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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #23 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Monday, March 23, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #23

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

Want one more try first? Play #23.

Hints for each word in #23

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: (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with G and ends with N.

    Show the word

    GREMLIN

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with C.

    Show the word

    SKEPTIC

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: deliberately vague or ambiguous

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with E.

    Show the word

    EVASIVE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with S.

    Show the word

    SADNESS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that tell the story of Christ's life and teachings

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with G and ends with S.

    Show the word

    GOSPELS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a green transparent form of beryl

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with D.

    Show the word

    EMERALD

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a public toilet in a military area

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with E.

    Show the word

    LATRINE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with N and ends with S.

    Show the word

    NUCLEUS

What is the answer to Deluxe #23?

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: GREMLIN, SKEPTIC, EVASIVE, SADNESS

Down: GOSPELS, EMERALD, LATRINE, NUCLEUS

How do you solve #23 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 7. This puts R and S in place.
  2. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 6, column 3. This puts M and L in place.
  3. Swap row 2, column 7 with row 5, column 4. This puts U and S in place.
  4. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 5, column 2. This puts S and V in place.
  5. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 3, column 6. This puts E and I in place.
  6. Swap row 4, column 5 with row 5, column 7. This puts R and E in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 6, column 5. This puts N in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 7, column 1. This puts S in place.
  9. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 7, column 5. This puts G and E in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 6, column 7. This puts U in place.
  11. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 4, column 3. This puts R in place.
  12. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 7, column 2. This puts M and A in place.
  13. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 2, column 1. This puts L in place.
  14. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 3, column 4. This puts O and P in place.
  15. Swap row 1, column 7 with row 5, column 3. This puts N in place.
  16. Swap row 5, column 3 with row 7, column 3. This puts A and D in place.
  17. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 4, column 7. This puts L in place.
  18. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 7, column 6. This puts A and S in place.
  19. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 5, column 6. This puts V in place.
  20. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 7, column 4. This puts E and N in place.

What do the words in #23 mean?

GREMLIN
noun: (folklore) fairies that are somewhat mischievous
SKEPTIC
noun: someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
EVASIVE
adjective: deliberately vague or ambiguous
SADNESS
noun: emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being
GOSPELS
noun: the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that tell the story of Christ's life and teachings
EMERALD
noun: a green transparent form of beryl
LATRINE
noun: a public toilet in a military area
NUCLEUS
noun: a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Monday, March 23, 2026.