‘Wheel of Fortune’: Ozark Coast Guard Vet Sunk Chance of $40,000 on ‘Simple’ Puzzle

A Coast Guard veteran competing on Wheel of Fortune sunk his chances at winning an additional $40,000 on a fairly simple puzzle. His Bonus Round puzzle was only six letters, but it left him floundering.

Dave Kendall, from Ozark, Missouri, appeared on the Monday, May 5, show alongside Molly Wilcox, from Riverview, Florida, and Mélisa Best, from Queens, New York. Kendall spent 10 years in the Coast Guard where he drove search-and-rescue boats. He eventually reached the elite level of Surfman.

Kendall solved the first two toss-ups, putting $2,000 in his bank. He landed on Bankrupt for the first puzzle. However, after both of his competitors also landed on Bankrupt, the turn moved back to him. He landed on $2,500 two times, giving him a huge lead. Kendall solved the puzzle — “Taking the Dune Buggy for a Spin” — making his total $13,000 after only one puzzle.

Wilcox, who loves playing Monopoly and has 20 versions of the game, solved the second puzzle for $5,600. Kendall tried to solve the next puzzle as “Shakespeareal Actors,” but host Ryan Seacrest told him that was wrong. It was actually “Shakespearean Actors,” which Wilcox solved. Not only did she get the Wild Card through that puzzle, but she also won a trip to the United Kingdom. This gave her the lead with $18,498.

Best, who gives fragrance “crawls” around SoHo, finally got on the board when she solved one of the Triple Toss-Ups. Kendall caught up to Wilcox when he solved the next two toss-ups for $4,000. He then took the lead when he solved the final puzzle — “The Cream of the Crop.” Wilcox ended with her total above. Best went home with $2,000. Kendall advanced to the Bonus Round with $23,600.

He brought his wife, Jenn, to the Bonus Round with him, where he picked “Phrase.” After Wheel of Fortune gave him “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” he picked “J,F,C, and I.” The veteran’s puzzle then looked like “IN _  FI_.” Kendall guessed “In a Fib,” and “In a Fich,” but neither of those were correct. The puzzle was “In a Fix.” Ryan Seacrest showed him that he lost out on an additional $40,000.

Wheel of Fortune fans commented on the video on YouTube, saying how easy the puzzle was. “That bonus round shouldn’t have been lost. That was easy,” one fan said. 

“Super Duper easy,” said another.

“Ain’t no way he lost this,” commented a third.

“This was such an easy puzzle!! I was practicing screaming at the TV lol,” said another.

“Too easy. How did he miss it?” wondered one fan.

This was the sixth Bonus Round puzzle in a row that has not been won.