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Waffle Daily

Deluxe Waffle #83 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Friday, May 22, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #83

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

Want one more try first? Play #83.

Hints for each word in #83

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

    adjective: being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with L.

    Show the word

    LITERAL

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: providing enjoyment

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with A and ends with G.

    Show the word

    AMUSING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: prohibit, forbid, or prevent from doing something

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with T.

    Show the word

    INHIBIT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a temporary passageway of planks (as over mud on a building site)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with G and ends with Y.

    Show the word

    GANGWAY

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with G.

    Show the word

    LEANING

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: make tough or tougher

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with T and ends with N.

    Show the word

    TOUGHEN

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rain

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with W.

    Show the word

    RAINBOW

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adverb: without good reason

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with Y.

    Show the word

    LIGHTLY

What is the answer to Deluxe #83?

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: LITERAL, AMUSING, INHIBIT, GANGWAY

Down: LEANING, TOUGHEN, RAINBOW, LIGHTLY

How do you solve #83 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
  1. Swap row 1, column 6 with row 4, column 3. This puts A and G in place.
  2. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 3, column 7. This puts E and G in place.
  3. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 3, column 3. This puts A and U in place.
  4. Swap row 4, column 7 with row 7, column 1. This puts H and G in place.
  5. Swap row 6, column 1 with row 7, column 5. This puts N and W in place.
  6. Swap row 7, column 3 with row 7, column 4. This puts N and G in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 3, column 2. This puts M in place.
  8. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 1, column 2. This puts I in place.
  9. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 4, column 5. This puts L and N in place.
  10. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 6, column 5. This puts O in place.
  11. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 6, column 7. This puts T and L in place.
  12. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 3, column 4. This puts R in place.
  13. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 6. This puts O in place.
  14. Swap row 2, column 7 with row 4, column 1. This puts N in place.
  15. Swap row 2, column 7 with row 5, column 7. This puts T in place.
  16. Swap row 2, column 7 with row 7, column 6. This puts I and A in place.
  17. Swap row 3, column 4 with row 5, column 1. This puts S in place.
  18. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 7, column 7. This puts I and Y in place.
  19. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 5, column 3. This puts H in place.
  20. Swap row 3, column 6 with row 5, column 5. This puts N and B in place.

What do the words in #83 mean?

LITERAL
adjective: being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
AMUSING
adjective: providing enjoyment
INHIBIT
verb: prohibit, forbid, or prevent from doing something
GANGWAY
noun: a temporary passageway of planks (as over mud on a building site)
LEANING
adjective: departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
TOUGHEN
verb: make tough or tougher
RAINBOW
noun: an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rain
LIGHTLY
adverb: without good reason

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Friday, May 22, 2026.