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Waffle Daily

Daily Waffle #22 answers and hints

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

The starting grid for #22

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

Want one more try first? Play #22.

Hints for each word in #22

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

    adverb: in such a manner as could not be otherwise

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with N and ends with S.

    Show the word

    NEEDS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: evoking lifelike images within the mind

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with V and ends with D.

    Show the word

    VIVID

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: vigorously passionate

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with Y.

    Show the word

    LUSTY

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: connected with or belonging to or used in a navy

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with N and ends with L.

    Show the word

    NAVAL

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: an acronym for emissions of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with S.

    Show the word

    ELVES

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adverb: in an unfortunate way

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with Y.

    Show the word

    SADLY

What is the answer to Waffle #22?

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: NEEDS, VIVID, LUSTY

Down: NAVAL, ELVES, SADLY

How do you solve #22 in 10 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 7 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

Show every swap
  1. Swap row 1, column 1 with row 4, column 5. This puts N and L in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 3, column 5. This puts E and D in place.
  3. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 2, column 1. This puts S and A in place.
  4. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 3, column 1. This puts A and V in place.
  5. Swap row 3, column 3 with row 4, column 3. This puts V and E in place.
  6. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 1, column 4. This puts D in place.
  7. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 5, column 5. This puts E and Y in place.
  8. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 4, column 1. This puts A in place.
  9. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 2. This puts I in place.
  10. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 5, column 4. This puts L and T in place.

What do the words in #22 mean?

NEEDS
adverb: in such a manner as could not be otherwise
VIVID
adjective: evoking lifelike images within the mind
LUSTY
adjective: vigorously passionate
NAVAL
adjective: connected with or belonging to or used in a navy
ELVES
noun: an acronym for emissions of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources
SADLY
adverb: in an unfortunate way

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