Spectrum #81: Order these countries by their highest point — the solution
The Spectrum puzzle from November 3, 2026: six things on one hidden scale, lowest to highest, with every figure and where the checks were best spent.
The puzzle
Order these countries by their highest point, lowest at the top and highest at the bottom. The board opened in this order:
- Japan
- Australia
- Canada
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Denmark
Nothing was in its place; Denmark opened 5 places from home.
The walkthrough
The ends first. Denmark is the lowest of the six at 561 ft and United States the highest at 20,310 ft. Anchor those and the middle four are what is left to place.
Where the scale splits. The widest gap is between Japan (12,388 ft) and Canada (19,551 ft) — 7,163 ft apart. Everything above that line belongs on the lowest side and everything below it on the highest side, so sorting the six into those two groups is most of the puzzle.
The closest call. Canada (19,551 ft) and United States (20,310 ft) are only 759 ft 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
| # | Lowest to Highest | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 561 ft |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 4,413 ft |
| 3 | Australia | 7,310 ft |
| 4 | Japan | 12,388 ft |
| 5 | Canada | 19,551 ft |
| 6 | United States | 20,310 ft |
Previous: Spectrum #80 (Mon, Nov 2) · Next: Spectrum #82 (Wed, Nov 4) · All Spectrum solutions
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.