TodayHint

Letter Boxed August 17, 2026: Hints & Answers

edited by Sam Ezersky.

Recap

This Letter Boxed puzzle required strategic thinking to link words together. Solvers had to carefully choose each word to ensure that consecutive letters didn't come from the same side and that all twelve letters were used.

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.

  • TopRYU
  • RightENL
  • BottomBIT
  • LeftMOK

Par is 5 words. This board accepts 712 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.

    The board has a mix of common and uncommon letters. Look for a starting word that uses a versatile letter. The sides RYU, ENL, BIT, and MOK offer a range of possibilities. Consider starting with a word that ends in a letter that appears on multiple sides.

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

    Read off the board.

    Top side
    R · Y · U
    Right side
    E · N · L
    Bottom side
    B · I · T
    Left side
    M · O · K
    Par
    5 words
    Official chain
    2 words
    Words this board accepted
    712
    Back to the twelve letters
  3. The opening word, without naming it

    The first word has 7 letters and starts with B. It's a good idea to explore words that begin with this letter.

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

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

    Word 1
    BULKIER
  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
    8 letters, starts with R
    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 · 7 letters

    BULKIER

    BULKIER is an adjective meaning larger or more extensive. It clears the letters B, U, L, K, I, E, and R.

  • Word 2 · 8 letters

    RETRONYM

    RETRONYM refers to a word that is a retronym, a term coined to describe a newer word that was needed because an existing word's meaning changed. It clears the letters R, E, T, R, O, N, Y, and M.

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

    ROBOTLIKEEUONYM

  • Alternate chain 2 · 3 words

    BERETTOYLIKEEUONYM

  • Alternate chain 3 · 3 words

    BERKKILOBYTEEUONYM

This board by the numbers

Date
Monday, August 17, 2026
Board
4 sides of 3 letters
Par
5 words
Official chain
2 words
Words accepted
712 on this board
Other chains we verified
3

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