Letter Boxed September 13, 2026: Hints & Answers

edited by Sam Ezersky.

Recap

This puzzle required strategic side usage and word chaining. Solvers had to balance using common letters to keep options open while ensuring each word flowed into the next. The official chain and alternatives demonstrate the board's complexity and solvability.

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.

  • TopPWE
  • RightLTA
  • BottomIDN
  • LeftFGU

Par is 4 words. This board accepts 723 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. Hint 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. Look for a starting word that uses a side with multiple vowels or common consonants. Avoid starting with sides that have only one or two playable letters. Focus on using sides with more than two letters to increase flexibility.

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

    Read off the board.

    Top side
    P · W · E
    Right side
    L · T · A
    Bottom side
    I · D · N
    Left side
    F · G · U
    Par
    4 words
    Official chain
    2 words
    Words this board accepted
    723
  3. Hint 3: The opening word, without naming it

    The first word has 6 letters and starts with a commonly used letter in many words, often found in everyday vocabulary.

  4. Hint 4: How long the opening word was, and where it started
    Opening word
    6 letters, starts with U
    Word 2
    7 letters
  5. Hint 5: The opening word itself

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

    Word 1
    UPLIFT
  6. Hint 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
    7 letters, starts with T

Every word of that day's chain

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

  • Word 1 · 6 letters

    UPLIFT

    A verb meaning to raise or lift up, using the letters U, P, L, I, F, and T, which clears the side PWE and sets up for a word starting with T.

  • Word 2 · 7 letters

    TWANGED

    A verb meaning to produce a sharp, ringing sound, using the letters T, W, A, N, G, and E, and D, which utilizes the sides LTA and FGU efficiently.

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 · 3 words

    AFIELDDUPLETTWANG

  • Alternate chain 2 · 3 words

    AGLUUNPAWNEDDEADLIFT

  • Alternate chain 3 · 3 words

    AILILIUUPLIFTTWANGED

This board by the numbers

Date
Sunday, September 13, 2026
Board
4 sides of 3 letters
Par
4 words
Official chain
2 words
Words accepted
723 on this board
Other chains we verified
3

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