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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #157 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Tuesday, August 4, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #157

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

Want one more try first? Play #157.

Hints for each word in #157

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

    verb: make a slave of

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with E.

    Show the word

    ENSLAVE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a natural or artificial enclosed space

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with R.

    Show the word

    CHAMBER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a careless leisurely gait

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with R.

    Show the word

    SAUNTER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a drawing intended to explain how something works

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with M.

    Show the word

    DIAGRAM

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: granted exemption

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with D.

    Show the word

    EXCUSED

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a turner with a narrow flexible blade

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with A.

    Show the word

    SPATULA

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: someone with the power to settle matters at will

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with R.

    Show the word

    ARBITER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the membrane in the ear that vibrates to sound

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with M.

    Show the word

    EARDRUM

What is the answer to Deluxe #157?

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: ENSLAVE, CHAMBER, SAUNTER, DIAGRAM

Down: EXCUSED, SPATULA, ARBITER, EARDRUM

How do you solve #157 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 8 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

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

What do the words in #157 mean?

ENSLAVE
verb: make a slave of
CHAMBER
noun: a natural or artificial enclosed space
SAUNTER
noun: a careless leisurely gait
DIAGRAM
noun: a drawing intended to explain how something works
EXCUSED
adjective: granted exemption
SPATULA
noun: a turner with a narrow flexible blade
ARBITER
noun: someone with the power to settle matters at will
EARDRUM
noun: the membrane in the ear that vibrates to sound

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Tuesday, August 4, 2026.