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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #204 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Sunday, September 20, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #204

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

Want one more try first? Play #204.

Hints for each word in #204

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 structure that provides privacy and protection from danger

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with R.

    Show the word

    SHELTER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: providing enjoyment

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with G.

    Show the word

    AMUSING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with M.

    Show the word

    LITHIUM

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an ideal instance

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with N.

    Show the word

    PARAGON

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: one of a series of rounded projections (or the notches between them) formed by curves along an edge (as the edge of a leaf or piece of cloth or the margin of a shell or a shriveled red blood cell observed in a hypertonic solution etc.)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with P.

    Show the word

    SCALLOP

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant from the north and south poles

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with R.

    Show the word

    EQUATOR

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the act of following someone secretly

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with T and ends with G.

    Show the word

    TAILING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: (medicine) a systematic plan for therapy (often including diet)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with N.

    Show the word

    REGIMEN

What is the answer to Deluxe #204?

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: SHELTER, AMUSING, LITHIUM, PARAGON

Down: SCALLOP, EQUATOR, TAILING, REGIMEN

How do you solve #204 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 1 with row 2, column 5. This puts S and A in place.
  2. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 4, column 1. This puts A and L in place.
  3. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 5, column 2. This puts U and I in place.
  4. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 7, column 3. This puts S and R in place.
  5. Swap row 5, column 3 with row 7, column 6. This puts T and O in place.
  6. Swap row 5, column 5 with row 6, column 1. This puts I and O in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 3, column 6. This puts E in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 2, column 7. This puts L in place.
  9. Swap row 2, column 7 with row 3, column 2. This puts E and M in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 2, column 3. This puts Q in place.
  11. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 6, column 5. This puts N in place.
  12. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 7, column 5. This puts E and G in place.
  13. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 3, column 5. This puts I in place.
  14. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 6, column 7. This puts R and E in place.
  15. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 5, column 4. This puts H in place.
  16. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 5, column 6. This puts N and U in place.
  17. Swap row 4, column 3 with row 5, column 1. This puts A in place.
  18. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 7, column 1. This puts L and P in place.
  19. Swap row 6, column 3 with row 7, column 2. This puts A in place.
  20. Swap row 6, column 3 with row 7, column 7. This puts O and N in place.

What do the words in #204 mean?

SHELTER
noun: a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
AMUSING
adjective: providing enjoyment
LITHIUM
noun: a soft silver-white univalent element of the alkali metal group
PARAGON
noun: an ideal instance
SCALLOP
noun: one of a series of rounded projections (or the notches between them) formed by curves along an edge (as the edge of a leaf or piece of cloth or the margin of a shell or a shriveled red blood cell observed in a hypertonic solution etc.)
EQUATOR
noun: an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant from the north and south poles
TAILING
noun: the act of following someone secretly
REGIMEN
noun: (medicine) a systematic plan for therapy (often including diet)

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Sunday, September 20, 2026.