Skip to content
Waffle Daily

Daily Waffle #21 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Saturday, March 21, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #21

6 words hide in this 5×5 grid. You get 15 swaps, and the best solve takes 10.

Want one more try first? Play #21.

Hints for each word in #21

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 top row (row 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: hit with a missile from a weapon

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with T.

    Show the word

    SHOOT

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: make oneself subject to

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with R.

    Show the word

    INCUR

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: food prepared by cooking and straining or processed in a blender

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with E.

    Show the word

    PUREE

  4. Word 4: the left column (column 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: work hastily or carelessly

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with P.

    Show the word

    SKIMP

  5. Word 5: the middle column (column 3)

    Hint 1: the clue

    verb: come to pass

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with O and ends with R.

    Show the word

    OCCUR

  6. Word 6: the right column (column 5)

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: brief and to the point

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with T and ends with E.

    Show the word

    TERSE

What is the answer to Waffle #21?

The answer is 6 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: SHOOT, INCUR, PUREE

Down: SKIMP, OCCUR, TERSE

How do you solve #21 in 10 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 6 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

Show every swap
  1. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 3, column 2. This puts O and N in place.
  2. Swap row 2, column 1 with row 5, column 2. This puts K and U in place.
  3. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 2, column 5. This puts T in place.
  4. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 3, column 4. This puts E and U in place.
  5. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 5. This puts R in place.
  6. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 5, column 4. This puts C and E in place.
  7. Swap row 4, column 1 with row 5, column 1. This puts M in place.
  8. Swap row 5, column 1 with row 5, column 5. This puts P and E in place.
  9. Swap row 4, column 3 with row 4, column 5. This puts U in place.
  10. Swap row 4, column 5 with row 5, column 3. This puts S and R in place.

What do the words in #21 mean?

SHOOT
verb: hit with a missile from a weapon
INCUR
verb: make oneself subject to
PUREE
noun: food prepared by cooking and straining or processed in a blender
SKIMP
verb: work hastily or carelessly
OCCUR
verb: come to pass
TERSE
adjective: brief and to the point

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Saturday, March 21, 2026.