Letter Boxed Hints for Today: Par and First Letter

October 8, 2026 can be finished in 4 words. The first word starts with E.

What the hint tells you

Par is the number of words in the shortest chain from this site's word list. The opening letter is the first letter of that chain. A solve cannot be shorter than the par, and a solve that matches the par is a shortest chain.

The opening letter starts only the first word. Each later word still has to begin with the previous word's last letter, and consecutive letters still have to come from different sides of the square.

What stays off this page

The full chain is on the dated answer page. This board is published here. It is not the New York Times puzzle, and this hint is not that puzzle's official solution.