TodayHint

Letter Boxed July 12, 2026: Hints & Answers

edited by Sam Ezersky.

Recap

This puzzle required finding a chain that efficiently uses all the letters on the board. Solvers had to balance the need for word length with the constraints on consecutive letters and word chaining.

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.

  • TopTYE
  • RightIKV
  • BottomSNR
  • LeftFOG

Par is 4 words. This board accepts 1520 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. The sides TYE and FOG seem less versatile. A good opening word likely uses I, K, or N. It should also set up for a word that can bridge to multiple other sides. Look for a word that uses a common letter combination.

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

    Read off the board.

    Top side
    T · Y · E
    Right side
    I · K · V
    Bottom side
    S · N · R
    Left side
    F · O · G
    Par
    4 words
    Official chain
    2 words
    Words this board accepted
    1520
    Back to the twelve letters
  3. The opening word, without naming it

    The first word has 6 letters and starts with E. It's a relatively common starting letter. Consider words that could logically follow from various starting points on the board.

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

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

    Word 1
    EVOKES
  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 S
    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 · 6 letters

    EVOKES

    A verb meaning to summon or evoke something, using the letters E, V, O, K, E, and S, which clears the side TYE.

  • Word 2 · 10 letters

    STIRFRYING

    A verb meaning to cook quickly by stirring, using the letters S, T, I, R, F, R, Y, I, N, and G, which clears the remaining sides.

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

    EVOKESSTORIFYING

  • Alternate chain 2 · 2 words

    FYKESSOVEREIGNIST

  • Alternate chain 3 · 2 words

    INVOKESSTIRFRYING

This board by the numbers

Date
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Board
4 sides of 3 letters
Par
4 words
Official chain
2 words
Words accepted
1520 on this board
Other chains we verified
3

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