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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #161 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Saturday, August 8, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #161

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

Want one more try first? Play #161.

Hints for each word in #161

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: be fully aware or cognizant of

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with E.

    Show the word

    REALIZE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: marked by extreme and violent energy

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with F and ends with S.

    Show the word

    FURIOUS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: relating to or derived from a glacier

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with G and ends with L.

    Show the word

    GLACIAL

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: lying toward or situated in the east

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with N.

    Show the word

    EASTERN

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an exile who flees for safety

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with E.

    Show the word

    REFUGEE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the state of being behind in payments

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with S.

    Show the word

    ARREARS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with E.

    Show the word

    IDOLIZE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the 5th letter of the Greek alphabet

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with N.

    Show the word

    EPSILON

What is the answer to Deluxe #161?

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: REALIZE, FURIOUS, GLACIAL, EASTERN

Down: REFUGEE, ARREARS, IDOLIZE, EPSILON

How do you solve #161 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 10 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

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

What do the words in #161 mean?

REALIZE
verb: be fully aware or cognizant of
FURIOUS
adjective: marked by extreme and violent energy
GLACIAL
adjective: relating to or derived from a glacier
EASTERN
adjective: lying toward or situated in the east
REFUGEE
noun: an exile who flees for safety
ARREARS
noun: the state of being behind in payments
IDOLIZE
verb: love unquestioningly and uncritically or to excess
EPSILON
noun: the 5th letter of the Greek alphabet

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Saturday, August 8, 2026.