After a contestant failed to guess a seemingly easy puzzle on Wheel of Fortune correctly, fans of the show expressed their dismay.
Not everyone can solve Wheel of Fortune puzzles under pressure, as easy as they may seem to viewers watching from the comfort of their homes.
A recent contender named Nicole Bodie appeared during the show’s Secret Santa Disney-themed episodes this past week.
During her introduction, the mom of one shared that she was a cancer survivor, having beaten it twice.
Nicole’s story touched the hearts of Wheel of Fortune viewers, and they were rooting for her as she went head-to-head against her opponents, Matt Powers and Ty’Lisha Summers.
Although Nicole struggled a bit at the beginning of the game, she was able to make a comeback during the Express Round.
Wheel of Fortune contestant incorrectly solves a Bonus Round puzzle, missing out on $40,000
Nicole eventually took the lead and walked away with $26,017, earning herself a spot in the Bonus Round.
Nicole selected the “Phrase” category, and her chosen letters were “H, G, C, and O” to go along with “R, S, T, L, N, E,” which every contestant gets as freebies.
After Nicole’s letters got plugged into the board, the remaining letters read, “_ _ ONG OTHER TH_NGS.”
Unfortunately for her, Nicole’s guess was incorrect, however. She attempted to solve the puzzle, telling Pat she believed it was “Wrong Other Things” when the answer was “Among Other Things.”
Nicole then learned that not solving the puzzle correctly cost her an additional $40,000 in prize money.
Wheel of Fortune critics reprehend contestant’s incorrect puzzle guess
After the episode aired, Wheel of Fortune viewers headed to YouTube, where they commented on a clip of Nicole’s game show segment.
There were a few fans of the show who commiserated with Nicole, but others chastised her performance.
“I got this one right away but missed mine,” wrote @DriftGenes, adding, “Life is like that sometimes.”
Another Wheel of Fortune fan was convinced Nicole “was gonna get it,” while another threw some shade her way.
“Damn how could she not get it, i didnt but im bad at these things. She made it to the bonus round and had so many letters,” the critic commented.
One YouTube commenter pointed out that puzzles that begin with a vowel are often more challenging.
“She had it,” another Wheel of Fortune viewer penned.
There was one comment among the others from a Wheel of Fortune critic who didn’t make any excuses for Nicole.
“HOW DID SHE MISS THAT?!” they asked. “THIS IS ILLEGAL AND UNACCEPTABLE!”
Nicole Bodie is a two-time cancer survivor with special ties to Disney
Despite losing in the Bonus Round, Nicole walked away with more than $26,000 and met the Disney character Pluto during her appearance, so the day wasn’t a complete loss.
In fact, during her introduction with host Pat Sajak, Nicole explained that Disney holds a special place in her heart.
While battling cancer, she channeled her inner Minnie Mouse and wore mouse ears during her chemo treatments “to start conversations and bring joy to people going through a hard time.”