A Wheel of Fortune contestant came painfully close to driving away in a brand-new Toyota during Thursday’s episode, only to be defeated by one of the toughest Bonus Round puzzles of the season. The episode, part of DraftKings Bonus Puzzle Week, followed Chorsie Calbert IV of Whitehall, Ohio — a lifelong Wheel fan who has completed more than 170 escape rooms and grew up pretending to host the show in his living room.

Calbert quickly took control of the game, winning the first two Toss-Ups for $3,000. Though fellow contestant Mike Dean uncovered most of the letters in the first round, Calbert swooped in and solved “Take a Chance on Me,” pushing his score even higher.

The Mystery Round brought chaos. Calbert guessed “Pretending to Be Someone Else,” but the puzzle was actually “Pretended to Be Someone Else.” Despite the misfire, he pocketed $3,000 thanks to a multiplier, while Lenora Hebert claimed the solve.

Dean then surged ahead by solving the Prize Puzzle, “Leaning Tower of Pisa,” earning $14,448 and a trip to Italy. But Calbert roared back in the Triple Toss-Up, sweeping all three puzzles for $10,000 and closing the gap.

With a hesitant but correct solve — “Rock Star Parking” — he secured $20,800 and moved on to Friday’s finals.

Choosing “Food & Drink” in the Bonus Round, Calbert received his letters and the board revealed:

_ _ _ _ LL _ N C _ _ E

He tried everything: “Million Coke,” “Trillion Coke,” “Something Cope.” None came close.

Host Ryan Seacrest shook his head gently as the buzzer sounded. “I don’t know how you would’ve gotten this. That was a rough one.”

The answer appeared: “Bouillon Cube.”
Inside Calbert’s prize envelope? The Toyota he narrowly missed.

He’ll return in the finals for one more shot at redemption — and maybe a win worthy of an escape-room master.