Spy Sudoku for 7/12/2026: APTLY

Add a letter. Drop a letter. Solve the Sudoku puzzles to discover the hidden words.

This month I am introducing a new word game based on Word Sudoku that I'm calling Spy Sudoku. After you ferret out what letters to use, solve two Word Sudoku puzzles to discover two hidden words. Each day, you're given a 5-letter word, and told which letter to take away or add, to solve a 4x4 and 6x6 Word Sudoku puzzle. On Sundays, you'll also be challenged to solve a 5x5 puzzle spelling out an anagram of the 5-letter word. I believe this is unique: I haven't seen anyone else providing 5x5 Word Sudoku puzzles. I've constructed several years of daily puzzle sets I hope to syndicate. I'd love your feedback! I may play with wording or puzzle alignment, etc., to try to make it as visually obvious as possible how to play the game. Please use the blog comment feature to let me know what works for you, and what doesn't. Today’s keyword is APTLY.
Drop "Y" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "R" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.
Solve the 5x5 to discover a keyword anagram.

Today’s hidden words may be unfamiliar; Sudoku logic will reveal them!

-Y

APTLY

+R

Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

All puzzles and text contained in this blog are copyright © 2008-2026, David H. Thompson. All rights reserved. Please tell your puzzle-loving friends to follow this blog. Thank you!

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: BENDY
4x4 (BENDY - B): DENY
6x6 (BENDY + O): BEYOND

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku (Did you hear?) Puzzles for Sunday, 7/12/2026

Did you hear about the narcissistic, self-destructive cannibal? Boy, was he full of himself!

A Did you hear? joke is really a bad Dad joke in disguise. The badder, the better! Every other Sunday in 2026, I'll challenge you to groan even louder.

PLINTH
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains these letters exactly once

BACKED
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains these letters exactly once

FOGS
4x4 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x2 square and set of circled cells contains these letters exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid

Did you hear about …

THINLY
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains these letters exactly once

ACED
4x4 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x2 square and set of circled cells contains these letters exactly once

REVS
4x4 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x2 square and set of circled cells contains these letters exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid

Solutions first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

(All puzzles and text contained in this blog are copyright © 2008-2026, David H. Thompson. All rights reserved. Please tell your puzzle-loving friends to follow this blog. Thank you!)

 

Solutions to the Saturday Paraprosdokian Sudoku Puzzles

Yesterday’s Qudoku puzzle sets spelled out wordplay known as a paraprosdokian.

The Sunday Challenge in a few hours.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Spy Sudoku for 7/11/2026: BENDY

Add a letter. Drop a letter. Solve the Sudoku puzzles to discover the hidden words.

Today’s keyword is BENDY.
Drop "B" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "O" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words should be familiar to most players.

-B

BENDY

+O

Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: DORKS
4x4 (DORKS - K): RODS
6x6 (DORKS + U): DROUKS

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku (Paraprosdokian Sudoku!) Puzzles for Saturday, 7/11/2026

A bank is a place that will lend you money … if you can prove that you don’t need it.

A paraprosdokian is wordplay where the latter part of a statement forces you to reinterpret the first part. The phrase intentionally leads you in one direction—misleads you into thinking one way—and then abruptly changes direction, ending with the unexpected twist. The origin of the word is Greek, meaning "against expectation."

Most of the statements in these weekly blog posts are actual paraprosdokians; you might possibly dispute a few. But since they’re still fun plays on words, I’m sharing them anyway.

Because paraprosdokians come in two parts, I present each part as a separate quote, each revealed by solving its own set of word Sudoku puzzles.

YAMS
4x4 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x2 square and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

WILE
4x4 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x2 square and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid to spell out the quote

WHILOM
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

SPUNKY
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once

GRATED
6x6 Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column, 2x3 rectangle and set of circled cells contains the letters in the word exactly once
Copy circled letters to the corresponding numbered cells in the quote grid to spell out the quote

Solutions first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to Friday's Word Sudoku Puzzles

Yesterday's 5x5 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in ANO + SX (AXONS) and the 7x7 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in LOBE + SIX (BOLIXES).

The Saturday paraprosdokian in a bit.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Spy Sudoku for 7/10/2026: DORKS

Add a letter. Drop a letter. Solve the Sudoku puzzles to discover the hidden words.

Today’s keyword is DORKS.
Drop "K" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "U" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words may be unfamiliar; Sudoku logic will reveal them!

-K

DORKS

+U

Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: BARMY
4x4 (BARMY - M): BRAY
6x6 (BARMY + L): MARBLY

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku Puzzles for Friday, 7/10/2026

ANO + SX
5x5 Hidden Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column and enclosed shape contains these letters exactly once
The hidden word spells out in the shaded cells

LOBE + SIX
7x7 Hidden Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column and enclosed shape contains these letters exactly once
The hidden word spells out in the shaded cells

Solutions first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solution to Thursday's Word Sudoku Puzzle

Yesterday's 10x10 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in MY LABOR + SIX (XYLORIMBAS).

New puzzles in a bit.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Spy Sudoku for 7/9/2026: BARMY

Add a letter. Drop a letter. Solve the Sudoku puzzles to discover the hidden words.

Today’s keyword is BARMY.
Drop "M" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "L" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words may be less familiar; Sudoku logic will reveal them!

-M

BARMY

+L

Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: AGONY
4x4 (AGONY - N): YOGA
6x6 (AGONY + R): ORANGY

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku Puzzle for Thursday, 7/9/2026

MY LABOR + SIX
10x10 Hidden Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column and 2x5 rectangle contains these letters exactly once
The hidden word spells down the diagonal

Solution first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solution to Wednesday's Word Sudoku Puzzle

Yesterday's 8x8 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in MUTER + SIX (MIXTURES).

A new puzzle in a few hours.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Spy Sudoku for 7/8/2026: AGONY

Add a letter. Drop a letter. Solve the Sudoku puzzles to discover the hidden words.

Today’s keyword is AGONY.
Drop "N" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "R" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words may be less familiar; Sudoku logic will reveal them!

-N

AGONY

+R

Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: CEILS
4x4 (CEILS - S): LICE
6x6 (CEILS + P): SPLICE

Thanks,
--Dave