Layers Game #5

Sep 19 Hints

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

Quick hint

Talks, tunes, thinkers and dodges.

Layer 1 hints

Mini puzzle 1 · Clue Stack

First clue: “It's delivered, not mailed.”

Hint 1 · General direction

It's a kind of speech.

Hint 2 · More specific

You'd hear it in church.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

S _ _ M _ N

Mini puzzle 2 · Missing Link

___ FUND · ___HOG · ___ YOUR BETS

Hint 1 · General direction

Gardeners trim it.

Hint 2 · More specific

A prickly animal is named after it.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

H _ _ G E

Mini puzzle 3 · Word Shift

Start at FOG and shift 2 times. First clue: “A sweet fruit, often dried”

Hint 1 · General direction

You'll end up on stage.

Hint 2 · More specific

Musicians play one.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

F?G → ?IG

Mini puzzle 4 · Letter Path

Clue: “A speech honouring someone who has died”

Hint 1 · General direction

It's given at a funeral.

Hint 2 · More specific

It starts with EU.

Hint 3 · Reveal letters

E _ _ O _ Y — starts at the highlighted E (row 1, column 2)

Layer 2 hints

Most straightforward group

What the group is about

One group is about talking to a crowd.

Two words that belong together

TOAST and EULOGY

Medium group

What the group is about

One group happens on a stage.

Two words that belong together

JAM and GIG

Tricky group

What the group is about

One group did a lot of deep thinking.

Two words that belong together

BACON and HUME

Trickiest group

What the group is about

One group is what a politician might do under pressure.

Two words that belong together

WAFFLE and HEDGE

Final layer hints

Today's final layer is a Hidden Theme.

Final hint 1

Read each key as something to eat.

Final hint 2

It's the most important meal of the day, they say.

Final hint 3

The answer looks like: B _ _ A _ _ A _ T

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