Viewers were left stunned after a tense “Wheel of Fortune” episode where contestant Michael Soltis came painfully close to winning a brand-new Jeep. The night began with Texas contestant Eimi Smith dominating early, sweeping both toss-ups and solving the first two puzzles to build a strong lead. Chicago’s LaShauan Swift joined the board later, but it was Soltis — a union carpenter from Pittsburgh — who shifted the momentum when he solved the Prize Puzzle, earning a trip to Africa and surging ahead.
Soltis continued his comeback by securing two of the triple toss-ups and later solving the final puzzle, “The Wild Wild West,” with barely any letters showing. His confidence carried him into the Bonus Round with $20,240 already banked. Before the final puzzle, host Ryan Seacrest chatted with him about his dog, and nerves kicked in as Soltis fumbled over the breed, drawing laughs from the audience and Seacrest.
The Bonus Round category was “Places,” and after selecting extra letters, the board displayed: _Y OLD _ _ _NTS. Soltis tried several guesses, but none were close. When time expired, Seacrest revealed the correct answer: “My Old Haunts.” The miss cost Soltis the Jeep Wrangler waiting behind the doors.
Social media lit up instantly, with many viewers insisting the puzzle was unusually difficult. Comments ranged from “Never heard that phrase” to “That one was brutal.” It left fans wondering: would you have solved “My Old Haunts” under pressure?
