Wheel of Fortune Backlash After Outdated Bonus Round Puzzle

A recent Wheel of Fortune rerun left fans stunned after contestant Amy Johnston missed out on a $40,000 prize because of one outdated phrase.

During the August 20 airing of the May 21 episode, Johnston reached the bonus round with the puzzle under the category “What Are You Doing?” After the standard letters and her own picks filled in the board, the clue appeared as:

_ _ _ _ NG T O _ ER NO_

Despite several guesses, Johnston couldn’t solve it. Host Ryan Seacrest revealed the correct answer: “Faxing it over now.”

The reveal left Johnston speechless. “I don’t even know what faxing means!” she admitted, laughing.

Fans quickly took to social media to vent. “Seriously? Who even says that anymore?” one viewer wrote. Another added, “When was the last time ANYONE used a fax machine?” Many argued the show should modernize phrases, suggesting “emailing it now” as a better option.

Though Johnston still walked away with $28,539 in winnings, missing the bonus ignited criticism over whether Wheel of Fortune is keeping up with today’s language. As one fan put it: “Fax machines? What is this — 1995?”