Spectrum #45: Order these presidents by age taking office — the solution
The Spectrum puzzle from September 28, 2026: six things on one hidden scale, youngest to oldest, with every figure and where the checks were best spent.
The puzzle
Order these presidents by age taking office, youngest at the top and oldest at the bottom. The board opened in this order:
- Joe Biden
- Ronald Reagan
- John F. Kennedy
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Barack Obama
- Abraham Lincoln
Nothing was in its place; Joe Biden opened 5 places from home.
The walkthrough
The ends first. Theodore Roosevelt is the youngest of the six at 42 years old and Joe Biden the oldest at 78 years old. Anchor those and the middle four are what is left to place.
Where the scale splits. The widest gap is between Abraham Lincoln (52 years old) and Ronald Reagan (69 years old) — 17 years old apart. Everything above that line belongs on the youngest side and everything below it on the oldest side, so sorting the six into those two groups is most of the puzzle.
The closest call. Theodore Roosevelt (42 years old) and John F. Kennedy (43 years old) are only 1 years old 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
| # | Youngest to Oldest | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theodore Roosevelt | 42 years old |
| 2 | John F. Kennedy | 43 years old |
| 3 | Barack Obama | 47 years old |
| 4 | Abraham Lincoln | 52 years old |
| 5 | Ronald Reagan | 69 years old |
| 6 | Joe Biden | 78 years old |
Previous: Spectrum #44 (Sun, Sep 27)
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.