TodayHint

Letter Boxed July 17, 2026: Hints & Answers

edited by Sam Ezersky.

Recap

This puzzle required strategic thinking about letter distribution and word connections. Solvers had to balance the need to clear sides 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.

  • TopWGO
  • RightIDN
  • BottomTRV
  • LeftEHL

Par is 4 words. This board accepts 899 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 less common letters. Starting with a word that uses high-frequency letters and clears a side can be beneficial. Look for a starting word that ends with a versatile letter, setting up multiple possibilities for the next word.

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

    Read off the board.

    Top side
    W · G · O
    Right side
    I · D · N
    Bottom side
    T · R · V
    Left side
    E · H · L
    Par
    4 words
    Official chain
    2 words
    Words this board accepted
    899
    Back to the twelve letters
  3. The opening word, without naming it

    Consider a 7-letter word starting with E, which could offer flexibility for the next word.

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

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

    Word 1
    OVERWRITE
  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
    11 letters, starts with E
    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 · 9 letters

    OVERWRITE

    This word means to write over or erase and replace written material. It uses the letters O, V, E, R, W, R, I, T, E, clearing the sides WGO, IDN, and TRV.

  • Word 2 · 11 letters

    ENLIGHTENED

    Meaning to have been given insight or understanding. It uses the letters E, N, L, I, G, H, T, E, N, E, D, clearing the remaining side EHL and connecting to the previous word.

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

    GLOVERREWHITENED

  • Alternate chain 2 · 2 words

    LIVEWEIGHTTHORNED

  • Alternate chain 3 · 2 words

    NOLOOVERWEIGHTED

This board by the numbers

Date
Friday, July 17, 2026
Board
4 sides of 3 letters
Par
4 words
Official chain
2 words
Words accepted
899 on this board
Other chains we verified
3

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