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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #146 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Friday, July 24, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #146

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

Want one more try first? Play #146.

Hints for each word in #146

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

    noun: a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with T.

    Show the word

    STUDENT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: claim back

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with M.

    Show the word

    RECLAIM

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: specify individually

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with E.

    Show the word

    ITEMIZE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: something of value given by one person to another to bind a contract

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with T.

    Show the word

    EARNEST

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: infer from incomplete evidence

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with E.

    Show the word

    SURMISE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: poorly stated or described

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with U and ends with R.

    Show the word

    UNCLEAR

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: deliberately vague or ambiguous

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with E.

    Show the word

    EVASIVE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a violent commotion or disturbance

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with T and ends with T.

    Show the word

    TEMPEST

What is the answer to Deluxe #146?

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: STUDENT, RECLAIM, ITEMIZE, EARNEST

Down: SURMISE, UNCLEAR, EVASIVE, TEMPEST

How do you solve #146 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 11 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

Show every swap
  1. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 3, column 5. This puts R and A in place.
  2. Swap row 4, column 5 with row 5, column 7. This puts S and E in place.
  3. Swap row 5, column 2 with row 5, column 5. This puts T and I in place.
  4. Swap row 5, column 6 with row 7, column 4. This puts Z and N in place.
  5. Swap row 6, column 1 with row 7, column 3. This puts S and R in place.
  6. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 1, column 4. This puts D in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 3, column 6. This puts S in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 5, column 3. This puts E in place.
  9. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 5, column 4. This puts T and M in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 3, column 4. This puts U in place.
  11. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 6, column 7. This puts L and S in place.
  12. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 4, column 7. This puts P in place.
  13. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 7, column 2. This puts T and A in place.
  14. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 2, column 5. This puts V in place.
  15. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 2. This puts N and E in place.
  16. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 5, column 1. This puts C in place.
  17. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 7, column 1. This puts I and E in place.
  18. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 4, column 1. This puts I in place.
  19. Swap row 4, column 1 with row 6, column 3. This puts A in place.
  20. Swap row 4, column 1 with row 7, column 5. This puts M and E in place.

What do the words in #146 mean?

STUDENT
noun: a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
RECLAIM
verb: claim back
ITEMIZE
verb: specify individually
EARNEST
noun: something of value given by one person to another to bind a contract
SURMISE
verb: infer from incomplete evidence
UNCLEAR
adjective: poorly stated or described
EVASIVE
adjective: deliberately vague or ambiguous
TEMPEST
noun: a violent commotion or disturbance

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Friday, July 24, 2026.