Spectrum #1: Order these chains by their first location — the solution

The Spectrum puzzle from August 15, 2026: six things on one hidden scale, earliest to latest, with every figure and where the checks were best spent.

The puzzle

Order these chains by their first location, earliest at the top and latest at the bottom. The board opened in this order:

1. Five Guys
2. Shake Shack
3. Chipotle
4. Panera
5. Starbucks
6. Chick-fil-A

Panera was already in place; Chick-fil-A opened 5 places from home.

The walkthrough

The ends first. Chick-fil-A is the earliest of the six at 1967 and Shake Shack the latest at 2004. Anchor those and the middle four are what is left to place.

Where the scale splits. The widest gap is between Starbucks (1971) and Five Guys (1986) — 15 years apart. Everything above that line belongs on the earliest side and everything below it on the latest side, so sorting the six into those two groups is most of the puzzle.

The closest call. Five Guys (1986) and Panera (1987) are only 1 year apart — the pair that is a coin flip without the figures, and the place to spend a check: a check locks whatever is already right and leaves only the wrong tiles to swap.

The answer

Next: Spectrum #2 (Sun, Aug 16)

About Spectrum

Spectrum is Noggin’s daily ordering puzzle: six things, one hidden scale, three checks. Tiles in the right place lock green; the figures turn over when the board is done. How to play Spectrum, or play today’s.