Skip to content
Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #73 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Tuesday, May 12, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #73

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

Want one more try first? Play #73.

Hints for each word in #73

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: sordid dirtiness

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with R.

    Show the word

    SQUALOR

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: made less in size or amount or degree

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with D.

    Show the word

    REDUCED

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: someone who attacks in search of booty

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with A.

    Show the word

    PIRANHA

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with E.

    Show the word

    DIOCESE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: marked or decorated with stripes

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with D.

    Show the word

    STRIPED

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: pass through

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with U and ends with O.

    Show the word

    UNDERGO

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a legal document giving official permission to do something

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with E.

    Show the word

    LICENSE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: send out rays or waves

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with E.

    Show the word

    RADIATE

What is the answer to Deluxe #73?

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: SQUALOR, REDUCED, PIRANHA, DIOCESE

Down: STRIPED, UNDERGO, LICENSE, RADIATE

How do you solve #73 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 11 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

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

What do the words in #73 mean?

SQUALOR
noun: sordid dirtiness
REDUCED
adjective: made less in size or amount or degree
PIRANHA
noun: someone who attacks in search of booty
DIOCESE
noun: the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop
STRIPED
adjective: marked or decorated with stripes
UNDERGO
verb: pass through
LICENSE
noun: a legal document giving official permission to do something
RADIATE
verb: send out rays or waves

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Tuesday, May 12, 2026.