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Waffle Daily

Daily Waffle #53 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Wednesday, April 22, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #53

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

Want one more try first? Play #53.

Hints for each word in #53

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: a substance that promotes drying (e.g., calcium oxide absorbs water and is used to remove moisture)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with R.

    Show the word

    DRIER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a formal or authoritative proclamation

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with T.

    Show the word

    EDICT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adverb: in a dim indistinct manner

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with Y.

    Show the word

    DIMLY

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: fearful expectation or anticipation

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with D.

    Show the word

    DREAD

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with M.

    Show the word

    IDIOM

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: hear or try a court case anew

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with Y.

    Show the word

    RETRY

What is the answer to Waffle #53?

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: DRIER, EDICT, DIMLY

Down: DREAD, IDIOM, RETRY

How do you solve #53 in 10 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 4 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

Show every swap
  1. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 5, column 1. This puts I and D in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 2, column 1. This puts R in place.
  3. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 5, column 3. This puts E and M in place.
  4. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 2, column 5. This puts D in place.
  5. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 4, column 3. This puts E and O in place.
  6. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 3, column 3. This puts E in place.
  7. Swap row 3, column 2 with row 3, column 4. This puts D in place.
  8. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 4, column 5. This puts R in place.
  9. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 3, column 4. This puts C in place.
  10. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 5, column 5. This puts I and Y in place.

What do the words in #53 mean?

DRIER
noun: a substance that promotes drying (e.g., calcium oxide absorbs water and is used to remove moisture)
EDICT
noun: a formal or authoritative proclamation
DIMLY
adverb: in a dim indistinct manner
DREAD
noun: fearful expectation or anticipation
IDIOM
noun: a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language
RETRY
verb: hear or try a court case anew

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Wednesday, April 22, 2026.