The first episode of Wheel of Fortune this December brought another nail-biting moment during the Bonus Round. Contestant Kelsey Sowders came close to solving the puzzle but ultimately fell short, despite using the Wild Card and some tough choices in her letter selections.
On Monday’s episode, Kelsey faced the tough two-word puzzle, “What are you doing,” with just a few letters on the board—E, N, and E. She had to guess the rest of the phrase with only 10 seconds on the clock. While the Wild Card was at her disposal, it didn’t help her in the end. None of her chosen letters—M, F, D, A, or H—appeared on the board, leaving her stumped.
As time ticked down, Kelsey couldn’t come up with the right answer. The clock hit zero, and the correct solution, “KEEPING BUSY,” was revealed. Although she was close, Kelsey missed out on the $75,000 grand prize. However, there’s still a silver lining. Kelsey walked away with a hefty $40,398, a sum that still impressed fans, even if she didn’t hit the big jackpot.
Many viewers had hoped she would snag the $100K prize, given her performance throughout the show. Despite the missed opportunity in the Bonus Round, fans congratulated Kelsey on her substantial winnings, though some wished she had chosen better letters to give herself a better shot at solving the puzzle.
This episode was part of a streak of Wheel of Fortune shows leading up to Thanksgiving that saw several contestants fail to solve the Bonus Round puzzle. While some of the puzzles appeared to be solvable, many contestants struggled under the pressure. The game show’s audience watched as family members cheered on their loved ones, only to face disappointment when their guesses didn’t match the answer. Ryan Seacrest, who now hosts the show, could only offer encouragement as the contestants’ attempts ended in frustration.
Interestingly, the recent losses haven’t caused fans to direct blame at Seacrest or the show, as they did when Season 42 first aired. Initially, viewers criticized Seacrest’s hosting style and questioned whether the puzzles were getting too difficult. However, with a string of successful episodes, including a few big wins, fans have become more understanding. They now simply see the challenges as part of the excitement of the game, with many appreciating the high stakes.
As the season continues, Wheel of Fortune fans are eagerly awaiting the first $1 million winner of Season 42. Two contestants have already had the chance, but no one has yet taken home the grand prize. Will someone hit the million-dollar mark before the year’s end? Tune in every weekday on ABC to find out, or catch the episodes on YouTube TV.
