I. The daily puzzle
Etymon is a daily puzzle about the origins of English words. Each day, one word is hidden behind six clues drawn from its etymological history. The objective is to solve the puzzle using as few clues as possible.
II. The weekly game
The objective is to score as few points as possible each week. The fewer clues you need to solve each puzzle, the lower your score.
Solved in 1 earns 1 point, Solved in 2 earns 2 points, and so on, up to 6 points for Solved in 6. If you don’t solve the word, score 7 points.
Add your points from Monday to Sunday to calculate your weekly score, then compare it with previous weeks to track your progress. A perfect week scores 7 points; the highest possible score is 49.
III. Beyond solving
Etymon is designed to reward you even when you don’t solve the word. The Answer Card reveals the answer, its etymology and its life in modern English.
And because you’ve explored the word’s history through six clues, rather than simply read an explanation, you’re more likely to remember what you’ve discovered.
IV. The six clues
Each Etymon puzzle has six clues that progressively narrow the field towards the answer. The structure is consistent across puzzles, so after solving a few, you’ll know what to expect from each clue.
Clue 1: Era and origin. Where and when the word originated. Narrows the field without giving away the meaning.
Clue 2: Linguistic path. How the word travelled into English, through Latin, Greek, Old French, Old Norse, Old English, Arabic, or other source languages.
Clue 3: Literal meaning. What the root or ancestral form meant before the word developed its modern sense.
Clue 4: Cognates. One or two familiar English words connected to the puzzle word, through the same root, same source language, same moment of borrowing, or an ancient shared ancestor.
Clue 5: Historical or geographical context. A particular event, profession, period, place, or cultural practice the word came from.
Clue 6: Word length. Confirms or narrows between possible answers without revealing letters.
V. Solved in N banners
Each clue is followed by its corresponding Solved in N tier banner. The banners serve two purposes.
First, they act as buffers between clues. Only one clue and its banner appear on screen at a time. To reveal the next clue, scroll past the banner.
Second, they are shareable graphics showing your Solved in N result, ready to post on Substack Notes (see below).
VI. Answer Card
The answer is revealed on the Answer Card at the bottom of the puzzle page, which sits upside down until you flip your screen. It reveals the answer, its etymology and a note on the word’s life in modern English.
VII. Sharing your Solved in N banner
The Solved in N banners are designed to be shared. After completing a puzzle, share which clue you solved it on in Substack Notes, without giving the answer away.
Find the relevant Solved in N banner beneath the clue where you solved it, then tap the Restack button (the two circular arrows) in the banner’s top-right corner. Your banner will open automatically in a new Substack Note, ready to post.
Add a comment if you like, then tap Post.
VIII. Puzzle comments
Share your Solved in N score, compare routes through the clues, or dig deeper into the history, etymology and cognates behind the puzzle word.
Comments appear after the Answer Card, so discussion of the revealed word and its etymology is very welcome. Anyone venturing into the comments should expect spoilers.
If you name the answer, please leave 'Also share to Notes' unticked so the spoiler stays within the comment thread.