Deluxe Waffle #20 answers and hints
Need a nudge on the Friday, March 20, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.
The starting grid for #20
8 words hide in this 7×7 grid. You get 25 swaps, and the best solve takes 20.
Want one more try first? Play #20.
Hints for each word in #20
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.
Word 1: the first row (row 1)
Hint 1: the clue
verb: do away with
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with A and ends with H.
Show the word
ABOLISH
Word 2: the second row (row 3)
Hint 1: the clue
adjective: subject to popular election
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with E and ends with D.
Show the word
ELECTED
Word 3: the third row (row 5)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with D and ends with A.
Show the word
DILEMMA
Word 4: the fourth row (row 7)
Hint 1: the clue
verb: put, fix, force, or implant
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with D and ends with T.
Show the word
DEPOSIT
Word 5: the first column (column 1)
Hint 1: the clue
adjective: of legislation
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with A and ends with D.
Show the word
AMENDED
Word 6: the second column (column 3)
Hint 1: the clue
verb: coincide partially or wholly
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with O and ends with P.
Show the word
OVERLAP
Word 7: the third column (column 5)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: a relatively narrow strip of land (with water on both sides) connecting two larger land areas
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with I and ends with S.
Show the word
ISTHMUS
Word 8: the fourth column (column 7)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with H and ends with T.
Show the word
HYDRANT
What is the answer to Deluxe #20?
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: ABOLISH, ELECTED, DILEMMA, DEPOSIT
Down: AMENDED, OVERLAP, ISTHMUS, HYDRANT
How do you solve #20 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
- Swap row 1, column 1 with row 1, column 2. This puts A and B in place.
- Swap row 2, column 1 with row 6, column 7. This puts M and N in place.
- Swap row 2, column 5 with row 5, column 1. This puts S and D in place.
- Swap row 4, column 5 with row 5, column 3. This puts H and L in place.
- Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 7. This puts U and T in place.
- Swap row 1, column 3 with row 4, column 1. This puts N in place.
- Swap row 1, column 3 with row 7, column 3. This puts O and P in place.
- Swap row 1, column 4 with row 5, column 6. This puts L in place.
- Swap row 1, column 6 with row 3, column 3. This puts E in place.
- Swap row 1, column 6 with row 7, column 6. This puts S and I in place.
- Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 2. This puts V in place.
- Swap row 3, column 2 with row 3, column 4. This puts L and C in place.
- Swap row 2, column 7 with row 3, column 6. This puts Y in place.
- Swap row 3, column 6 with row 4, column 7. This puts E and R in place.
- Swap row 3, column 5 with row 5, column 6. This puts M in place.
- Swap row 3, column 5 with row 5, column 7. This puts T in place.
- Swap row 5, column 7 with row 7, column 4. This puts A and O in place.
- Swap row 5, column 5 with row 7, column 1. This puts M in place.
- Swap row 6, column 1 with row 7, column 1. This puts D in place.
- Swap row 6, column 1 with row 7, column 5. This puts E and S in place.
What do the words in #20 mean?
- ABOLISH
- verb: do away with
- ELECTED
- adjective: subject to popular election
- DILEMMA
- noun: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
- DEPOSIT
- verb: put, fix, force, or implant
- AMENDED
- adjective: of legislation
- OVERLAP
- verb: coincide partially or wholly
- ISTHMUS
- noun: a relatively narrow strip of land (with water on both sides) connecting two larger land areas
- HYDRANT
- noun: a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask
Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Friday, March 20, 2026.