Another Wheel of Fortune contestant has walked away empty-handed from the Bonus Round, and this time, it’s sparking a backlash from viewers who say the puzzle was downright outdated.
Amy Johnston of Schertz, Texas, was the latest player to face off in the final round on Wednesday, May 21 — and her loss marks the 18th consecutive Bonus Round failure on the long-running game show. Fans are now saying enough is enough.

Show hostess Vanna White in a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ episode, Photo Credit: Wheel of Fortune/Youtube
Johnston went head-to-head with Misha Graves from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Jon Reinink of Indianapolis, Indiana, in an episode that kicked off with plenty of energy and excitement. Graves, a mother of seven who’s been married for nine years, came out swinging, securing the first two toss-ups and solving the opening puzzle, “Hula Hoops and Happy Hour,” to take an early lead.
Johnston, who shared the quirky fun fact that she once opened for an Elvis impersonator at a Chinese restaurant, eventually caught up. She solved the Mystery Puzzle, “Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone,” then dominated the Prize Puzzle round with the correct answer: “Shake Off the Winter Blues.” That win scored her a getaway to Lake Tahoe and bumped her total winnings up to $13,739.

Show host Ryan Seacrest and contestant Amy Johnston in a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ episode, Photo Credit: Wheel of Fortune/Youtube
She continued to gain momentum, sweeping the Triple Toss-Up puzzles and solving “Wellness Spa” to secure her spot in the Bonus Round with a total of $28,539. Graves took home $5,000, while Reinink, a minister, was given the $1,000 consolation prize after ending the game without any winnings.
For the Bonus Round, Johnston selected the category “What Are You Doing?” and brought along her parents and middle daughter, Kayla, for support. After receiving the standard letters — R, S, T, L, N, and E — she added G, C, M, and O.
The puzzle appeared as:
_ _ _ _ NG T O_ER NO

Show hostess Vanna White in a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ episode, Photo Credit: Wheel of Fortune/Youtube
With the clock ticking, Johnston tossed out guesses like “Picking it over now,” “Making it over now,” and “Watching it over now,” before finally admitting, “I got nothing.” The correct answer? “Faxing it over now.”
Johnston’s reaction said it all: “Of course. I don’t even know what faxing means.”
She lost the chance to take home an additional $40,000 — and viewers weren’t happy about it either.
Social media erupted with complaints, many calling the puzzle outdated and unrealistic. “Who even uses a fax machine anymore?” one YouTube commenter wrote. “Pretty sure most people forgot faxing ever existed,” another chimed in.

Show host Ryan Seacrest and contestant Amy Johnston in a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ episode, Photo Credit: Wheel of Fortune/Youtube
“This is getting ridiculous,” a Reddit user added. “The show seems more focused on stumping players than rewarding them.”
With frustration growing over repeated Bonus Round stumps and questionable clues, fans are demanding that Wheel of Fortune modernize its puzzles — or risk losing viewers who feel the game is no longer fair.
Sources: TV Insider