I've asked some dumb questions before (like a front derailleur shifting problem, which turned out to be nothing more than a loose cable - no need to mess with the limit screws, the derailleur height, the derailleur angle, etc., which was where I started). But I think this one will win the dumbest prize.

This weekend, I checked out a low-mileage road bike (a Fuji Roubaix Pro), found it to be well-maintained, test rode it, and bought it. I got it home and took the rear wheel off (among other components) to polish the bike. The bike now looks nearly new, but I can't re-install the rear wheel. Specifically, I cannot get the gaps in the skewer to align with the notches in the frame. I have loosened the nut on the skewer until the gaps are much larger, but still no luck.

I had no problem removing the wheel, nor do I see anything out of whack, so I'm assuming nothing is bent. I looked for and didn't see anything bent before I bought the bike, and don't see anything bent now.

Either there's something about this bike's mechanism that I don't know about, I'm doing something really dumb, or there is a mechanical problem I haven't identified. I do not have vast bike experience. I do own one other bike. I have removed/installed its rear wheel countless times. I know enough to release the brake and place the chain on the smallest sprocket. No need to touch the derailleur on my "old" bike, but I've tried pushing/pulling the derailleur as well on my new Fuji, without luck.

Any ideas? Make a fool of me all you want ... just help me get the wheel on.