Infinite Wordplay › Grid › Archive › #27
Daily Word Grid #27: October 20, 2026
The daily word grid from October 20, 2026 (#27): how it started, the answer, and one way to solve it in 10 swaps.
The starting grid
Green tiles start in the right place; yellow ones belong elsewhere in their row or column; gray ones are not needed in their row or column.
Clues for the six words
Top row: a clue
a transient variation in voltage or current
Its first letter
S
The word
SPIKE
Middle row: a clue
the limits within which something can be effective
Its first letter
R
The word
REACH
Bottom row: a clue
exert pressure or force to or upon
Its first letter
P
The word
PRESS
Left column: a clue
take away possessions from someone
Its first letter
S
The word
STRIP
Middle column: a clue
an iconic mental representation
Its first letter
I
The word
IMAGE
Right column: a clue
(anthropology) the distinctive spirit of a culture or an era
Its first letter
E
The word
ETHOS
The answer
Across: SPIKE, REACH, PRESS. Down: STRIP, IMAGE, ETHOS.
A 10-swap solution
One of the shortest ways, starting from the grid above (rows and columns counted from the top left):
- Swap O (row 1, column 5) with E (row 4, column 5)
- Swap R (row 2, column 1) with T (row 3, column 1)
- Swap S (row 4, column 1) with I (row 5, column 5)
- Swap K (row 1, column 1) with S (row 3, column 4)
- Swap P (row 1, column 3) with I (row 1, column 4)
- Swap P (row 1, column 4) with K (row 3, column 4)
- Swap P (row 3, column 4) with C (row 5, column 1)
- Swap E (row 2, column 3) with M (row 2, column 5)
- Swap E (row 2, column 5) with T (row 3, column 3)
- Swap A (row 3, column 2) with E (row 3, column 3)
Frequently asked questions
What were the words in grid #27?
Across: SPIKE, REACH, PRESS. Down: STRIP, IMAGE, ETHOS.
Can it really be solved in 10 swaps?
Yes. Every grid is checked so that its shortest solution is exactly 10 swaps. You get 15, and each one you save is a star.
When does the next grid come out?
Every day at midnight Eastern Time (New York). Everyone gets the same grid that day.
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