2026-07-16
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Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Strategy coach format — word list, path analysis, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Wend #38 is the LinkedIn Wend daily for July 16, 2026. Wend is LinkedIn's word-finding game: drag through adjacent letters on a 5×5 grid to spell 3 hidden words (8, 8, 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: "FRONTIER", "RHYTHMIC", "SKYLIGHT".
The longest word is SKYLIGHT — solve it first, then work through the remaining paths in recommended order.
Analysis
Teaching board LinkedIn Wend #38: 5×5 cells, 3 words, one rule — every letter used exactly once. Lesson one: do not start with a 3-letter guess unless the long anchors are obvious.
Move 1: trace "SKYLIGHT". Students should note the interior start and zigzag shape before committing.
Step 2: "RHYTHMIC" splits the grid further. 8 letters left — ask which cluster looks like a word.
Final move: "FRONTIER". Check that every remaining cell belongs to this path — no stragglers.
Takeaway from this board: longest-first ordering (SKYLIGHT, RHYTHMIC, FRONTIER) is the teaching path that matches how the grid wants to be solved.
Words
Path
Starts at row 4, column 4 (interior), then runs one cell south, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell south, then one cell west, then one cell north.
Contains rare letter K — usually a strong anchor for this word's path. A zigzag path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
Solving note
Opening move: Practice tracing "SKYLIGHT" without lifting — zigzag shape, 6 turn(s).
Path
Starts at row 1, column 3 (edge), then runs one cell south, then one cell west, then one cell south, then one cell west, then 2 cells north, then one cell east.
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
Grid split: Mid-board — eliminate paths that would orphan a listed word length.
Path
Starts at row 5, column 5 (corner), then runs 2 cells north, then one cell west, then 2 cells north, then one cell east, then one cell south.
A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Starts in a corner — fewer adjacent options often mean a clearer first letter to test.
Solving note
Pattern test: Endgame — only "FRONTIER" fits the remaining 8 cells.
Verification
Teach students this order: "SKYLIGHT" (8), then "RHYTHMIC" (8), then "FRONTIER" (8). After "SKYLIGHT", ask "what letter clusters remain?" — the answer is always the next longest listed word. This board is a rare-letter anchor type; 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.
Solve path
Step 1: Lock "SKYLIGHT" (8 letters) first — Starts at row 4, column 4 (interior), then runs one cell south, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell south, then one cell west, then one cell north. 16 playable letters remain. Step 2: Place "RHYTHMIC" (8 letters). 8 letters left in 1 word. Step 3: Finish with "FRONTIER" — the last 8-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 24 playable letters belong to exactly 3 words (FRONTIER, RHYTHMIC, SKYLIGHT). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used.
Learn more in Wend Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
Always identify the longest listed word ("SKYLIGHT") before short fills. On this board, that is 8 letters — nearly 33% of a single word's share of the grid.
Paths on this board include zigzag, snake shapes. Recognizing L-turns and snakes speeds up tracing without trial-and-error.
Before celebrating, count: 3 words, 24 total letters, zero overlap. All 24 playable letters belong to exactly 3 words (FRONTIER, RHYTHMIC, SKYLIGHT). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used.
Solution
This Wend puzzle hides FRONTIER, RHYTHMIC, and SKYLIGHT 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 8 to 8 letters; recommended solve order (longest first): SKYLIGHT, RHYTHMIC, and FRONTIER. Start with "SKYLIGHT" — 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.