All the right letters are already on the board in the wrong places — you have fifteen swaps to sort six interlocking words.
Publisher
Waffle Game
Cost
Free
How often
One puzzle a day, with a Deluxe version for more
Time
3–8 minutes
The rules
The grid holds six words: three across and three down.
Every letter you need is already placed, just scrambled.
Swap any two letters to move them.
Green means a letter is already correct; yellow means it belongs elsewhere in that word.
You have fifteen swaps; finishing in fewer earns a higher star rating.
What works
Deduction rather than vocabulary — you already have the letters
The star rating gives a reason to replay the approach in your head
Fifteen swaps is generous enough to finish but tight enough to matter
Intersecting words mean every move gives information about two words
What doesn’t
Less of a word game than a logic puzzle wearing letters
Once you spot the structure, most days are similar in difficulty
Smaller community than the NYT games, so less to talk about
Little vocabulary stretch — the words are usually common
Skip Waffle if: Anyone looking to expand their vocabulary, or who prefers guessing at unknowns over rearranging knowns
Questions about Waffle
How many swaps do you get in Waffle?
Fifteen. Solving in fewer earns more stars, which is the game's real scoring rather than simply finishing.
How do you play Waffle?
All the correct letters are already on the board but in the wrong positions. Swap pairs of letters until the three across and three down words are all correct.
What do the colours mean in Waffle?
Green means that letter is in its correct final position. Yellow means it belongs somewhere else in that same word. Grey means it is not part of the word it currently sits in.
Is Waffle free?
The daily puzzle is free. A Deluxe version offers additional puzzles for players who want more than one a day.
Meldle is a different daily puzzle — four words sharing one missing pair of letters. Try today’s → It’s free, needs no account, and here is what it does badly.
