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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #18 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Wednesday, March 18, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #18

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

Want one more try first? Play #18.

Hints for each word in #18

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: any of a class of organic compounds containing the cyano radical -CN

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with E.

    Show the word

    CYANIDE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: limbless scaly elongate reptile

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with T.

    Show the word

    SERPENT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: severely simple

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with E.

    Show the word

    AUSTERE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: give pleasure to or be pleasing to

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with T.

    Show the word

    DELIGHT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: sweetened mixture of milk and eggs baked or boiled or frozen

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with D.

    Show the word

    CUSTARD

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a cloud of solid or liquid particles in a gas

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with L.

    Show the word

    AEROSOL

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a large mass of ice floating at sea

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with G.

    Show the word

    ICEBERG

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: ask for or request earnestly

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with T.

    Show the word

    ENTREAT

What is the answer to Deluxe #18?

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: CYANIDE, SERPENT, AUSTERE, DELIGHT

Down: CUSTARD, AEROSOL, ICEBERG, ENTREAT

How do you solve #18 in 20 swaps?

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

What do the words in #18 mean?

CYANIDE
noun: any of a class of organic compounds containing the cyano radical -CN
SERPENT
noun: limbless scaly elongate reptile
AUSTERE
adjective: severely simple
DELIGHT
verb: give pleasure to or be pleasing to
CUSTARD
noun: sweetened mixture of milk and eggs baked or boiled or frozen
AEROSOL
noun: a cloud of solid or liquid particles in a gas
ICEBERG
noun: a large mass of ice floating at sea
ENTREAT
verb: ask for or request earnestly

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Wednesday, March 18, 2026.