2026-07-08
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2026-07-06
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Full breakdown using the Analytical breakdown format — word list, path analysis, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Wend #30 is the LinkedIn Wend daily for July 8, 2026. Wend is LinkedIn's word-finding game: drag through adjacent letters on a 5×5 grid to spell 3 hidden words (6, 7, and 8 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 3 words: "URGENT", "EXCLAIM", "EMPHASIS".
The longest word is EMPHASIS — solve it first, then work through the remaining paths in recommended order.
Analysis
LinkedIn Wend #30 is a 5×5 Wend board hiding 3 words ("URGENT", "EXCLAIM", and "EMPHASIS"). Path analysis starts with grid geometry: 21 playable letters must partition into non-overlapping snakes.
"EMPHASIS" (8 letters) is the anchor. Starts at row 2, column 4 (interior), then runs one cell north, then one cell east, then 4 cells south, then one cell west. A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
"EXCLAIM" removes 7 cells; 6 letters remain for 1 word. Path shape: uTurn.
The final word "URGENT" consumes the last 6 cells. After this path, the partition is complete — no orphan letters.
Full partition: "URGENT", "EXCLAIM", and "EMPHASIS" on a 5×5 board. All 21 playable letters belong to exactly 3 words (URGENT, EXCLAIM, EMPHASIS). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used. This is a rare-letter anchor layout — A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center.
Words
Path
Starts at row 2, column 4 (interior), then runs one cell north, then one cell east, then 4 cells south, then one cell west.
A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
Solving note
Anchor word: Start here — "EMPHASIS" claims 8 cells and defines the rest of the partition.
Path
Starts at row 5, column 2 (edge), then runs one cell west, then 4 cells north, then one cell east.
Contains rare letter X — usually a strong anchor for this word's path. A U-turn path that doubles back — watch for cells that look available but belong to this word. Starts on an edge — edge starts reduce the number of possible directions.
Solving note
Territory claim: After prior locks, 13 cells were open; this word consumes 7.
Path
Starts at row 2, column 2 (interior), then runs 2 cells south, then 2 cells east, then one cell north.
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
Bridge path: "URGENT" is the final 6-letter path — verify no unused cells remain.
Verification
Longest-first ordering ("EMPHASIS" (8), then "EXCLAIM" (7), then "URGENT" (6)) minimizes dead-end paths on this 5×5 board. "EMPHASIS" removes the most cells in one trace — 8 letters — leaving 13 for the remaining words. Shorter words after that often have only one legal path through leftover clusters.
Solve path
Step 1: Lock "EMPHASIS" (8 letters) first — Starts at row 2, column 4 (interior), then runs one cell north, then one cell east, then 4 cells south, then one cell west. 13 playable letters remain. Step 2: Place "EXCLAIM" (7 letters). 6 letters left in 1 word. Step 3: Finish with "URGENT" — the last 6-letter path. Every letter on the board is now accounted for.
Pattern
A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center.
All 21 playable letters belong to exactly 3 words (URGENT, EXCLAIM, EMPHASIS). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used.
Learn more in Wend Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
On LinkedIn Wend #30, the 8-letter word "EMPHASIS" is the highest-impact path. A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Locking it exposes how "EXCLAIM", "URGENT" must fit.
A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center.
After all 3 words, every playable cell should belong to exactly one path. All 21 playable letters belong to exactly 3 words (URGENT, EXCLAIM, EMPHASIS). 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 URGENT, EXCLAIM, and EMPHASIS on a 5×5 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 6 to 8 letters; recommended solve order (longest first): EMPHASIS, EXCLAIM, and URGENT. Start with "EMPHASIS" — the 8-letter anchor — then fill shorter paths through remaining letter clusters. A rare letter (Q, X, Z, J, or K) anchors at least one word. Uncommon letters usually belong to a single path — scan for them before guessing long routes through the center. 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.