Spectrum #23: Order these monarchs by length of reign — the solution
The Spectrum puzzle from September 6, 2026: six things on one hidden scale, shortest to longest, with every figure and where the checks were best spent.
The puzzle
Order these monarchs by length of reign, shortest at the top and longest at the bottom. The board opened in this order:
- Elizabeth II
- Louis XIV
- Queen Victoria
- George III
- Elizabeth I
- Henry VIII
Nothing was in its place; Henry VIII opened 5 places from home.
The walkthrough
The ends first. Henry VIII is the shortest of the six at 37 years and Louis XIV the longest at 72 years. Anchor those and the middle four are what is left to place.
Where the scale splits. The widest gap is between Elizabeth I (44 years) and George III (59 years) — 15 years apart. Everything above that line belongs on the shortest side and everything below it on the longest side, so sorting the six into those two groups is most of the puzzle.
The closest call. Elizabeth II (70 years) and Louis XIV (72 years) are only 2 years 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
| # | Shortest to Longest | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry VIII | 37 years |
| 2 | Elizabeth I | 44 years |
| 3 | George III | 59 years |
| 4 | Queen Victoria | 63 years |
| 5 | Elizabeth II | 70 years |
| 6 | Louis XIV | 72 years |
Previous: Spectrum #22 (Sat, Sep 5) · Next: Spectrum #24 (Mon, Sep 7)
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.