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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #118 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Friday, June 26, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #118

8 words hide in this 7×7 grid. You get 25 swaps, and the best solve takes 20.

Want one more try first? Play #118.

Hints for each word in #118

Tap one hint at a time. The clue comes first. Then you get the first and last letters. The word shows only when you tap the last button.

  1. Word 1: the first row (row 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a cone-shaped implement with a handle

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with R.

    Show the word

    SNUFFER

  2. Word 2: the second row (row 3)

    Hint 1: the clue

    adverb: to or toward the inside of

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with S.

    Show the word

    INWARDS

  3. Word 3: the third row (row 5)

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: stuck in a place where a ship can no longer float

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with D.

    Show the word

    AGROUND

  4. Word 4: the fourth row (row 7)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a prisoner who is held by one party to insure that another party will meet specified terms

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with H and ends with E.

    Show the word

    HOSTAGE

  5. Word 5: the first column (column 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: southwestern Asian plant widely cultivated for its succulent edible dark green leaves

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with H.

    Show the word

    SPINACH

  6. Word 6: the second column (column 3)

    Hint 1: the clue

    adverb: spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with U and ends with S.

    Show the word

    UPWARDS

  7. Word 7: the third column (column 5)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a group of symbols that make a mathematical statement

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with F and ends with A.

    Show the word

    FORMULA

  8. Word 8: the fourth column (column 7)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: matter that remains after something has been removed

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with E.

    Show the word

    RESIDUE

What is the answer to Deluxe #118?

The answer is 8 words that fit together in one grid. Tap below to see all of them. This puzzle has only one answer, so if your words differ, a letter is still in the wrong place.

Show the full answer grid

Across: SNUFFER, INWARDS, AGROUND, HOSTAGE

Down: SPINACH, UPWARDS, FORMULA, RESIDUE

How do you solve #118 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 12 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

Show every swap
  1. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 3, column 5. This puts N and R in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 5, column 5. This puts E and U in place.
  3. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 6, column 7. This puts R and U in place.
  4. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 3, column 7. This puts O and S in place.
  5. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 3, column 6. This puts W and D in place.
  6. Swap row 4, column 3 with row 7, column 2. This puts A and O in place.
  7. Swap row 5, column 2 with row 6, column 1. This puts G and C in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 2, column 3. This puts S in place.
  9. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 3, column 1. This puts F in place.
  10. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 3, column 2. This puts P in place.
  11. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 6, column 3. This puts D in place.
  12. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 7, column 7. This puts P and E in place.
  13. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 4, column 1. This puts N in place.
  14. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 7, column 1. This puts I and H in place.
  15. Swap row 3, column 2 with row 5, column 1. This puts N in place.
  16. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 5, column 3. This puts A and R in place.
  17. Swap row 4, column 5 with row 5, column 6. This puts M in place.
  18. Swap row 5, column 6 with row 7, column 5. This puts N and A in place.
  19. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 4. This puts T in place.
  20. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 6. This puts L and G in place.

What do the words in #118 mean?

SNUFFER
noun: a cone-shaped implement with a handle
INWARDS
adverb: to or toward the inside of
AGROUND
adjective: stuck in a place where a ship can no longer float
HOSTAGE
noun: a prisoner who is held by one party to insure that another party will meet specified terms
SPINACH
noun: southwestern Asian plant widely cultivated for its succulent edible dark green leaves
UPWARDS
adverb: spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position
FORMULA
noun: a group of symbols that make a mathematical statement
RESIDUE
noun: matter that remains after something has been removed

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Friday, June 26, 2026.