A Wheel of Fortune contestant is facing a wave of stunned reactions after missing what many viewers believed was one of the simplest Bonus Round puzzles of the season — a miss that cost him a staggering $45,000.
Josh Post, a retired Coast Guard veteran from Magnolia, Texas, stepped behind the wheel on Friday, Nov. 14, competing against two fellow veterans: Aaron Graham of Los Angeles, who served in the U.S. Army, and Arlene Kruser of Grove, Illinois, a Marine veteran who said she enlisted after her brother dared her to do it.
The night opened with Graham snagging the first Toss-Up puzzle, correctly naming “Great Courage.” Kruser quickly claimed the second puzzle with “Guessing Someone’s Age,” putting early pressure on her competitors. She then jumped ahead with a strong solve — “Try Restarting Your Computer” — giving her $9,750 and the lead.
Post began gaining momentum during the Crossword puzzle under the category “In My Desk.” Not only did he scoop up the valuable Wild Card, but he also solved the board: “Food, Mousetrap, Pens, Staples,” which bumped his winnings up to $6,400. His luck continued when he nailed “Taking a Speed Boat Tour,” adding $3,200 and earning a luxury trip to Montenegro. That win pushed him into first place with $18,573.
The Triple Toss-Up puzzles brought a burst of energy to the studio. Graham grabbed two solves in the cheeky category “Absurd Bird,” earning $4,000, while Kruser picked up the remaining $2,000. Host Ryan Seacrest even chimed in, saying, “That was a fun category for whoever came up with that. Thank you for entertaining us.”
Graham later solved the final puzzle of the main game — “You Had to Be There” — but it wasn’t enough to advance. He finished his night with $11,000. Kruser ended with $11,750. Post, holding the top score and the Wild Card, advanced to the Bonus Round with his sister Melissa and his niece Alexis cheering him on.
Post selected “People” as his category. After receiving the standard “R, S, T, L, N, E,” he added “C, D, M, A, and Y” to the board. His final puzzle appeared as:
_ _ C E Y _ A N S
As the clock ticked down, Post quietly tried to work it out. With only seconds left, he guessed, “Juicy Fans,” a response that left the audience puzzled. Seacrest joked, “Some of the best fans are juicy,” before revealing the correct solution: “Hockey Fans.”
The miss cost Post $45,000 — and viewers erupted online.
Fans flooded the comments with disbelief.
“HOW DID YOU NOT GET THAT?” one YouTube user shouted.
Another viewer added, “I solved it the moment those letters appeared.”
“This guy must not follow sports,” a third commenter wrote. “Those letter picks were perfect!”
One fan summed up the frustration: “I had it solved before the buzzer even came close.”
Despite the disappointment in the Bonus Round, Post still walked away with more than $18,500 and an unforgettable trip — but the internet isn’t letting him forget what could have been.
Sources: TV Insider
