‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Speak Out After a Surprisingly Difficult Bonus Puzzle Shakes Up a New-Format Episode

Right from the opening toss-ups, the firefighters brought their A-game.

Gallagher and Porter dominated the early rounds, each solving quick puzzles with confidence. Stebenne hit his stride soon after, correctly guessing “Love-Hate Relationship” and securing a trip to Iceland. He kept the momentum going by solving another puzzle shortly after.

Gallagher wasn’t ready to be outdone. He cracked “Lush Rainforest of Panama,” picking up a second vacation and earning cheers from both the audience and his fellow firefighters.

By the time the Triple Toss-Up came around, Gallagher pulled decisively ahead by sweeping all three puzzles, earning a clean $10,000 in the process.

Still, Porter closed out the main game with style, solving “Running Neck and Neck” for $6,000. She left the night with a respectable $7,000. Stebenne finished with $12,700 and the Iceland getaway. But it was Gallagher who walked away the big winner—$20,150 in cash plus his trip to Panama.

After years of friendly competition at the fire station, Gallagher finally earned bragging rights in national fashion.

Then Came the Bonus Round—and a Puzzle That Stumped Everyone

With the main game wrapped, Gallagher faced the Bonus Round and the chance to earn thousands more.

The category: What Are You Doing?

After choosing his usual letters, the final puzzle appeared:

TAK_NG A _ _ _ _ _

He quickly guessed “Taking a…” but couldn’t land on the last word.

The correct answer was “Taking a whiff.”

Host Ryan Seacrest revealed the missed $40,000 prize, and Gallagher laughed it off in good spirits—but viewers weren’t nearly as amused.

Online reactions came pouring in:

“At this point, just let someone win already.”
“Who even uses the word ‘whiff’ anymore?”

The Bonus Round loss marked the show’s eleventh consecutive miss—something fans have been quick to point out as frustration grows over increasingly tricky puzzles.

Despite the Bonus Round Shock, Fans See Promise in the New Era

Still, even with the disappointing ending, fans celebrated the episode’s experimental feel. Between the revived Jackpot round, the possible Million Dollar prize, and the new contestant format, viewers felt the show was taking bold steps to keep things fresh.

The chemistry among the firefighter friends, combined with the familiar charm of Vanna White and the upbeat hosting of Ryan Seacrest, made this episode stand out—proof that after decades on air, Wheel of Fortune still has room to surprise.

And if the online conversation is any indication, viewers are more than ready for this new chapter.