A “Wheel of Fortune” contestant shocked viewers after correctly solving a bonus round puzzle that even longtime host Pat Sajak admitted looked nearly impossible.
Emil de Leon, a contestant from Daly City, California, faced a three-word, 12-letter puzzle during the final round of the popular game show. After the standard letters were revealed, the board still showed very little information, leaving both the audience and host visibly doubtful.
“Uhh … this looks tough to me!” Sajak told the contestant moments before the timer began. “You’re a very good puzzle solver, but I don’t know…”
The nearly blank puzzle appeared as:
H_ _y _ _ ke!
Despite the limited clues, Emil immediately guessed “New baby buggy.” For several seconds, however, the board did not confirm the answer, leading him to continue guessing other possibilities before the correct solution finally appeared.
Pat Sajak Could Barely Believe It
As the puzzle revealed itself, Emil screamed, collapsed in excitement, and celebrated one of the most memorable solves in recent “Wheel of Fortune” history.
Pat Sajak stood in stunned silence for a moment before jokingly patting the contestant down, appearing to humorously check whether he had somehow received outside help.
The moment quickly spread online, with many viewers calling it one of the luckiest and most impressive guesses ever seen on the show. NBC’s “TODAY” hosts also discussed the clip the following morning, joking about how unbelievable the solve looked on television.
Fans Still Talk About the Viral Guess
Game show fans often debate the greatest puzzle solves in television history, and Emil’s answer instantly entered that conversation. Many viewers pointed out that “new baby buggy” is not a phrase most people would quickly think of under pressure.
Others argued the solve highlighted how experienced contestants sometimes recognize hidden letter patterns faster than viewers watching at home.
Emil ultimately won $45,000 in the bonus round and finished the episode with a total of $63,099, turning an almost impossible-looking puzzle into one of the show’s most unforgettable moments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEEuBOZwH_E&t=1s
