Fans cry foul over 'zero sense' puzzle answer on 'Wheel of Fortune' that may have cost contestant a car

It was a rather eventful day on Wheel of Fortune for one contestant, who fell just short of driving away in a brand new car. But viewers think she was the victim of a bad puzzle.

Laryn Nelson, an elementary school principal from Atlanta, brought plenty of enthusiasm to Wedensday's show right from the start, being vocally supportive of other contestants and just vocal in general toward the puzzle board. At one point she pounded her podium and let out a big grunt after losing her turn on a missed letter at the end of a big puzzle.

“This is a very valuable set you’re pounding on,” host Pat Sajak said with a smile.

Then after another contestant solved that puzzle, Nelson was talking about it while Sajak was trying to keep the show moving, so he stopped what he was saying to tell her.

“I’m talking now, Laryn, it’s my turn,” he joked with her. “You’re out of control. You’re beating our set, you’re yelling at the wheel.”

“I’m enjoying myself,” Nelson responded.

After the commercial break Sajak joked with the audience that he “threatened to send Laryn to the principal’s office, but she’s a principal,” which got a nice laugh from everyone. And as the show went on, Nelson continued “enjoying” herself to the tune of $24,250 in winnings, and a chance at the bonus round. Not to mention Sajak calling her “the woman of the half hour.”

She chose “What are you doing?” as the category for the bonus round, and after the free letters and her chosen letters were applied, the three-word puzzle looked like this:

While Nelson was able to get the “goals” part of the puzzle correct, she struggled with the first word and wasn’t able to figure it out: “Obtaining my goals.”

She was visibly frustrated afterward and wasn’t afraid to show it with, “Oh my goodness. Alright. Alright. That’s okay. I’m gonna do that one day though, obtaining my goals.”

Which of course opened the door for Sajak to joke, “There’s really no need for a host on the show. Just let them do it.”

But it turns out many viewers reacting on social media were not only fans of Nelson’s appearance, but thought that her bonus round puzzle was a bit unfair, claiming that “obtaining my goals” is not a common expression.

Adding a bit of salt to the wound, Sajak then revealed that what Nelson didn’t win was a brand new Volkswagen car, and she screamed so loud it scared the note card right out of Sajak’s hands.

She did leave with $24,250 in total, though, and she did apologize to Sajak for the scream.

“It’s all right, I’ll be fine,” he said.

Wheel of Fortune just kicked off its 41st season, which is slated to be Sajak’s last.

Wheel of Fortune airs weekdays on ABC, check your local listings.