A recent slip-up on Wheel of Fortune left even host Ryan Seacrest puzzled. On the November 18 episode, contestant Joey Sweet, a program director from
Oceanside, CA, missed a $40,000 bonus round prize. The category was “Phrase,” and the puzzle read “CA_ED’ ‘_ _’ ‘_AND” after he
picked the letters C, D, M, A, and Wild Card letter F. Sweet guessed “Cleared in hand”—but the correct answer was “Carved By Hand.”
Even Vanna White threw up her hands in disappointment. Seacrest consoled Sweet, saying, “You were on the right track… This is
a tricky one,” before revealing the missed prize. Despite the loss, Sweet stayed positive, walking away with over $16,000 and a trip to Mexico.
The moment went viral online, with fans calling the puzzle especially tough. One viewer commented, “I wouldn’t
have solved that unless I had the right letters.” Another noted how “By” is often a hard two-letter word to guess in the bonus round.
Sweet’s moment followed a similar viral guess the week prior, when another contestant guessed “Treat yourself a round
of sausages” instead of “Give yourself a round of applause.” Once again, Wheel of Fortune proves it’s full of surprises.