Daily challenge: Friday, January 16, 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 (65 possible words, minimum 3 letters)

T	R	T	Y
A	R	N	U
O	N	C	L
H	E	T	W

All 65 words in this grid

6-letter words (4)

CRANNY, HORNET, LUCENT, TRANCE

5-letter words (9)

ANNUL, CRANE, CRONE, HORNY, RANCE, TARTY, TENOR, TRONA, TRONE

4-letter words (23)

ANTE, ARTY, CENT, CULT, CUNT, ETNA, HENT, HOAR, HONE, HORA, HORN, LUCE, LUNT, LUNY, NARC, ONCE, ORRA, RANT, ROAN, ROAR, TARN, TARO, TART

3-letter words (29)

ANE, ANT, ARC, ART, CUT, ECU, EON, HEN, HET, HOE, HON, NET, NOH, NOR, NUT, OAR, OAT, ONE, ORA, ORC, ORT, RAN, RAT, ROE, TAN, TAO, TAR, TEN, TUN

5x5 grid (92 possible words, minimum 4 letters)

I	O	U	T	I
Qu	E	S	T	A
N	T	W	D	A
W	H	W	E	I
A	T	N	H	L

All 92 words in this grid

7-letter words (2)

HEADSET, OUTWENT

6-letter words (11)

HIATUS, NEWEST, OUTSET, QUIETS, STADIA, STATUE, STEWED, TAILED, TESTAE, WHEATS, WHILED

5-letter words (21)

AILED, HEADS, HEATS, LEADS, NEATS, NEWEL, NEWTS, OSTIA, QUEST, QUIET, SEWED, STADE, STAID, SUTTA, SWEAT, TESTA, TEWED, WHEAT, WHEWS, WHIDS, WHILE

4-letter words (58)

AIDE, AIDS, AITS, DATA, DEIL, DELI, DENT, DEWS, DIEL, EATS, ELHI, EWES, HEAD, HEAT, HEIL, HENT, HEWN, HEWS, HIDE, HIED, IDEA, ILEA, LEAD, LENT, LEWD, LIDS, LIED, LIEN, NEAT, NEST, NETS, NEWS, NEWT, OUST, OUTS, SENT, STAT, STEW, SUET, TADS, TAEL, TAIL, TATS, TEST, TEWS, THAT, THAW, TITS, TUTS, TWAT, WEDS, WENT, WEST, WETS, WHAT, WHEN, WHEW, WHID

6x6 grid (290 possible words, minimum 5 letters)

S	O	R	H	S	E
M	C	H	A	R	M
R	N	B	O	T	E
T	T	E	A	T	S
S	A	C	K	T	M
B	N	G	F	R	I

All 290 words in this grid

9-letter words (4)

ATTESTORS, COHOBATES, FRITTATAS, TESTATORS

8-letter words (14)

ATTESTOR, CABARETS, CATBOATS, CHATTERS, COHOBATE, ENCHASER, FRITTATA, FRITTERS, MOSCHATE, TABARETS, TABORETS, TESTATOR, TETRARCH, TRABEATE

7-letter words (32)

ABATERS, ABATORS, BATTERS, BEATERS, BOATERS, BORATES, CABARET, CATBOAT, CHATTER, COHORTS, CRATERS, ENCHASE, FRITTER, HATTERS, HOTTEST, MESARCH, NEATEST, ORATORS, RATTERS, RESTACK, RETAKEN, RITTERS, ROTATES, SHATTER, STATERS, STATORS, STRETTA, STRETTI, TABARET, TABORET, TACKETS, TATTERS

6-letter words (88)

ABACAS, ABASER, ABATER, ABATES, ABATOR, ABHORS, ABORTS, AHORSE, AORTAE, AORTAS, ARMETS, ATTACK, ATTARS, ATTEST, BAREST, BATTEN, BATTER, BEATER, BETTAS, BOARTS, BOATER, BORATE, CATERS, CHARES, CHARMS, CHARTS, CHASER, CHORES, CHOTTS, COHORT, CRATER, CRATES, EATERS, FRITTS, HAREMS, HATERS, HATTER, HOARSE, HORAHS, HOTTER, KABARS, KEBARS, MEREST, METRES, MOCHAS, NEATER, OATERS, ORATES, ORATOR, OTTARS, OTTERS, RABATO, RABATS, RAREST, RATERS, RATTER, RETACK, RETAKE, RITTER, ROTATE, ROTTES, SABOTS, SEREST, SHARES, STACTE, STANCE, STARCH, STARES, STATER, STATOR, STENCH, STERES, STORES, STORMS, STROBE, TABORS, TACKET, TAROCS, TAROTS, TATARS, TATERS, TATTER, TESTAE, TETRAS, TORAHS, TORTES, TOTEMS, TOTERS

5-letter words (152)

ABACA, ABACK, ABASE, ABASH, ABATE, ABETS, ABHOR, ABORT, ACETA, AORTA, ARMET, ATTAR, BARES, BARMS, BASER, BASTE, BATES, BATTS, BEANS, BEAST, BEATS, BENCH, BENTS, BETAS, BETTA, BOARS, BOART, BOATS, BORAS, BORES, BORTS, BOTAS, BOTTS, CANST, CASTE, CATER, CATES, CENTS, CHARE, CHARM, CHARS, CHART, CHASE, CHASM, CHATS, CHORE, CHOTT, CRASH, CRATE, EATER, ERASE, FRITS, FRITT, GNATS, HAREM, HARES, HARMS, HARSH, HARTS, HATER, HATES, HOARS, HORAH, HORAS, HORSE, KABAR, KATAS, KEBAR, KENCH, MERES, METRE, METRO, MITTS, MOCHA, MORAS, NEATS, NETTS, OAKEN, OATER, ORATE, OTTAR, OTTER, RABAT, RARES, RASER, RATER, RATES, REMET, ROTAS, ROTES, ROTTE, SABOT, SAROS, SATEM, SATES, SEMES, SERES, SETAE, SHARE, SMIRK, SNACK, SORAS, STACK, STAKE, STANG, STARE, STARS, STASH, STATE, STEAK, STEMS, STERE, STIRK, STOAE, STOAS, STOAT, STORE, STORM, TABOR, TACET, TACTS, TAHRS, TAKEN, TARES, TAROC, TAROS, TAROT, TASTE, TATAR, TATER, TATES, TEATS, TENCH, TENTS, TERMS, TERSE, TESTA, TETRA, TORAH, TORAS, TORES, TORSE, TORTE, TORTS, TOTEM, TOTER, TOTES, TRASH, TRETS, TRIMS, TROAK, TROTS