2026-09-16
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Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Analytical breakdown format — word list, path analysis, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Wend #100 is the LinkedIn Wend daily for September 16, 2026. Wend is LinkedIn's word-finding game: drag through adjacent letters on a 7×7 grid to spell 4 hidden words (7, 8, 9, and 10 letters each). Every letter is used exactly once. This page includes the live board, a solved-board view, and a step-by-step Solution walkthrough. Difficulty: Medium. Estimated solve time: 4–6 min. Read the explainer sections below for strategy, or jump straight into play.
Answer
This board hides 4 words: "PERFECT", "FLAWLESS", "AUTHENTIC", "ABSOLUTELY".
The longest word is ABSOLUTELY — solve it first, then work through the remaining paths in recommended order.
Analysis
LinkedIn Wend #100 is a 7×7 Wend board hiding 4 words ("PERFECT", "FLAWLESS", "AUTHENTIC", and "ABSOLUTELY"). Path analysis starts with grid geometry: 34 playable letters must partition into non-overlapping snakes.
"ABSOLUTELY" (10 letters) is the anchor. Starts at row 2, column 1 (edge), then runs one cell south, then one cell east, then 3 cells south, then one cell east, then one cell south, then 2 cells west. A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts on an edge — edge starts reduce the number of possible directions.
"AUTHENTIC" removes 9 cells; 15 letters remain for 2 words. Path shape: uTurn.
"FLAWLESS" removes 8 cells; 7 letters remain for 1 word. Path shape: snake.
The final word "PERFECT" consumes the last 7 cells. After this path, the partition is complete — no orphan letters.
Full partition: "PERFECT", "FLAWLESS", "AUTHENTIC", and "ABSOLUTELY" on a 7×7 board. All 34 playable letters belong to exactly 4 words (PERFECT, FLAWLESS, AUTHENTIC, ABSOLUTELY). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used. This is a long-word anchor board layout — The longest word crosses a large section of the grid — locking it first removes the most territory and exposes how the shorter words must fit.
Words
Path
Starts at row 2, column 1 (edge), then runs one cell south, then one cell east, then 3 cells south, then one cell east, then one cell south, then 2 cells west.
A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts on an edge — edge starts reduce the number of possible directions.
Solving note
Anchor word: Start here — "ABSOLUTELY" claims 10 cells and defines the rest of the partition.
Path
Starts at row 6, column 6 (interior), then runs one cell west, then 4 cells north, then 3 cells west.
The snake spans three or more quadrants of the board — a high-impact route to place early. A U-turn path that doubles back — watch for cells that look available but belong to this word.
Solving note
Territory claim: After prior locks, 24 cells were open; this word consumes 9.
Path
Starts at row 6, column 4 (interior), then runs one cell south, then 3 cells east, then 2 cells north, then one cell west.
A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
Solving note
Bridge path: After prior locks, 15 cells were open; this word consumes 8.
Path
Starts at row 1, column 1 (corner), then runs 6 cells east.
A straight run with no turns — easy to trace once you spot the entry letter. Starts in a corner — fewer adjacent options often mean a clearer first letter to test.
Solving note
Gap filler: "PERFECT" is the final 7-letter path — verify no unused cells remain.
Verification
Longest-first ordering ("ABSOLUTELY" (10), then "AUTHENTIC" (9), then "FLAWLESS" (8), then "PERFECT" (7)) minimizes dead-end paths on this 7×7 board. "ABSOLUTELY" removes the most cells in one trace — 10 letters — leaving 24 for the remaining words. Shorter words after that often have only one legal path through leftover clusters.
Solve path
Step 1: Lock "ABSOLUTELY" (10 letters) first — Starts at row 2, column 1 (edge), then runs one cell south, then one cell east, then 3 cells south, then one cell east, then one cell south, then 2 cells west. 24 playable letters remain. Step 2: Place "AUTHENTIC" (9 letters). 15 letters left in 2 words. Step 3: Place "FLAWLESS" (8 letters). 7 letters left in 1 word. Step 4: Finish with "PERFECT" — the last 7-letter path. Every letter on the board is now accounted for.
Pattern
The longest word crosses a large section of the grid — locking it first removes the most territory and exposes how the shorter words must fit.
All 34 playable letters belong to exactly 4 words (PERFECT, FLAWLESS, AUTHENTIC, ABSOLUTELY). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used.
Learn more in Wend Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
On LinkedIn Wend #100, the 10-letter word "ABSOLUTELY" is the highest-impact path. A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts on an edge — edge starts reduce the number of possible directions. Locking it exposes how "AUTHENTIC", "FLAWLESS", "PERFECT" must fit.
The longest word crosses a large section of the grid — locking it first removes the most territory and exposes how the shorter words must fit.
After all 4 words, every playable cell should belong to exactly one path. All 34 playable letters belong to exactly 4 words (PERFECT, FLAWLESS, AUTHENTIC, ABSOLUTELY). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used. If a letter looks orphaned, a path is wrong — reset and try a different long-word route.
Solution
This Wend puzzle hides PERFECT, FLAWLESS, AUTHENTIC, and ABSOLUTELY on a 7×7 board. Each word is spelled by connecting horizontally or vertically adjacent cells — no diagonals, no reusing letters, and no overlapping paths. Word lengths run from 7 to 10 letters; recommended solve order (longest first): ABSOLUTELY, AUTHENTIC, FLAWLESS, and PERFECT. Start with "ABSOLUTELY" — the 10-letter anchor — then fill shorter paths through remaining letter clusters. The longest word crosses a large section of the grid — locking it first removes the most territory and exposes how the shorter words must fit. Use the Solution tab above for an interactive word-by-word walkthrough with live paths on the grid, or the Solved board tab for the complete answer at a glance.