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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #168 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Saturday, August 15, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #168

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

Want one more try first? Play #168.

Hints for each word in #168

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

    adverb: (superlative of `near' or `close') within the shortest distance

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with T.

    Show the word

    CLOSEST

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with N.

    Show the word

    LETDOWN

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the properties acquired as a consequence of the way you were treated as a child

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with G.

    Show the word

    REARING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: no longer in existence

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with T.

    Show the word

    EXTINCT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree at one atmosphere pressure

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with E.

    Show the word

    CALORIE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: live longer than

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with O and ends with T.

    Show the word

    OUTLAST

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: any strong feeling

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with N.

    Show the word

    EMOTION

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the present or immediately coming night

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with T and ends with T.

    Show the word

    TONIGHT

What is the answer to Deluxe #168?

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: CLOSEST, LETDOWN, REARING, EXTINCT

Down: CALORIE, OUTLAST, EMOTION, TONIGHT

How do you solve #168 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 1, column 3 with row 5, column 6. This puts O and N in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 3, column 1. This puts S and L in place.
  3. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 4, column 1. This puts T and O in place.
  4. Swap row 4, column 3 with row 7, column 2. This puts L and X in place.
  5. Swap row 7, column 6 with row 7, column 7. This puts C and T in place.
  6. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 3, column 6. This puts W in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 6, column 1. This puts C in place.
  8. Swap row 6, column 1 with row 6, column 3. This puts I and S in place.
  9. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 3, column 7. This puts S in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 3, column 5. This puts E in place.
  11. Swap row 3, column 5 with row 5, column 1. This puts O and R in place.
  12. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 2, column 1. This puts T in place.
  13. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 2, column 5. This puts A in place.
  14. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 5, column 7. This puts M and G in place.
  15. Swap row 3, column 2 with row 3, column 4. This puts E in place.
  16. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 4, column 5. This puts D and T in place.
  17. Swap row 3, column 7 with row 5, column 2. This puts N in place.
  18. Swap row 5, column 2 with row 6, column 7. This puts E and H in place.
  19. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 1. This puts E in place.
  20. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 5. This puts O and N in place.

What do the words in #168 mean?

CLOSEST
adverb: (superlative of `near' or `close') within the shortest distance
LETDOWN
noun: a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized
REARING
noun: the properties acquired as a consequence of the way you were treated as a child
EXTINCT
adjective: no longer in existence
CALORIE
noun: a unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree at one atmosphere pressure
OUTLAST
verb: live longer than
EMOTION
noun: any strong feeling
TONIGHT
noun: the present or immediately coming night

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Saturday, August 15, 2026.