Skip to content
Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #144 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Wednesday, July 22, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #144

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

Want one more try first? Play #144.

Hints for each word in #144

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

    verb: direct the course of

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with T.

    Show the word

    CONDUCT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: shockingly repellent

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with M and ends with E.

    Show the word

    MACABRE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a station in a remote or sparsely populated location

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with O and ends with T.

    Show the word

    OUTPOST

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: someone who expresses in language

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with R.

    Show the word

    SPEAKER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with S.

    Show the word

    COMMONS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with N and ends with E.

    Show the word

    NECKTIE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: clear or remove an obstruction from

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with U and ends with K.

    Show the word

    UNBLOCK

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with T and ends with R.

    Show the word

    THEATER

What is the answer to Deluxe #144?

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: CONDUCT, MACABRE, OUTPOST, SPEAKER

Down: COMMONS, NECKTIE, UNBLOCK, THEATER

How do you solve #144 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 9 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

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

What do the words in #144 mean?

CONDUCT
verb: direct the course of
MACABRE
adjective: shockingly repellent
OUTPOST
noun: a station in a remote or sparsely populated location
SPEAKER
noun: someone who expresses in language
COMMONS
noun: a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area
NECKTIE
noun: neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
UNBLOCK
verb: clear or remove an obstruction from
THEATER
noun: a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Wednesday, July 22, 2026.