Daily challenge: Thursday, October 1, 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 (86 possible words, minimum 3 letters)

I	O	I	E
I	R	L	O
E	H	Y	L
T	A	G	M

All 86 words in this grid

6-letter words (4)

AERILY, GATHER, ORIOLE, THRILL

5-letter words (10)

AERIE, ETHYL, GHYLL, HATER, ORIEL, RETAG, ROILY, THEIR, THIOL, THIRL

4-letter words (39)

AERO, AERY, AGLY, EATH, ELHI, GATE, GHAT, GYRE, GYRI, GYRO, HAET, HATE, HEAT, HEIR, HERL, HERO, HIRE, ILLY, LIRE, LIRI, LORE, LORY, LYRE, OILY, OLEO, OLIO, ORLE, RHEA, RIEL, RILE, RILL, ROIL, ROLE, ROLL, TAHR, THAE, THIO, THIR, THRO

3-letter words (33)

ATE, EAT, ELL, ETA, ETH, GAE, GAT, GAY, GHI, GYM, HAE, HAG, HAT, HAY, HER, HET, HIE, ILL, IRE, LEI, LIE, OIL, OLE, ORE, REI, RET, RYA, TAE, TAG, TEA, THE, THY, YAH

5x5 grid (111 possible words, minimum 4 letters)

O	C	T	O	L
A	N	E	E	U
L	T	O	U	E
W	Y	E	I	N
H	O	D	U	D

All 111 words in this grid

8-letter words (3)

CATENOID, LANCETED, TETANOID

7-letter words (3)

CANTEEN, CTENOID, DETENTE

6-letter words (16)

ACETYL, CANOED, CANTED, CENOTE, CENTAL, COATED, COATEE, CONOID, DETECT, DETENT, ENDUED, HYETAL, INDUED, LANCET, LATENT, TENTED

5-letter words (34)

ANTED, ATONE, CANOE, CANTO, CANTY, CENTO, COALY, CONTE, CONTO, ENACT, ENATE, ENDUE, HYOID, INDUE, LANCE, LATED, LATEN, LEONE, NOTAL, NOTED, NUDIE, OATEN, OCTET, ODEON, TACET, TANTO, TEIND, TENTY, TONAL, TOYED, UNDID, UNDUE, UNION, WYTED

4-letter words (55)

ACNE, ALTO, ANTE, CANE, CANT, CATE, CENT, CETE, COAL, COAT, CONE, DIDO, DIDY, DIED, DIET, DINE, DUDE, DUET, DUNE, EIDE, ETNA, HOED, HOWL, HYLA, HYTE, IDYL, IOTA, LACE, LANE, LATE, LEET, NIDE, NOEL, NOTA, NOTE, NOUN, NUDE, ODYL, OLEO, ONCE, ONLY, ONTO, TACE, TACO, TACT, TEEL, TEEN, TENT, TOED, TOLE, TOLU, TONE, TOYO, WYTE, YOWL

6x6 grid (113 possible words, minimum 5 letters)

T	L	C	T	A	H
E	O	I	S	U	A
F	O	E	E	S	T
L	U	O	H	D	T
R	C	E	I	C	A
L	E	E	A	O	G

All 113 words in this grid

9-letter words (1)

CHESTIEST

8-letter words (4)

ATTACHED, ATTACHES, COITUSES, HASTIEST

7-letter words (4)

ATTACHE, FUCOIDS, ICTUSES, TISSUED

6-letter words (30)

ATTACH, CHIDES, CISTUS, COITUS, COLIES, COOEED, COOEES, CUESTA, EDICTS, FLOOIE, FOOTLE, FUCOID, HASHED, HASHES, HUSHED, HUSHES, ISSUED, LOOIES, OCTADS, SIESTA, STADES, STADIA, TACHES, TASSIE, TISSUE, TUSHED, TUSHES, TUSHIE, TUSSAH, TUSSEH

5-letter words (74)

ACHED, ACHES, ACHOO, ACIDS, ADIEU, AIDES, ASCOT, ASDIC, ASHED, ASHES, ATILT, CADES, CAIDS, CHEER, CHESS, CHEST, CHIAO, CHIDE, CLOOT, CLOUR, CLUES, COATS, COEDS, COOEE, DEIST, DICTA, EDICT, ESCOT, FLOES, FLOUR, FLUES, FOIST, FOLIO, GOADS, GOATS, HEEDS, HEIST, HIDES, ICTUS, ISSUE, LIEUS, LITAS, LOESS, LOOED, LOOIE, LUCRE, OCTAD, OOHED, SEEDS, SEISE, SHEER, SHEOL, SHOED, SHOES, SHOOL, SIEUR, SITUS, STADE, STIED, STIES, STILE, STILT, SUSHI, SUTTA, TACHE, TACHS, TASSE, TAUTS, TELIC, TELOI, TOILE, TOITS, ULCER, UTILE