Thursday night’s (January 18) episode of Wheel of Fortune saw another frustrating Bonus Round blunder as one contestant failed to figure out the answer despite coming spectacularly close.
Tina Meier-Nowell, a married mother of one and art museum lover from Portland, Oregon, smashed her way through the competition, bagging herself $31,310 and a trip during regular play. But she was iced out of the Bonus Round when she struggled to give what many saw as an obvious answer.
With her family watching from the studio audience, Meier-Nowell picked “Event” as her Bonus puzzle category, along with the additional letters “D, P, M, and O,” to go with the customary “R, S, T, L, N, and E.”
This left her with a board that read, “M _ _ OR _ L _ _ _ RD.”
Almost immediately, Meier-Nowell answered, “Minor Blizzard,” which was close but not quite right. As the ten-second timer ran down, she kept repeating “minor” until her time was up.
“You’ve got to think bigger,” host Pat Sajak said as his co-host Vanna White revealed the correct answer as “Major Blizzard.”
Meier-Nowell took the loss in good spirits, laughing at her own misfortune.
“I’m not laughing. I feel terrible,” Sajak said before joking, “You had exactly the right idea but the wrong key.”
The host then opened the prize envelope to reveal Meier-Nowell lost out on $40,000. “Oh, dang,” she said as Sajak showed her the card.
Fans at home were shocked by Meier-Nowell’s puzzle fail and took to social media to share their frustrations.
“This game is frustrating to watch!” wrote one viewer on X. “How do you say “Minor Blizzard” and then “Major….” blah blah blah without saying “MAJOR BLIZZARD”??????!!!!!!”
“Since when has a MINOR BLIZZARD ever occurred?!!?” added another.
#WheelOfFortune this game is frustrating to watch! How do you say “Minor Blizzard” and then “Major….” blah blah blah without saying “MAJOR BLIZZARD”??????!!!!!!
— hlywuud (@hlywuud) January 19, 2024
Since when has a MINOR BLIZZARD ever occurred?!!? ♀️ #WheelOfFortune
— Tahreem Qureshi Vogelsberg (@MissTahreemQ) January 19, 2024
Another wrote, “I’m guessing they don’t have major blizzards in her area… #WheelOfFortune.”
“If it’s not minor, your immediate next guess is major not minor again,” one commenter added, while another simply said, “Minor Blizzard?!?!?!?”
I’m guessing they don’t have major blizzards in her area… #WheelOfFortune
— Brandon Taylor (@YuGiOhFan2023) January 19, 2024
you dickhead, if it’s not minor, your immediate next guess is major
not minor again #WheelOfFortune
— Vladimir Raul (@EmperorMendoza) January 19, 2024
Minor Blizzard?!?!?!?#WheelOfFortune pic.twitter.com/eENXWu1vNz
— Jamille (@Jamille_H) January 19, 2024
Despite losing out on the $40,000 bonus, Meier-Nowell still walked away with over $30,000 in cash, so overall, it was only a minor inconvenience.
Wheel of Fortune, Weekdays, check your local listings
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
