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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #167 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Friday, August 14, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #167

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

Want one more try first? Play #167.

Hints for each word in #167

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 high-pitched noise resembling a human cry

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with H.

    Show the word

    SCREECH

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and sheep)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with X.

    Show the word

    ANTHRAX

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a thin coating of metal deposited on a surface

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with G.

    Show the word

    PLATING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an eight-sided polygon

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with O and ends with N.

    Show the word

    OCTAGON

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: cleansing agent consisting of soaps or detergents used for washing the hair

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with O.

    Show the word

    SHAMPOO

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with T.

    Show the word

    RETRACT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: jewelry to ornament the ear

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with G.

    Show the word

    EARRING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a six-sided polygon

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with H and ends with N.

    Show the word

    HEXAGON

What is the answer to Deluxe #167?

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: SCREECH, ANTHRAX, PLATING, OCTAGON

Down: SHAMPOO, RETRACT, EARRING, HEXAGON

How do you solve #167 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 10 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 6. This puts C and A in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 7, column 7. This puts R and N in place.
  3. Swap row 2, column 7 with row 5, column 4. This puts E and T in place.
  4. Swap row 5, column 3 with row 6, column 3. This puts A and C in place.
  5. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 5, column 1. This puts S in place.
  6. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 5, column 7. This puts P and G in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 3, column 5. This puts R in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 4, column 7. This puts E in place.
  9. Swap row 4, column 7 with row 7, column 1. This puts A and O in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 4, column 1. This puts E in place.
  11. Swap row 4, column 1 with row 4, column 5. This puts M and R in place.
  12. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 1, column 7. This puts C in place.
  13. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 3, column 7. This puts H and X in place.
  14. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 4, column 3. This puts R in place.
  15. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 7, column 2. This puts C in place.
  16. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 7, column 3. This puts E in place.
  17. Swap row 7, column 3 with row 7, column 6. This puts T and O in place.
  18. Swap row 5, column 5 with row 6, column 7. This puts I in place.
  19. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 6, column 7. This puts O in place.
  20. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 5. This puts N and G in place.

What do the words in #167 mean?

SCREECH
noun: a high-pitched noise resembling a human cry
ANTHRAX
noun: a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and sheep)
PLATING
noun: a thin coating of metal deposited on a surface
OCTAGON
noun: an eight-sided polygon
SHAMPOO
noun: cleansing agent consisting of soaps or detergents used for washing the hair
RETRACT
verb: formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure
EARRING
noun: jewelry to ornament the ear
HEXAGON
noun: a six-sided polygon

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Friday, August 14, 2026.