Tonight’s episode of Wheel of Fortune featured three contestants: Kris Dillon, Alex Jones, and Heidi Willson. Each of them had unique backgrounds: Alex, a Marine Corps vet from Lake Odessa, Michigan; Heidi, a Navy vet and musician from Blackstone, Massachusetts; and Kris, an Army vet from Roanoke, Virginia, who works for a local sheriff’s department and recently climbed Mt. Fuji.
The game played out with a series of intense rounds, leading to a final bonus puzzle that unfortunately slipped away from Kris. Despite a strong performance throughout the night, including an impressive trip to Aruba, Kris couldn’t quite seal the deal in the bonus round.
Tonight’s Puzzles and Highlights
The evening kicked off with two Toss-Up puzzles. Alex quickly buzzed in with the correct solution to the first $1,000 Toss-Up: COURAGEOUS HERO, followed by Kris winning the $2,000 Toss-Up, correctly identifying PENSACOLA, FLORIDA as the location.
Round 1 featured a Phrase puzzle, A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, which Kris solved, adding $2,000 to her total. The second round was a tricky Before & After puzzle, GO-GO BOOT CAMP, which Alex eventually solved for $3,000. Round 3, which included a prize puzzle, featured SOUVENIR MAGNETS, with Heidi picking up the prize and adding $6,000 to her total.
The Triple Toss-Up puzzles kept the energy high, with Kris solving CUSTOM-MADE SUIT and SWIMSUIT, but Alex had the final say in the third puzzle, identifying FLIGHT SUIT.
Bonus Puzzle Breakdown: “WE HIT IT OFF”
Unfortunately, Kris’s luck ran out in the bonus round. The bonus puzzle was WE HIT IT OFF under the Phrase category. Despite having a solid foundation with the letters RSTLNE and a strong guess, Kris was unable to solve the puzzle in time. This resulted in a loss of the $40,000 prize that would have significantly boosted her total. This was a tough break for Kris, who had done well up until that point, but the bonus puzzle proved elusive.
Round-by-Round Puzzle Solutions
The evening’s puzzles were varied, ranging from geographic locations to phrases, and provided a mix of challenges. Here’s a recap of the puzzle solutions for tonight’s episode:
| Puzzle Type | Solution |
|---|---|
| $1,000 Toss-Up | COURAGEOUS HERO |
| $2,000 Toss-Up | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA |
| Round 1 | A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH |
| Round 2 (B&A) | GO-GO BOOT CAMP |
| Round 3 (Prize) | SOUVENIR MAGNETS |
| Triple Toss-Up 1 | CUSTOM-MADE SUIT |
| Triple Toss-Up 2 | SWIMSUIT |
| Triple Toss-Up 3 | FLIGHT SUIT |
| Round 4 | SAVING THE DAY |
| Speed-Up Round | WORKING ON MY GOLF SWING |
| Bonus Round | WE HIT IT OFF (unanswered) |