A Wheel of Fortune contestant who cracked up the internet with his hilariously inept attempt to solve a word puzzle has explained exactly what happened.

The guess has been dubbed one of the “dumbest” and most “hilarious” to feature on the show yet. On Monday’s episode of the show, Will Jordan from Wethersfield in Connecticut, gave a response that has gone viral.

He had already solved a large portion of the puzzle and the letters “_ _ _ E _ OURSE _ F A ROUN_ OF A _ _ _ AUSE” remained.

The veteran police officer confidently answered: “Treat yourself a round of sausage”.

The audience, clearly baffled, fell silent.

Host Ryan Seacrest responded: “I’m sorry, that’s not it.”

Kitina Thomas, another contestant, immediately jumped in with the correct answer which was, of course, “Give yourself a round of applause”.

Seacrest then joked, “Although, Will, I kind of liked yours better.”

Jordan completed the game in third place, with winnings of $8000.

Jordan later explained to the show’s social media correspondent Maggie Sajak, whose dad is former host Pat Sajak, what happened.

“I tell you, when the lights are on and the stars [are there], Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White? I just went blank,” he said.

Jordan added: “If your dad, in retirement, is watching the show, maybe cracks a beer and has a laugh, it’ll be worth it.”

And he hinted he knew that his response would go viral.

“I’m sure I’m going to have sausages in my locker and police car when I get back, so we’ll try to have some fun with it,” he said.

Sajak responded: “Don’t worry about it Will. Even if they put sausages in your locker room now.”

The internet is having a field day over Will’s bizarre answer.

On social media a viewer wrote: “That was hysterical” while another dubbed it “the dumbest guess ever.”

Over on Reddit one person quipped: “We laughed, we cried, we bled a little from our eyes”, and another chimed in: “I’ve never seen anything like it. My jaw is still on the floor.”