Wheel of Fortune fans are buzzing after yet another bonus-round puzzle stumped a contestant—and this one might be the toughest yet. Joey Sweet, a California program director, seemed poised to win $40,000 until the phrase “Carved By Hand” tripped him up spectacularly.
With letters C, D, M, A, and F revealed, Sweet guessed “Cleared in hand”—a reasonable try, but incorrect. The clock ran out before he could rethink, leaving host Ryan Seacrest to deliver the bad news. “This is a tough one,” Seacrest admitted, echoing the audience’s thoughts.
Viewers quickly took to social media, arguing the puzzle was unfairly tricky. “Who would’ve guessed ‘By’ in that context?” one fan tweeted. Others pointed out that two-letter words often trip players up, especially under pressure.
Sweet handled the loss with grace, still winning a $16,000 prize package. But the moment joins a growing list of viral Wheel fails, including last week’s infamous “sausages” mix-up. Love it or hate it, the show keeps proving that even simple phrases can become brain-teasers when the pressure’s on.
