2026-08-27
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Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Analytical breakdown format — word list, path analysis, and strategy notes.
Overview
LinkedIn Wend #80 is the LinkedIn Wend daily for August 27, 2026. Wend is LinkedIn's word-finding game: drag through adjacent letters on a 6×6 grid to spell 4 hidden words (7, 7, 7, and 7 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: "POPCORN", "RELIEVE", "SILICON", "STATION".
The longest word is POPCORN — solve it first, then work through the remaining paths in recommended order.
Analysis
LinkedIn Wend #80 is a 6×6 Wend board hiding 4 words ("POPCORN", "RELIEVE", "SILICON", and "STATION"). Path analysis starts with grid geometry: 28 playable letters must partition into non-overlapping snakes.
"POPCORN" (7 letters) is the anchor. Starts at row 3, column 2 (interior), then runs one cell east, then 2 cells north, then 2 cells east, then one cell south. The path crosses the grid center, consuming territory that would block multiple shorter words. A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
"STATION" removes 7 cells; 14 letters remain for 2 words. Path shape: snake.
"RELIEVE" removes 7 cells; 7 letters remain for 1 word. Path shape: uTurn.
The final word "SILICON" consumes the last 7 cells. After this path, the partition is complete — no orphan letters.
Full partition: "POPCORN", "RELIEVE", "SILICON", and "STATION" on a 6×6 board. All 28 playable letters belong to exactly 4 words (POPCORN, RELIEVE, SILICON, STATION). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used. This is a uniform word lengths layout — Every hidden word is the same length, so length alone will not break ties. You need letter patterns, path geometry, and partition logic to decide which snake to trace first.
Words
Path
Starts at row 3, column 2 (interior), then runs one cell east, then 2 cells north, then 2 cells east, then one cell south.
The path crosses the grid center, consuming territory that would block multiple shorter words. A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
Solving note
Anchor word: Start here — "POPCORN" claims 7 cells and defines the rest of the partition.
Path
Starts at row 5, column 5 (interior), then runs one cell west, then one cell north, then 2 cells east, then 2 cells north.
The path crosses the grid center, consuming territory that would block multiple shorter words. A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter.
Solving note
Territory claim: After prior locks, 21 cells were open; this word consumes 7.
Path
Starts at row 5, column 2 (interior), then runs one cell south, then 4 cells east, then one cell north.
A U-turn path that doubles back — watch for cells that look available but belong to this word.
Solving note
Bridge path: After prior locks, 14 cells were open; this word consumes 7.
Path
Starts at row 2, column 2 (interior), then runs one cell north, then one cell west, then 4 cells south.
A U-turn path that doubles back — watch for cells that look available but belong to this word.
Solving note
Gap filler: "SILICON" is the final 7-letter path — verify no unused cells remain.
Verification
Longest-first ordering ("POPCORN" (7), then "STATION" (7), then "RELIEVE" (7), then "SILICON" (7)) minimizes dead-end paths on this 6×6 board. "POPCORN" removes the most cells in one trace — 7 letters — leaving 21 for the remaining words. Shorter words after that often have only one legal path through leftover clusters.
Solve path
Step 1: Lock "POPCORN" (7 letters) first — Starts at row 3, column 2 (interior), then runs one cell east, then 2 cells north, then 2 cells east, then one cell south. 21 playable letters remain. Step 2: Place "STATION" (7 letters). 14 letters left in 2 words. Step 3: Place "RELIEVE" (7 letters). 7 letters left in 1 word. Step 4: Finish with "SILICON" — the last 7-letter path. Every letter on the board is now accounted for.
Pattern
Every hidden word is the same length, so length alone will not break ties. You need letter patterns, path geometry, and partition logic to decide which snake to trace first.
All 28 playable letters belong to exactly 4 words (POPCORN, RELIEVE, SILICON, STATION). No letter is shared between paths, and every cell with a letter is used.
Learn more in Wend Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
On LinkedIn Wend #80, the 7-letter word "POPCORN" is the highest-impact path. The path crosses the grid center, consuming territory that would block multiple shorter words. A snaking path with multiple turns — harder to guess without tracing letter by letter. Locking it exposes how "STATION", "RELIEVE", "SILICON" must fit.
Every hidden word is the same length, so length alone will not break ties. You need letter patterns, path geometry, and partition logic to decide which snake to trace first.
After all 4 words, every playable cell should belong to exactly one path. All 28 playable letters belong to exactly 4 words (POPCORN, RELIEVE, SILICON, STATION). 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 POPCORN, RELIEVE, SILICON, and STATION 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 7 to 7 letters; recommended solve order (longest first): POPCORN, STATION, RELIEVE, and SILICON. Start with "POPCORN" — the 7-letter anchor — then fill shorter paths through remaining letter clusters. Every hidden word is the same length, so length alone will not break ties. You need letter patterns, path geometry, and partition logic to decide which snake to trace first. 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.