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Waffle Daily

Daily Waffle #202 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Friday, September 18, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #202

6 words hide in this 5×5 grid. You get 15 swaps, and the best solve takes 10.

Want one more try first? Play #202.

Hints for each word in #202

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 top row (row 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with H.

    Show the word

    LOATH

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a person who makes things

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with M and ends with R.

    Show the word

    MAKER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a daughter of your brother or sister

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with N and ends with E.

    Show the word

    NIECE

  4. Word 4: the left column (column 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: yellow oval fruit with juicy acidic flesh

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with N.

    Show the word

    LEMON

  5. Word 5: the middle column (column 3)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula and the proximal end of the talus

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with E.

    Show the word

    ANKLE

  6. Word 6: the right column (column 5)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a vast multitude

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with H and ends with E.

    Show the word

    HORDE

What is the answer to Waffle #202?

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: LOATH, MAKER, NIECE

Down: LEMON, ANKLE, HORDE

How do you solve #202 in 10 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 5 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 5, column 4. This puts L and C in place.
  2. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 4, column 1. This puts N and O in place.
  3. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 3, column 5. This puts H in place.
  4. Swap row 3, column 5 with row 5, column 3. This puts R and E in place.
  5. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 3, column 1. This puts O in place.
  6. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 4, column 5. This puts D in place.
  7. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 5, column 5. This puts M and E in place.
  8. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 3, column 4. This puts K in place.
  9. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 4, column 3. This puts L in place.
  10. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 5, column 2. This puts E and I in place.

What do the words in #202 mean?

LOATH
adjective: unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
MAKER
noun: a person who makes things
NIECE
noun: a daughter of your brother or sister
LEMON
noun: yellow oval fruit with juicy acidic flesh
ANKLE
noun: a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula and the proximal end of the talus
HORDE
noun: a vast multitude

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Friday, September 18, 2026.