Thursday, September 17, 2026 · #95
Middle Word answer for September 17, 2026
Sep 17’s Middle Word hints
Hint 1
The word has 7 letters and sits between LABORATORY and MIGHT in the dictionary.
Hint 2
It starts with M and ends with E.
Hint 3
It starts with MA- and it is a device with moving parts that does work.
Reveal the answer
MACHINE — alphabetically between LABORATORY and MIGHT.
Why this is the answer (spoilers)
The answer is MACHINE, a device with moving parts that does work. Alphabetically it lands between the day's two bounds: LABORATORY comes first ("L" comes before "M"), and MIGHT comes after it (they share M..., then "A" comes before "I"). Because the two bounds are shown from the start, the challenge is judging alphabetical position, not recalling the word itself. If the distance says only a handful of words remain, list the letters between your guess and the answer and try each starting letter in turn. Common everyday words like this one are the norm for Middle Word, so there is no need to reach for rare vocabulary.