TodayHint

Letter Boxed August 16, 2026: Hints & Answers

edited by Sam Ezersky.

Recap

This puzzle required strategic thinking to link words across different sides of the board, using all twelve letters efficiently. Solvers had to balance word choices to meet the consecutive letter and word chain criteria.

The board that was printed

Twelve letters, three to a side. A word could hop from any side to any other but never twice in a row from the same side, and each word had to start on the letter the last one ended on.

  • TopEVB
  • RightALU
  • BottomJTN
  • LeftDSO

Par is 5 words. This board accepts 1308 words in total.

Letter Boxed hints, one rung at a time

Six rungs, softest first. The recap above already named the chain, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the board fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.

  1. How the board wanted to be attacked

    Method only — no word from the chain.

    Focus on using letters from different sides to build a chain. The letters E, V, B, A, L, U, J, T, N, D, S, O are given. Look for common word patterns and try to use high-frequency letters first. Consider words that can be formed using letters from multiple sides to increase flexibility.

  2. Board facts: letters, par and how many words fitted

    Read off the board.

    Top side
    E · V · B
    Right side
    A · L · U
    Bottom side
    J · T · N
    Left side
    D · S · O
    Par
    5 words
    Official chain
    2 words
    Words this board accepted
    1308
    Back to the twelve letters
  3. The opening word, without naming it

    The first word has 4 letters and starts with a commonly used letter in many words, often found in everyday vocabulary, frequently used as a prefix or a standalone word.

  4. How long the opening word was, and where it started
    Opening word
    4 letters, starts with N
    Word 2
    10 letters
  5. The opening word itself

    The recap above already named it; this rung is for a replay.

    Word 1
    NOVA
  6. What each remaining word had to do

    Last rung before the full chain.

    Each word after the first began on the letter the previous one ended on, and between them they covered all 12 letters.

    Word 2
    10 letters, starts with A
    Open the full chain

Every word of that day's chain

All the words, folded. Each one stays hidden until you open it.

  • Word 1 · 4 letters

    NOVA

    A nova is a sudden, powerful explosion of a star, clearing the letters N, O, V, and A.

  • Word 2 · 10 letters

    ADJUSTABLE

    Meaning capable of being adjusted, this word uses the remaining letters, providing a valid chain solution.

Other chains that solved that board

Any chain using all twelve letters, each word starting where the last ended, was a win. These came out of that board's own word list, so every one of them was playable.

  • Alternate chain 1 · 2 words

    ELVANNONADJUSTABLE

  • Alternate chain 2 · 2 words

    NONADJUSTABLEELVAN

  • Alternate chain 3 · 2 words

    VANNONADJUSTABLE

This board by the numbers

Date
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Board
4 sides of 3 letters
Par
5 words
Official chain
2 words
Words accepted
1308 on this board
Other chains we verified
3

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