UNLV student would like to solve the puzzle, Pat

Rich Coleman

Friday, Dec. 17, 2010 | 3:05 p.m.

“Brains and brawn.”

That’s the phrase that won UNLV senior Hillary Light $100,000 during the bonus round on Wheel of Fortune on Thursday night.

Already having “Bra_ns an_ Bra_n” on the board of the hangman-style game, it was a piece of cake for Light, who solved the puzzle right away.

Before that, she already had won $15,570 and a trip to Oahu, Hawaii. But after seeing host Pat Sajak hold up her prize card that read, “$100,000,” Light looked dumbfounded.

“As you can see by my reaction, I was really surprised. It was out of nowhere,” Light said.

Light, who is originally from upstate New York, is studying political science at UNLV and planning on attending law school. She said the $100,000 will go toward law school and launching a business.

“I want to start a clothing line inspired by my Chihuahuas. They are so smart and I love to train them. I’m an animal lover, and this gives me an opportunity,” Light said. She also plans to donate some of the money to dog rescue organizations.

Light said she has been watching the show for five years and auditioned for the show in Las Vegas with her boyfriend.

“My boyfriend is really good; he’s better than me. He gets it way faster,” Light said. “I love the show, and I just really wanted to solve puzzles.”

She said it was a lot more difficult to solve the puzzles on the set rather than at home on the couch because of the cameras and added pressure.

But what was even harder, she said, was keeping quiet about her success for two months. Though she was allowed to tell her closest friends and family about her winnings, she otherwise kept the $100,000 win a secret.

“A lot of friends back home called and they were flipping out. They didn’t know I had won the bonus round,” she said. “My family was really excited and really surprised.”

Light won the trip to Hawaii after she solved a puzzle during a special prize round — the solution to the puzzle being “Spectacular Volcanic Mountains.” She said she plans to take her boyfriend on the trip.

“I feel very blessed,” she said. “I expected the worst, so I couldn’t believe it when I won.”