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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #78 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Sunday, May 17, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #78

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

Want one more try first? Play #78.

Hints for each word in #78

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: the top of a desk

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with P.

    Show the word

    DESKTOP

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: have some of the qualities or attributes of something

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with E.

    Show the word

    PARTAKE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an open or empty space in or between things

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with O and ends with G.

    Show the word

    OPENING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: declared but not proved

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with D.

    Show the word

    ALLEGED

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a document certifying the successful completion of a course of study

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with A.

    Show the word

    DIPLOMA

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with L.

    Show the word

    SURREAL

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: shedding tears

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with T and ends with G.

    Show the word

    TEARING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: bound by or as if by an oath

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with D.

    Show the word

    PLEDGED

What is the answer to Deluxe #78?

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: DESKTOP, PARTAKE, OPENING, ALLEGED

Down: DIPLOMA, SURREAL, TEARING, PLEDGED

How do you solve #78 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 2, column 1 with row 3, column 6. This puts I and K in place.
  2. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 7, column 5. This puts U and G in place.
  3. Swap row 3, column 5 with row 4, column 1. This puts A and L in place.
  4. Swap row 5, column 4 with row 7, column 2. This puts N and L in place.
  5. Swap row 6, column 3 with row 6, column 7. This puts A and E in place.
  6. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 4. This puts N and E in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 1, column 6. This puts O in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 5, column 5. This puts E in place.
  9. Swap row 5, column 5 with row 5, column 7. This puts I and G in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 3, column 2. This puts A in place.
  11. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 3, column 3. This puts R in place.
  12. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 3, column 7. This puts S and E in place.
  13. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 4, column 7. This puts D in place.
  14. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 5, column 6. This puts N in place.
  15. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 7, column 3. This puts T and L in place.
  16. Swap row 2, column 7 with row 3, column 1. This puts L in place.
  17. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 7, column 7. This puts P and D in place.
  18. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 4, column 5. This puts T in place.
  19. Swap row 4, column 5 with row 5, column 3. This puts E in place.
  20. Swap row 4, column 5 with row 6, column 1. This puts R and M in place.

What do the words in #78 mean?

DESKTOP
noun: the top of a desk
PARTAKE
verb: have some of the qualities or attributes of something
OPENING
noun: an open or empty space in or between things
ALLEGED
adjective: declared but not proved
DIPLOMA
noun: a document certifying the successful completion of a course of study
SURREAL
adjective: characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions
TEARING
noun: shedding tears
PLEDGED
adjective: bound by or as if by an oath

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Sunday, May 17, 2026.