Deluxe Waffle #55 answers and hints
Need a nudge on the Friday, April 24, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.
The starting grid for #55
8 words hide in this 7×7 grid. You get 25 swaps, and the best solve takes 20.
Want one more try first? Play #55.
Hints for each word in #55
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
noun: a person whose occupation is teaching
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with T and ends with R.
Show the word
TEACHER
Word 2: the second row (row 3)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: (football) a kick from the center of the field to start a football game or to resume it after a score
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with K and ends with F.
Show the word
KICKOFF
Word 3: the third row (row 5)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with O and ends with N.
Show the word
OPINION
Word 4: the fourth row (row 7)
Hint 1: the clue
adjective: (of birds) having developed feathers or plumage
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with F and ends with D.
Show the word
FLEDGED
Word 5: the first column (column 1)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: a departure
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with T and ends with F.
Show the word
TAKEOFF
Word 6: the second column (column 3)
Hint 1: the clue
verb: attribute or credit to
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with A and ends with E.
Show the word
ASCRIBE
Word 7: the third column (column 5)
Hint 1: the clue
noun: a golf shot that curves to the left for a right-handed golfer
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with H and ends with G.
Show the word
HOOKING
Word 8: the fourth column (column 7)
Hint 1: the clue
adjective: (used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel
Hint 2: first and last letter
It starts with R and ends with D.
Show the word
REFINED
What is the answer to Deluxe #55?
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: TEACHER, KICKOFF, OPINION, FLEDGED
Down: TAKEOFF, ASCRIBE, HOOKING, REFINED
How do you solve #55 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 3 with row 4, column 5. This puts A and K in place.
- Swap row 1, column 7 with row 3, column 2. This puts R and I in place.
- Swap row 2, column 1 with row 4, column 1. This puts A and E in place.
- Swap row 4, column 3 with row 4, column 7. This puts R and I in place.
- Swap row 5, column 4 with row 5, column 5. This puts N and I in place.
- Swap row 1, column 1 with row 3, column 6. This puts F in place.
- Swap row 1, column 1 with row 3, column 1. This puts K in place.
- Swap row 1, column 1 with row 2, column 5. This puts O in place.
- Swap row 1, column 1 with row 7, column 5. This puts T and G in place.
- Swap row 1, column 4 with row 2, column 3. This puts C in place.
- Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 7. This puts S and F in place.
- Swap row 1, column 5 with row 3, column 4. This puts K in place.
- Swap row 1, column 5 with row 5, column 7. This puts H and N in place.
- Swap row 3, column 5 with row 6, column 1. This puts O in place.
- Swap row 6, column 1 with row 7, column 6. This puts F and E in place.
- Swap row 5, column 1 with row 6, column 7. This puts E in place.
- Swap row 5, column 1 with row 7, column 7. This puts O and D in place.
- Swap row 5, column 3 with row 7, column 3. This puts E in place.
- Swap row 5, column 3 with row 6, column 3. This puts B in place.
- Swap row 5, column 3 with row 7, column 4. This puts I and D in place.
What do the words in #55 mean?
- TEACHER
- noun: a person whose occupation is teaching
- KICKOFF
- noun: (football) a kick from the center of the field to start a football game or to resume it after a score
- OPINION
- noun: a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
- FLEDGED
- adjective: (of birds) having developed feathers or plumage
- TAKEOFF
- noun: a departure
- ASCRIBE
- verb: attribute or credit to
- HOOKING
- noun: a golf shot that curves to the left for a right-handed golfer
- REFINED
- adjective: (used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel
Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Friday, April 24, 2026.