Today’s Hurdle for April 8, 2026 runs through five chained five-letter words, each answer feeding into the next round as an opening guess. Whether you’re stuck on Word 1 or grinding out the Final Hurdle with just two guesses left, the hints and answers below are laid out in order — stop scrolling the moment you have what you need.
What Is Hurdle?
Hurdle is a five-round daily word game that builds on the Wordle formula with a chain mechanic. Each round, you guess a five-letter word in up to six attempts. Green tiles confirm a correct letter in the correct position. Yellow tiles mean the letter is in the word but placed wrong. Gray tiles mean that letter isn’t in the word at all.
The defining twist: when you solve a round, that word automatically becomes your first guess in the next round. This creates a five-word chain where each answer either launches you forward with useful clues or leaves you starting from scratch — depending on how much overlap exists between consecutive words. The fifth and final Hurdle is the most punishing: all four previous answers are pre-filled as your first four guesses, leaving only two chances to crack the last word.
Hurdle is free to play on Arkadium, AARP Games, Washington Post Games, and Dictionary.com. A new set of five words drops every day.
Word 1 — April 8, 2026
Hint
This word describes a deep emotional response to grief or loss. It starts with M, contains two vowels, and is the kind of word associated with funerals and bereavement. It is a verb.
Answer
MOURN — To feel or express sorrow and grief, especially after a loss or death. It carries a solemnity that distinguishes it from everyday sadness and implies an ongoing, outward expression of grief.
Word 2 — April 8, 2026
Hint
This is a mechanical device used for hauling or hoisting heavy loads using a rope or cable. It starts with W, has one vowel, and you’d find one mounted on a tow truck, sailboat, or crane. It is a noun.
Answer
WINCH — A hoisting or hauling device consisting of a rope or cable wound around a rotating drum. Winches are standard equipment on tow trucks, off-road recovery vehicles, and sailing vessels.
Word 3 — April 8, 2026
Hint
This word names a joint in the human body located at the bend of the arm, between the forearm and upper arm. It starts with E, contains two vowels, and doubles as a verb meaning to push or nudge someone forcefully.
Answer
ELBOW — The joint connecting the forearm and upper arm. As a verb, to elbow means to push one’s way through a crowd or to nudge someone aside using the elbow.
Word 4 — April 8, 2026
Hint
This adjective describes something with the fresh, cool flavor or aroma of a well-known herb. It starts with M, ends in Y, and is a sensory word you’d apply to toothpaste, gum, or a julep.
Answer
MINTY — Describing the fresh, cool taste or scent of mint. The word appears in food descriptions, cocktail reviews, and personal care product marketing, and it functions as an informal signal of freshness.
Word 5 (Final Hurdle) — April 8, 2026
Hint
Going into the final round, your board is pre-filled with MOURN, WINCH, ELBOW, and MINTY. You have two guesses. The final word is a sweet treat made primarily from sugar, often sold in small pieces. It starts with C and has two vowels. Think Halloween haul.
Answer
CANDY — A sweet confection made from sugar, often shaped, flavored, and colored into small pieces. The word encompasses hard candy, gummy sweets, chocolate bars, and everything in between.
Quick Answer Summary
- Word 1: MOURN
- Word 2: WINCH
- Word 3: ELBOW
- Word 4: MINTY
- Word 5 (Final): CANDY
Today’s chain moves from grief (MOURN) through machinery (WINCH), anatomy (ELBOW), and sensation (MINTY), arriving at something sweet (CANDY) — a satisfying emotional arc from loss to indulgence. WINCH is the word most likely to trip players up; it sits in the vocabulary blind spot between “I know this word” and “I’d never think of it under pressure.” MINTY as Word 4 is a fun curveball since adjectives ending in Y are slightly less common in Hurdle, and CANDY provides a clean, approachable finish to what was otherwise a tricky chain.
More Daily Puzzle Help
Here are the most recent Hurdle solutions on dotwordle.com:
- April 7, 2026 Hurdle Hints and Answers
- April 5, 2026 Hurdle Hints and Answers
- April 4, 2026 Hurdle Hints and Answers
- April 3, 2026 Hurdle Hints and Answers
Also solving other puzzles today? Check out:
- April 7, 2026 NYT Connections Puzzle #1031 Hints and Answers
- April 7, 2026 NYT Pips Hints and Answers (Easy, Medium, Hard)
- “Smooth Sailing” April 7, 2026 NYT Strands Hints and Answers
Shahid Maqsood is a digital entrepreneur and SEO specialist focused on building engaging web experiences. He is the creator of DotWordle, combining creativity with smart, user-friendly design.