Saturday, August 22, 2026

Spy Sudoku for 8/22/2026: DRUNK

Today's keyword is DRUNK.
Drop "D" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "E" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words may be less familiar; your Sudoku skills will reveal them!
-D
+E
Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: HAJES
4x4 (HAJES - J): SHEA
6x6 (HAJES + D): JEHADS

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku (Paraprosdokian Sudoku!) Puzzles for Saturday, 8/22/2026

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire … but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
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.

I might possibly have gone a bit overboard on the second set of puzzles: There are nine word Sudoku puzzles; and it takes TWO quote grids to contain the full, long-winded, perhaps even palaverous answer!

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

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

WHISKY
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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NIGH
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


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 ER + SIX (SIXER) and the 7x7 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in COME + SIX (EXOSMIC).
The Saturday paraprosdokian in a few hours.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Friday, August 21, 2026

Spy Sudoku for 8/21/2026: HAJES

Today's keyword is HAJES.
Drop "J" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "D" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words may be less familiar; your Sudoku skills will reveal them!
-J
+D
Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: DOWIE
4x4 (DOWIE - I): OWED
6x6 (DOWIE + R): WEIRDO

Thanks,
--Dave

New Word Sudoku Puzzles for Friday, 8/21/2026

ER + SIX
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


COME + 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 AEIOU 10x10 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in NO HAUTE + SIX (EXHAUSTION).

Another set of puzzles in a few hours.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Spy Sudoku for 8/20/2026: DOWIE

Today's keyword is DOWIE.
Drop "I" 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 should be familiar to most players.
-I
+R
Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: DORMS
4x4 (DORMS - M): RODS
6x6 (DORMS + U): DORSUM

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku Puzzle for Thursday, 8/20/2026

NO HAUTE + SIX
AEIOU Sudoku: 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 NOT AD + SIX (OXIDANTS).

A new puzzle in a bit.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Spy Sudoku for 8/19/2026: DORMS

Today's keyword is DORMS.
Drop "M" 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 should be familiar to most players.
-M
+U
Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: DIRTY
4x4 (DIRTY - R): TIDY
6x6 (DIRTY + F): DRIFTY

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku Puzzle for Wednesday, 8/19/2026

NOT AD + SIX
8x8 Hidden Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column and 2x4 rectangle contains these letters exactly once
The hidden word spells down the diagonal


Solution first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solution to Tuesday's Word Sudoku Puzzle

Yesterday's 9x9 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in OH YELP + SIX (OXYPHILES).

A new puzzle in just a bit.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Spy Sudoku for 8/18/2026: DIRTY

Today's keyword is DIRTY.
Drop "R" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "F" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words should be familiar to most players.
-R
+F
Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: HAIRY
4x4 (HAIRY - H): AIRY
6x6 (HAIRY + D): HYDRIA

Thanks,
--Dave

 

New Word Sudoku Puzzle for Tuesday, 8/18/2026

OH YELP + SIX
9x9 Hidden Word Sudoku Puzzle
Each row, column and 3x3 square contains these letters exactly once
The hidden word spells down the diagonal

Solution first thing in the morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to Monday's Word Sudoku Puzzles

Yesterday's 4x4 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in PT + SI (TIPS) and the 6x6 Hidden Word Sudoku puzzle was based on the letters in ODE + SIX (DOXIES).

A new set of puzzles in a few hours.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Monday, August 17, 2026

Spy Sudoku for 8/17/2026: HAIRY

Spy Sudoku is a new word game based on Word Sudoku. 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.

Most of the week, the hidden words are ones you'll probably recognize—common and familiar. Other times, especially Fridays and Sundays, you may encounter unfamiliar words. But the logic of Sudoku will lead you to the answers, and you'll learn some new words!

On Sundays, you'll also be challenged to solve a 5x5 puzzle spelling out an anagram of the 5-letter word.

I'd love your feedback! Please use the blog comment feature to let me know what works for you, and what doesn't.

Today’s keyword is HAIRY.
Drop "H" and use the remaining letters to solve the 4x4 puzzle.
Add "D" to the keyword to supply the letters to solve the 6x6 puzzle.

Today’s hidden words should be familiar to most players.
-H
+D
Solutions tomorrow morning.

Thanks,
--Dave

 

Solutions to yesterday's Spy Sudoku puzzles

Yesterday's Spy Sudoku keyword: MISTY
4x4 (MISTY - S): MITY
6x6 (MISTY + E): STYMIE
5x5: STIMY

Thanks,
--Dave