Wheel of Fortune contestants must navigate a series of word puzzles, spinning a giant wheel to accumulate cash and prizes. The stakes are highest in the bonus round, where contestants have one last chance to solve a final puzzle for a life‑changing prize. But the bonus round’s challenge is steep — especially when a million‑dollar prize sits on the line.
On this particular episode, Derevjanik began the game like many contestants do: with cautious optimism and steady play. She solved puzzles in the main portion of the show and accumulated $35,155 and valuable trips to Montana and Tokyo — a respectable haul on its own.
Her big break came early when she landed on the special “One Million Dollar” wedge during regular gameplay. To secure the right to compete for the bonus prize, a player must not only land on that wedge but also solve the puzzle without hitting any bankrupt spaces — a difficult feat in itself.
Once she succeeded, she earned the chance to try for the million‑dollar prize in the bonus round — one of the toughest challenges in modern game show history.
🧩 The Puzzle That Made History
In the bonus round, contestants are presented with a puzzle usually drawn from a specific category. Derevjanik chose the category “Living Things.” After the standard bonus round letters (R, S, T, L, N, and E) were automatically revealed, she selected additional letters to fill in more blanks.
The final puzzle board read:
After a tense moment and thoughtful processing, Derevjanik confidently declared,
“Pack of coyotes.”
And she was absolutely right.
That precise answer instantly triggered a cascade of confetti on stage, and Wheel of Fortune host Ryan Seacrest — in his first season taking over hosting duties — announced that Christina had just won the $1 million prize.
The audience erupted, her fellow contestants cheered, and viewers at home witnessed a moment few ever get to see.
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