Daily challenge: Friday, January 2, 2026

The complete record of this day's puzzles: each grid, every word it contained, and the players who scored highest. Words are validated against Popple's 172,727-word dictionary; minimum length is 3 letters on 4×4, 4 on 5×5, and 5 on 6×6.

4x4 grid (57 possible words, minimum 3 letters)

N	U	A	A
H	T	I	G
I	O	E	H
I	I	E	P

All 57 words in this grid

6-letter words (1)

AUNTIE

5-letter words (4)

AGATE, GAUNT, TAIGA, UNTIE

4-letter words (15)

AGEE, AGIO, AUNT, AUTO, ETUI, GAIT, GATE, GAUN, GETA, GHEE, HETH, HUNT, IOTA, THIO, UNTO

3-letter words (37)

AGA, AGE, AIT, ATE, ETA, ETH, GAT, GEE, GET, GHI, GIE, GIT, HEP, HET, HIE, HIT, HOE, HOT, HUN, HUT, NTH, NUT, PEE, PEG, PEH, PET, PHI, TAG, TAU, TEE, TEG, THO, TIE, TOE, TUI, TUN, UTA

5x5 grid (154 possible words, minimum 4 letters)

E	H	S	H	O
D	M	E	W	A
R	L	E	O	O
S	H	D	M	D
Y	D	O	I	T

All 154 words in this grid

7-letter words (5)

DOODLES, DOWELED, HEEHAWS, WELSHED, WHELMED

6-letter words (24)

DEEMED, DIDOES, DODOES, DOODLE, DOOMED, DOWELS, HEEHAW, HELMED, HEMOID, MEOWED, MESHED, MODELS, MODEMS, MOHELS, OODLES, SEEMED, SELDOM, SHAWED, SHEWED, SHODDY, SHOWED, SLEWED, WHEELS, WHELMS

5-letter words (37)

DEEMS, DELES, DEMES, DEMIT, DIODE, DOMED, DOWED, DOWEL, DOWSE, ELEMI, HAWED, HAWSE, HEELS, HELMS, HEMES, HEWED, HOMED, HOWES, IDLES, LEHRS, MEOWS, MEWED, MIDDY, MODEL, MODEM, MOHEL, MOOED, MOWED, SEELS, SEWED, SHEWS, SLEWS, TIMED, WELSH, WHEEL, WHELM, WOOED

4-letter words (88)

AHEM, AWED, AWEE, AWES, DEEM, DEES, DELE, DELS, DEME, DEMO, DEWS, DIDO, DIME, DODO, DOES, DOIT, DOME, DOOM, DOWS, EDDO, EDDY, EDHS, EDIT, EELS, ELMS, EMES, EMIT, EWES, HAWS, HEED, HEEL, HEHS, HELD, HELM, HEME, HEMS, HEWS, HODS, HOME, HOMO, HOWE, HOWS, IDEM, IDLE, LEES, LEHR, MEED, MELD, MELS, MEMO, MEMS, MEOW, MESH, MEWS, MODE, MODI, MODS, MOOD, MOWS, ODDS, OHED, OMIT, OWED, OWES, OWSE, SEED, SEEL, SEEM, SELS, SEME, SHAW, SHED, SHEW, SHOD, SHOW, SLED, SLEW, SMEW, TIDE, TIME, WEED, WEEL, WEES, WELD, WHEE, WHOA, WOES, WOOD

6x6 grid (181 possible words, minimum 5 letters)

T	E	O	O	U	E
E	U	S	O	C	U
I	E	Y	S	E	L
N	R	I	I	S	S
O	S	T	Y	O	A
T	U	I	U	I	D

All 181 words in this grid

10-letter words (3)

SENSITISES, SEROSITIES, TUTORESSES

9-letter words (2)

OUTSNORES, SENSITISE

8-letter words (11)

ASSISTOR, DOSSIERS, ENOSISES, IRITISES, OUTSNORE, SEROSITY, SNOUTIER, STRESSES, TRESSELS, TUSSISES, TUTORESS

7-letter words (21)

DASSIES, DOSSELS, DOSSIER, IRONIES, ISSUERS, LESSENS, OSCULES, OSSEINS, OYESSES, REISSUE, SASSIER, SASSIES, SENSORY, SISSIES, SORTIES, STONIER, STOREYS, STORIES, TISSUEY, TRESSEL, TRESSES

6-letter words (61)

ASSESS, ASSIST, COSEYS, COSIER, COSIES, COSSET, DASSIE, DOSSEL, DOSSES, ECESIS, ENOSIS, INERTS, IRISES, IRITIS, IRONES, ISSEIS, ISSUER, LESSEE, LESSEN, LESSER, NESSES, NOSIER, OSCULE, OSIERS, OSSEIN, OUTSIT, SEISES, SEISOR, SENORS, SENRYU, SENSOR, SERINS, SEROUS, SIRENS, SNORES, SNOUTY, SOCLES, SORTIE, STONER, STONES, STONEY, STORES, STOREY, STREET, STRESS, SYRENS, TISSUE, TONERS, TONIER, TORIES, TRESSY, TRIENS, TRINES, TRONES, TROUTS, TSORES, TSORIS, TUSSIS, TUTORS, TUYERS, YESSES

5-letter words (83)

ADIOS, ASSES, CLUES, COOEE, COSES, COSET, COSEY, COSIE, COYER, DOITS, DOSES, ESSES, EYRIE, INERT, IRONE, IRONS, ISLES, ISSEI, ISSUE, LUCES, NEIST, NERTS, NORIS, OASES, OASIS, ONERY, OSIER, OUTRE, OYERS, REINS, RESEE, RESET, REUSE, RISES, ROUST, ROUTS, SASSY, SEISE, SENOR, SERIN, SIREE, SIREN, SIRES, SISES, SISSY, SITUS, SLUES, SNORE, SNORT, SNOUT, SOCLE, SODAS, SONES, SORES, STIES, STONE, STORE, STORY, STOUT, SUERS, SYREN, TEENS, TIERS, TIRES, TIROS, TONER, TONES, TONEY, TORES, TORII, TORSI, TORTS, TOUTS, TRESS, TREYS, TRIES, TRINE, TRONE, TROTS, TROUT, TUTOR, TUYER, USERS