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Waffle Daily

Daily Waffle #85 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Sunday, May 24, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #85

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

Want one more try first? Play #85.

Hints for each word in #85

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

    adjective: located inward

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with R.

    Show the word

    INNER

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with O and ends with S.

    Show the word

    OASIS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: relating to or derived from the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with S and ends with R.

    Show the word

    SOLAR

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: metal shackles

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with I and ends with S.

    Show the word

    IRONS

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    adjective: of or in or relating to the nose

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with N and ends with L.

    Show the word

    NASAL

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

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a person who rises (especially from bed)

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with R.

    Show the word

    RISER

What is the answer to Waffle #85?

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: INNER, OASIS, SOLAR

Down: IRONS, NASAL, RISER

How do you solve #85 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 1 with row 3, column 2. This puts I and A in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 5, column 4. This puts N and A in place.
  3. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 5, column 2. This puts A and O in place.
  4. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 1, column 5. This puts R in place.
  5. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 5, column 3. This puts E and L in place.
  6. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 4, column 3. This puts A in place.
  7. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 3, column 3. This puts S in place.
  8. Swap row 2, column 5 with row 4, column 5. This puts I and E in place.
  9. Swap row 3, column 1 with row 3, column 5. This puts O in place.
  10. Swap row 3, column 5 with row 5, column 5. This puts S and R in place.

What do the words in #85 mean?

INNER
adjective: located inward
OASIS
noun: a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)
SOLAR
adjective: relating to or derived from the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun
IRONS
noun: metal shackles
NASAL
adjective: of or in or relating to the nose
RISER
noun: a person who rises (especially from bed)

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Sunday, May 24, 2026.