Wheel of Fortune controversy: Did contestant mumble correct answer, costing her $40,000 bonus prize?

P_N_   _RC_ _ D.

That’s the puzzle from the final round of Tuesday night’s Wheel of Fortune episode, which ended in controversy after contestant Megan Carvale failed to take home the bonus prize — despite possibly uttering the correct answer.

With 10 seconds on the clock and the clue “living thing,” Carvale mumbled several guesses, like “pony orchid.” Carvale, a high school choir director from Placentia, Calif., couldn’t work out the solution before Vanna White ultimately revealed the answer: “pink orchid.”

“You might have been overthinking a type of orchid,” host Pat Sajak said before he opened the bonus envelope revealing a $40,000 prize. “I’m sorry that didn’t work out for you.”

However, many viewers noted that at the beginning of her guessing period, Carvale muttered an answer that sounds fairly similar to “pink orchid,” though it’s not entirely clear what she actually said — and the show’s hosts and producers clearly didn’t deem that response a valid one.

“There is no question, she absolutely said ‘pink orchid,’” one viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Please give this girl her winnings!”

“I can’t stop thinking about Wheel of Fortune. I know she said ‘Pink Orchid,’” another viewer said. “Was it just me that heard that? Yes? No? So weird. I swear she said it.”

However, other users thought Carvale didn’t come up with the right answer, claiming that her answer sounded more like “something orchid” or “think orchid.”

Regardless, Carvale still left the episode with $14,007 in prize winnings and a vacation to Aruba. Watch the clip above to hear her puzzling guesses.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

• Watch Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak try his best to tackle a contestant
• Pat Sajak says go easy on Wheel of Fortune players who can't solve the puzzles
• Watch Pat Sajak walk off the Wheel of Fortune set after third contestant wins $100,000 in same week