2026-07-30
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Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Case file format — word list, path analysis, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Wend #52 is the LinkedIn Wend daily for July 30, 2026. Wend is LinkedIn's word-finding game: drag through adjacent letters on a 6×6 grid to spell 4 hidden words (5, 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 4 words: "PHOTO", "STEREO", "BALLOON", "NOTEBOOK".
The longest word is NOTEBOOK — solve it first, then work through the remaining paths in recommended order.
Analysis
Case opened on LinkedIn Wend #52: a 6×6 grid, 4 hidden words, zero letter reuse. First exhibit to examine: "NOTEBOOK", the longest entry at 8 letters.
Exhibit "NOTEBOOK": Starts at row 6, column 4 (edge), then runs one cell north, then 2 cells east, then one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell east. Evidence weight: high — longest path on the board.
"BALLOON" entered as exhibit 2. 11 playable cells remain unassigned.
"STEREO" entered as exhibit 3. 5 playable cells remain unassigned.
Closing exhibit "PHOTO" — final 5-letter path. Case closed: all 4 words accounted for.
Verdict: 4 words, one grid, zero shared cells. "PHOTO", "STEREO", "BALLOON", and "NOTEBOOK" is the complete answer set for LinkedIn Wend #52.
Words
Path
Exhibit A — "NOTEBOOK": Starts at row 6, column 4 (edge), then runs one cell north, then 2 cells east, then one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell east.
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. Starts on an edge — edge starts reduce the number of possible directions.
Solving note
Chain-of-custody: 8 adjacent cells, zigzag geometry, edge origin.
Path
Exhibit B — "BALLOON": Starts at row 2, column 6 (edge), then runs one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell south, then one cell west, then one cell north.
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
Chain-of-custody: 7 adjacent cells, zigzag geometry, edge origin.
Path
Exhibit C — "STEREO": Starts at row 5, column 1 (edge), then runs 3 cells north, then one cell east, then one cell south.
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
Chain-of-custody: 6 adjacent cells, uTurn geometry, edge origin.
Path
Exhibit D — "PHOTO": Starts at row 6, column 2 (edge), then runs one cell east, then one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell north.
A snaking 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
Chain-of-custody: 5 adjacent cells, snake geometry, edge origin.
Verification
The evidence supports this sequence: "NOTEBOOK" (8), then "BALLOON" (7), then "STEREO" (6), then "PHOTO" (5). The longest path ("NOTEBOOK") constrains the entire grid; shorter entries fit into the gaps it creates. Any order that leaves the longest word for last forces you to route through already-claimed cells.
Solve path
Step 1: Lock "NOTEBOOK" (8 letters) first — Starts at row 6, column 4 (edge), then runs one cell north, then 2 cells east, then one cell north, then one cell west, then one cell north, then one cell east. 18 playable letters remain. Step 2: Place "BALLOON" (7 letters). 11 letters left in 2 words. Step 3: Place "STEREO" (6 letters). 5 letters left in 1 word. Step 4: Finish with "PHOTO" — the last 5-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 26 playable letters belong to exactly 4 words (PHOTO, STEREO, BALLOON, NOTEBOOK). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used.
Learn more in Wend Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
"BALLOON" often confirms the partition after "NOTEBOOK" — two long snakes split the grid into solvable zones.
Any path that crosses already-locked cells is invalid. Words cannot share letters — a common mistake is tracing through a cell reserved for another listed length.
This board's signature: rare-letter anchor, 4 words, 6×6 grid. File that pattern for future Wend dailies.
Solution
This Wend puzzle hides PHOTO, STEREO, BALLOON, and NOTEBOOK on a 6×6 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 5 to 8 letters; recommended solve order (longest first): NOTEBOOK, BALLOON, STEREO, and PHOTO. Start with "NOTEBOOK" — 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.