Archive · Waffle #43

Waffle #43 (November 9, 2026): answer and a 10-swap solution

The waffle from Monday, November 9, 2026. Play it first; the swaps and the six words are folded below. Replays don't affect your streak.

15swaps left ★★★★★ —

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Waffle #43 was the grid of Monday, November 9, 2026: six five-letter words, three across and three down, sharing nine crossing cells. At the start 6 letters of 21 were already green (in place), 5 were yellow (right word, wrong spot) and 10 grey. The 15 misplaced letters can be sorted in 10 swaps at best, so with the 15 allowed you have 5 to spare, and every spare swap is a star. The line below reaches the answer in exactly 10; it is not the only one, since the same letter often appears twice, but no shorter line exists.

Waffle #43 in numbers

Letters in place at the start6 of 21
Yellow at the start5
Grey at the start10
Minimum swaps10
Swaps allowed15 (5 stars at 10 or fewer)
Across 1 (top row)2 of 5 letters in place at the start
Across 2 (middle row)0 of 5 letters in place at the start
Across 3 (bottom row)2 of 5 letters in place at the start
Down 1 (left column)1 of 5 letters in place at the start
Down 2 (middle column)1 of 5 letters in place at the start
Down 3 (right column)3 of 5 letters in place at the start

Waffle #43 starting board

A 10-swap solution for Waffle #43

One optimal line, computed from the best matching of misplaced letters to the cells that need them. Rows and columns are counted from the top-left corner.

  1. Swap D at row 4, column 3 with G at row 1, column 1. D lands in its place.

  2. Swap L at row 5, column 1 with D at row 1, column 1. L lands in its place.

  3. Swap P at row 4, column 5 with L at row 1, column 1. P lands in its place and so does L.

  4. Swap R at row 4, column 1 with E at row 1, column 3. R lands in its place and so does E.

  5. Swap G at row 3, column 1 with I at row 1, column 4. G lands in its place and so does I; that completes PURGE and PRIED.

  6. Swap G at row 3, column 4 with N at row 2, column 3. G lands in its place.

  7. Swap C at row 3, column 5 with G at row 2, column 3. C lands in its place; that completes EAGLE.

  8. Swap I at row 5, column 4 with C at row 2, column 3. I lands in its place.

  9. Swap E at row 3, column 3 with I at row 2, column 3. E lands in its place and so does I; that completes REIGN.

  10. Swap C at row 5, column 2 with A at row 3, column 2. C lands in its place and so does A; that completes ICING and DANCE.

Waffle #43 answer: the six words

Across: PURGE, ICING, DANCE. Down: PRIED, REIGN, EAGLE.

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