Viewers stunned at 'Wheel of Fortune' contestants who miss repeatedly on common phrase

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The evening before Read Across America Day, "Wheel of Fortune" demonstrated a lesson in the importance of developing your vocabulary.

With only a few letters remaining, a common phrase on Tuesday's episode stumped the contestants repeatedly, leaving many viewers stunned and even joking about shouting at their televisions.

The phrase was "Another feather in your cap." The word "cap" was missing the first and last letters.

One contestant, who got several chances to guess, first went with "hat." Then "lap" and "map." In the meantime, the other contestants were picking wrong letters or lost their turns.

It took 2 full minutes before the correct answer of "cap" was given.

Viewers were astonished. Some called it painful to watch or perhaps the worst two-minute stretch in the show's history.

Even actor Josh Gad chimed in on Twitter with "God help us all!"

Host Pat Sajak, however, urged sympathy for the contestants, noting that being on television with the chance to win money is a stressful situation.

"It always pains me when nice people come on our show to play a game and win some money and maybe fulfill a lifelong dream, and are then subject to online ridicule when they make a mistake or something goes awry."

He added, "Mocking them online and calling them names? These are good people in a bad situation under a kind of stress that you can't begin to appreciate from the comfort of your couch."

"Wheel of Fortune" airs weeknights on ABC7.