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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #45 answers and hints

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

The starting grid for #45

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

Want one more try first? Play #45.

Hints for each word in #45

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: plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with D.

    Show the word

    SEAWEED

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: the dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with C and ends with E.

    Show the word

    CUTICLE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: utter aloud

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with M.

    Show the word

    EXCLAIM

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a mental representation of some haunting experience

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with R.

    Show the word

    SPECTER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an event that accomplishes its intended purpose

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with S.

    Show the word

    SUCCESS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with E.

    Show the word

    ARTICLE

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: hold spellbound

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with T.

    Show the word

    ENCHANT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: someone who is dreaming

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with D and ends with R.

    Show the word

    DREAMER

What is the answer to Deluxe #45?

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: SEAWEED, CUTICLE, EXCLAIM, SPECTER

Down: SUCCESS, ARTICLE, ENCHANT, DREAMER

How do you solve #45 in 20 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 8 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

Show every swap
  1. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 6, column 7. This puts U and E in place.
  2. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 6, column 1. This puts E and S in place.
  3. Swap row 6, column 5 with row 7, column 7. This puts N and R in place.
  4. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 1, column 3. This puts A in place.
  5. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 4, column 1. This puts E in place.
  6. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 1, column 7. This puts D in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 4, column 7. This puts W in place.
  8. Swap row 4, column 7 with row 7, column 5. This puts A and T in place.
  9. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 4, column 5. This puts H in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 5, column 2. This puts E and X in place.
  11. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 6. This puts L in place.
  12. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 5, column 6. This puts R in place.
  13. Swap row 3, column 2 with row 5, column 5. This puts U in place.
  14. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 7, column 3. This puts T in place.
  15. Swap row 7, column 3 with row 7, column 4. This puts E and C in place.
  16. Swap row 4, column 1 with row 5, column 6. This puts I in place.
  17. Swap row 4, column 1 with row 7, column 1. This puts C and S in place.
  18. Swap row 5, column 5 with row 5, column 7. This puts A in place.
  19. Swap row 5, column 7 with row 6, column 3. This puts L in place.
  20. Swap row 5, column 7 with row 7, column 6. This puts M and E in place.

What do the words in #45 mean?

SEAWEED
noun: plant growing in the sea, especially marine algae
CUTICLE
noun: the dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail
EXCLAIM
verb: utter aloud
SPECTER
noun: a mental representation of some haunting experience
SUCCESS
noun: an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
ARTICLE
noun: nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
ENCHANT
verb: hold spellbound
DREAMER
noun: someone who is dreaming

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