Beth Barbee, a Durham native with a passion for genealogy, seized the spotlight during the game show’s Disney Princess Week special. Facing off against California’s Twyla Arbuckle and Wisconsin’s Bryan Babler, Barbee built a commanding lead and clinched a stunning Bonus Round victory — but the road to that win had an unexpected twist.

The themed week, dedicated to Disney Parks and princess-inspired puzzles, saw Barbee go head-to-head with Arbuckle, a naval officer working in human resources, and Babler, a former live music venue owner from Oak Creek.Arbuckle struck first, snagging the opening toss-up. Barbee quickly responded with a win in the second, putting both women on the board with $2,000 each.

Things quickly began to shift in Barbee’s favor. She solved the first full puzzle — the clever “Snow White Chocolate” — and landed the coveted Disney Princess wedge, earning herself a vacation prize. She kept the momentum going by solving back-to-back puzzles, including the Prize Puzzle, boosting her lead significantly.But the game took a dramatic turn during a round under the category “What Are You Doing?” With the board nearly full, Arbuckle had a shot — but made a critical error. The puzzle read “_ LLO_ING _ _ BL _ _,” when she asked for a “B” — a letter already on the board.

“Just kidding. We already have a ‘B’,” Arbuckle admitted.

“Uh huh,” host Ryan Seacrest replied, smiling.

Trying to recover, Arbuckle quickly offered another letter: “Y.” But Seacrest reminded her of the show’s rules.

“Sorry, we have to take what you called first,” he said.

“It’s fine. I messed up,” Arbuckle conceded.

That slip opened the door for Barbee to step in and solve: “Following My Bliss.” The correct answer earned her a dream trip to the Bahamas aboard the luxurious Disney Wish cruise ship.

Despite her earlier mistake, Arbuckle bounced back by solving two of the Triple Toss-Ups, and she closed the night with $9,800. Babler picked up one toss-up puzzle and left with $2,000. But it was Barbee who dominated the game with a final tally of $32,392 in cash and prizes.
“Sorry, we have to take what you called first,” he said.

“It’s fine. I messed up,” Arbuckle conceded.

That slip opened the door for Barbee to step in and solve: “Following My Bliss.” The correct answer earned her a dream trip to the Bahamas aboard the luxurious Disney Wish cruise ship.

Despite her earlier mistake, Arbuckle bounced back by solving two of the Triple Toss-Ups, and she closed the night with $9,800. Babler picked up one toss-up puzzle and left with $2,000. But it was Barbee who dominated the game with a final tally of $32,392 in cash and prizes.