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Waffle Daily

Daily Waffle #38 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Tuesday, April 7, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #38

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

Want one more try first? Play #38.

Hints for each word in #38

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

    noun: water containing salts

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with B and ends with E.

    Show the word

    BRINE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a particular environment or walk of life

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with A.

    Show the word

    ARENA

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with E.

    Show the word

    SALVE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an alloy of copper and zinc

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with B and ends with S.

    Show the word

    BRASS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the idea of something that is perfect

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with L.

    Show the word

    IDEAL

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with E.

    Show the word

    EVADE

What is the answer to Waffle #38?

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: BRINE, ARENA, SALVE

Down: BRASS, IDEAL, EVADE

How do you solve #38 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
  1. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 3, column 5. This puts R and A in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 3, column 4. This puts I and N in place.
  3. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 5, column 3. This puts N and L in place.
  4. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 5, column 2. This puts E and A in place.
  5. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 2, column 3. This puts B in place.
  6. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 5, column 5. This puts D and E in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 2, column 1. This puts E in place.
  8. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 4, column 1. This puts R and S in place.
  9. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 3, column 2. This puts A in place.
  10. Swap row 3, column 2 with row 5, column 1. This puts R and S in place.

What do the words in #38 mean?

BRINE
noun: water containing salts
ARENA
noun: a particular environment or walk of life
SALVE
noun: semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
BRASS
noun: an alloy of copper and zinc
IDEAL
noun: the idea of something that is perfect
EVADE
verb: avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Tuesday, April 7, 2026.