Wheel of Fortune Fans Blast “Impossible” Puzzle After $100K Loss

Wheel of Fortune is under fire after contestant Kristyn Hobbs missed out on a $100,000 jackpot during the May 2 episode — thanks to what outraged viewers are calling one of the show’s “toughest puzzles ever.”

Hobbs, from Fort Cobb Lake, Oklahoma, built strong momentum throughout the night. She solved multiple puzzles, earned a trip to Peru, and advanced to the Bonus Round with $18,000 in winnings. With family cheering her on, she selected the category What Are You Doing? and faced this board:

R_ _ _ _GING IN THE _ C _ R

Despite strong guesses, Hobbs couldn’t solve it. The answer — Rummaging in the Backyard — stunned both the contestant and viewers alike. Inside her envelope sat the $100,000 prize.

Fans quickly vented online, slamming the puzzle as “unrealistic” and “unwinnable.” One commenter wrote: “Nobody says ‘rummaging in the backyard.’” Another declared, “No one rummages in the backyard!!!”

For Hobbs, it was heartbreak. For fans, outrage. And for Wheel of Fortune, the backlash continues.