Daily Waffle #166 answers and hints
Need a nudge on the Thursday, August 13, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.
The starting grid for #166
6 words hide in this 5×5 grid. You get 15 swaps, and the best solve takes 10.
Want one more try first? Play #166.
Hints for each word in #166
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.
Word 1: the top row (row 1)
Hint 1: the clue
adjective: of or relating to or associated with the moon
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with L and ends with R.
Show the word
LUNAR
Word 2: the middle row (row 3)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: toxin secreted by animals
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with V and ends with M.
Show the word
VENOM
Word 3: the bottom row (row 5)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: single thickness of usually some homogeneous substance
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with L and ends with R.
Show the word
LAYER
Word 4: the left column (column 1)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with L and ends with L.
Show the word
LEVEL
Word 5: the middle column (column 3)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: a stupid foolish person
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with N and ends with Y.
Show the word
NINNY
Word 6: the right column (column 5)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with R and ends with R.
Show the word
RUMOR
What is the answer to Waffle #166?
The answer is 6 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: LUNAR, VENOM, LAYER
Down: LEVEL, NINNY, RUMOR
How do you solve #166 in 10 swaps?
Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 7 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.
Show every swap
- Swap row 1, column 2 with row 5, column 4. This puts U and E in place.
- Swap row 1, column 5 with row 2, column 5. This puts R and U in place.
- Swap row 2, column 1 with row 3, column 4. This puts E and O in place.
- Swap row 3, column 5 with row 4, column 5. This puts M and O in place.
- Swap row 1, column 1 with row 1, column 3. This puts N in place.
- Swap row 1, column 1 with row 5, column 5. This puts L and R in place.
- Swap row 1, column 4 with row 2, column 3. This puts A in place.
- Swap row 2, column 3 with row 4, column 3. This puts I and N in place.
- Swap row 3, column 1 with row 4, column 1. This puts E in place.
- Swap row 3, column 1 with row 5, column 1. This puts V and L in place.
What do the words in #166 mean?
- LUNAR
- adjective: of or relating to or associated with the moon
- VENOM
- noun: toxin secreted by animals
- LAYER
- noun: single thickness of usually some homogeneous substance
- LEVEL
- noun: a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
- NINNY
- noun: a stupid foolish person
- RUMOR
- noun: gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Thursday, August 13, 2026.