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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #172 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Wednesday, August 19, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #172

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

Want one more try first? Play #172.

Hints for each word in #172

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

    adjective: with no protection or shield

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with D.

    Show the word

    EXPOSED

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: forceful and extreme and rigorous

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with C.

    Show the word

    DRASTIC

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: half woman and half fish

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with M and ends with D.

    Show the word

    MERMAID

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an attendant who checks coats or baggage

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with R.

    Show the word

    CHECKER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with C.

    Show the word

    ENDEMIC

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a treeless grassy plain

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with E.

    Show the word

    PRAIRIE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with K.

    Show the word

    SETBACK

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the kind of intellectual who converts messages from a code to plain text

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with R.

    Show the word

    DECODER

What is the answer to Deluxe #172?

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: EXPOSED, DRASTIC, MERMAID, CHECKER

Down: ENDEMIC, PRAIRIE, SETBACK, DECODER

How do you solve #172 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 5 with row 4, column 7. This puts S and O in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 5, column 7. This puts E and D in place.
  3. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 4, column 3. This puts N and I in place.
  4. Swap row 3, column 2 with row 6, column 5. This puts R and C in place.
  5. Swap row 5, column 2 with row 7, column 4. This puts E and C in place.
  6. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 1, column 3. This puts P in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 3, column 6. This puts E and I in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 2, column 3. This puts O in place.
  9. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 7, column 5. This puts R and K in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 3, column 7. This puts D in place.
  11. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 3, column 3. This puts A in place.
  12. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 6, column 1. This puts E and I in place.
  13. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 4, column 5. This puts B in place.
  14. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 7, column 2. This puts D and H in place.
  15. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 5, column 5. This puts S in place.
  16. Swap row 5, column 5 with row 6, column 7. This puts A and E in place.
  17. Swap row 3, column 5 with row 5, column 1. This puts M in place.
  18. Swap row 3, column 5 with row 7, column 1. This puts T and C in place.
  19. Swap row 3, column 7 with row 5, column 6. This puts I in place.
  20. Swap row 3, column 7 with row 7, column 7. This puts C and R in place.

What do the words in #172 mean?

EXPOSED
adjective: with no protection or shield
DRASTIC
adjective: forceful and extreme and rigorous
MERMAID
noun: half woman and half fish
CHECKER
noun: an attendant who checks coats or baggage
ENDEMIC
noun: a disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree in people of a certain class or in people living in a particular location
PRAIRIE
noun: a treeless grassy plain
SETBACK
noun: an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes
DECODER
noun: the kind of intellectual who converts messages from a code to plain text

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Wednesday, August 19, 2026.