional “F” from his Wild Card. At first, the young contestant’s guess, “Cleared in hand,” appeared plausible, but as the meter ran out, there was no right answer. However, the solution was “Carved By Hand”—a complex one that annoyed both Sweet and the audience.
Even Vanna White, who had been eagerly awaiting the reveal, threw her hands up in disappointment after the incorrect guess. Seacrest, who has hosted the show since 2021, was quick to offer consolation. “You were on the right track. This is a tricky one,” he said, speaking directly to Sweet. He then opened the gold prize card to reveal the $40,000 that Sweet had missed out on, but Seacrest didn’t stop there. “Tough one,” he remarked, adding, “Even with the head start,” referring to Sweet’s Wild Card wedge.
Despite missing out on the big prize, Sweet remained upbeat and gracious. “It’s okay!” he responded, showing the audience that he wasn’t letting the tough puzzle get him down. He walked away with a prize package worth over $16,000 in cash and a trip to Mexico, making for a decent consolation prize.
After a YouTube video of the game was posted, the perplexing moment swiftly gained widespread attention. In the comments, many expressed how challenging the puzzle had been. A viewer commented, “It’s a tricky one, I don’t think I would have solved that unless I chose the right letters.” Many fans concurred with another fan’s observation that “By” is frequently a challenging word to predict during the bonus round. One user on X (previously Twitter) wrote, “To be fair, ‘By’ is a difficult word to think of when you think of 2-letter words on Wheel,” while the discussion on social media went on. “#WheelOfFortune.”
This blunder followed a similar viral moment from the previous week when Will Jordan, a police officer from Connecticut, made headlines for his wild guess, “Treat yourself a round of sausages” was the guess, but the correct answer was “Give yourself a round of applause.” As these hilarious blunders continue to capture the internet’s attention, one thing is certain: Wheel of Fortune never fails to deliver unexpected moments.
