Joey Sweet’s near-miss on Wheel of Fortune quickly turned into one of the show’s most talked-about moments after a tough bonus round left both viewers and host Ryan Seacrest puzzled. Sweet, a program director from Oceanside, California, made it all the way to the final puzzle on the November 18 episode, where a $40,000 prize waited behind the gold envelope. With the category set as “phrase,” and most of the board filled in, he seemed seconds away from a win.

The puzzle showed “CA_ED’ _Y _ _AND” after Sweet chose C, D, M, A, and added an extra F from his Wild Card. Pressured by the clock, he guessed “Cleared in hand,” a logical attempt—but not the right one. When the answer “Carved By Hand” lit up, even Vanna White threw her hands in disbelief. Seacrest gently reassured him, calling it “a tricky one” as he revealed the missed $40,000.

Despite the setback, Sweet stayed positive, telling the audience, “It’s okay!” and walking away with over $16,000 plus a trip to Mexico. His good attitude earned plenty of praise online, even as fans admitted they struggled with the answer too. Many pointed out that the short word “By” often stumps contestants during bonus rounds.

The moment quickly spread across YouTube and social media, joining another recent viral flub involving a contestant guessing “Treat yourself a round of sausages.” With moments like these fueling online chatter week after week, Wheel of Fortune continues proving why it remains one of TV’s most entertaining and unpredictable game shows.