Spectrum #43: Order these presidents by their number in the sequence — the solution
The Spectrum puzzle from September 26, 2026: six things on one hidden scale, earliest to latest, with every figure and where the checks were best spent.
The puzzle
Order these presidents by their number in the sequence, earliest at the top and latest at the bottom. The board opened in this order:
- Barack Obama
- John F. Kennedy
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Abraham Lincoln
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- George Washington
Theodore Roosevelt was already in place; Barack Obama opened 5 places from home.
The walkthrough
The ends first. George Washington is the earliest of the six at 1 and Barack Obama the latest at 44. Anchor those and the middle four are what is left to place.
Where the scale splits. The widest gap is between George Washington (1) and Abraham Lincoln (16) — 15 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. Franklin D. Roosevelt (32) and John F. Kennedy (35) are only 3 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
| # | Earliest to Latest | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Washington | 1 |
| 2 | Abraham Lincoln | 16 |
| 3 | Theodore Roosevelt | 26 |
| 4 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | 32 |
| 5 | John F. Kennedy | 35 |
| 6 | Barack Obama | 44 |
Previous: Spectrum #42 (Fri, Sep 25)
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.