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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #87 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Tuesday, May 26, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #87

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

Want one more try first? Play #87.

Hints for each word in #87

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: make something new, such as a product or a mental or artistic creation

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with P.

    Show the word

    DEVELOP

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: having or showing valor

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with V and ends with T.

    Show the word

    VALIANT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a bowl-shaped drinking vessel

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with E.

    Show the word

    CHALICE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: firearm that is a double-barreled smoothbore shoulder weapon for firing shot at short ranges

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with N.

    Show the word

    SHOTGUN

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an inclination or desire

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with S.

    Show the word

    DEVICES

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a fissure in the earth's crust (or in the surface of some other planet) through which molten lava and gases erupt

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with V and ends with O.

    Show the word

    VOLCANO

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: weight to be borne or conveyed

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with G.

    Show the word

    LOADING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a perceptual structure

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with N.

    Show the word

    PATTERN

What is the answer to Deluxe #87?

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: DEVELOP, VALIANT, CHALICE, SHOTGUN

Down: DEVICES, VOLCANO, LOADING, PATTERN

How do you solve #87 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 6 with row 5, column 2. This puts O and H in place.
  2. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 3, column 7. This puts L and T in place.
  3. Swap row 3, column 5 with row 6, column 5. This puts A and N in place.
  4. Swap row 6, column 1 with row 7, column 7. This puts E and N in place.
  5. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 3, column 6. This puts D in place.
  6. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 4, column 7. This puts T in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 7, column 5. This puts V and G in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 5, column 4. This puts E in place.
  9. Swap row 5, column 4 with row 7, column 4. This puts L and T in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 1, column 7. This puts L in place.
  11. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 3, column 1. This puts P and V in place.
  12. Swap row 3, column 2 with row 3, column 4. This puts A in place.
  13. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 5, column 6. This puts I and C in place.
  14. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 4, column 3. This puts C in place.
  15. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 5, column 7. This puts E in place.
  16. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 6, column 7. This puts N and R in place.
  17. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 5, column 3. This puts C in place.
  18. Swap row 5, column 3 with row 7, column 2. This puts H in place.
  19. Swap row 5, column 3 with row 7, column 3. This puts O in place.
  20. Swap row 5, column 3 with row 7, column 6. This puts A and U in place.

What do the words in #87 mean?

DEVELOP
verb: make something new, such as a product or a mental or artistic creation
VALIANT
adjective: having or showing valor
CHALICE
noun: a bowl-shaped drinking vessel
SHOTGUN
noun: firearm that is a double-barreled smoothbore shoulder weapon for firing shot at short ranges
DEVICES
noun: an inclination or desire
VOLCANO
noun: a fissure in the earth's crust (or in the surface of some other planet) through which molten lava and gases erupt
LOADING
noun: weight to be borne or conveyed
PATTERN
noun: a perceptual structure

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Tuesday, May 26, 2026.