Layers Game #1

Sep 15 Hints

Reveal only what you need. Nothing on this page shows an answer until you open it.

Quick hint

Measure it, orbit it, weave it, spar in it.

Layer 1 hints

Mini puzzle 1 · Clue Stack

First clue: “It's famous for what surrounds it.”

Hint 1 · General direction

Look up — way up.

Hint 2 · More specific

Its rings are made of ice and rock.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

S _ _ U _ N

Mini puzzle 2 · Missing Link

EAR___ · ___TONE · KEY ___

Hint 1 · General direction

Something you might wear on a finger.

Hint 2 · More specific

A phone does it when someone calls.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

R _ _ G

Mini puzzle 3 · Word Shift

Start at PARK and shift 3 times. First clue: “A piece of the whole”

Hint 1 · General direction

You'll end up somewhere in the solar system.

Hint 2 · More specific

The last word is a planet named for a god of war.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

PAR? → ?ART → MAR?

Mini puzzle 4 · Letter Path

Clue: “A soft fibre picked from bolls”

Hint 1 · General direction

You're probably wearing some.

Hint 2 · More specific

Candy floss is also called ___ candy.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

C _ _ T _ N — starts at the highlighted C (row 1, column 4)

Layer 2 hints

Most straightforward group

What the group is about

One group measures distance.

Two words that belong together

INCH and FOOT

Medium group

What the group is about

One group is related to astronomy.

Two words that belong together

MARS and VENUS

Tricky group

What the group is about

One group is about what clothes are made of.

Two words that belong together

SILK and DENIM

Trickiest group

What the group is about

One group belongs to a sport with gloves.

Two words that belong together

RING and JAB

Final layer hints

Today's final layer is a Common Link.

Final hint 1

Think of creatures that live in the soil.

Final hint 2

The early bird catches one.

Final hint 3

The answer looks like: W _ _ M

Still stuck?

How to play

Every puzzle has three layers. Peel them one at a time.

  1. Layer 1 — Mini Puzzles. Solve four quick puzzles: a Clue Stack, a Missing Link, a Word Shift and a Letter Path.
  2. Layer 2 — Connections. Sort 16 words into four groups of four. Your Layer 1 answers are on the board, marked ●. Five mistakes and the groups are revealed.
  3. Final Layer. Each group gives you a key word. Use all four keys to crack one last question. You get three tries.

Stuck? Every layer has hints. A new puzzle unlocks at midnight in your time zone.

Read the full guide