Spectrum #87: Order these places by population — the solution
The Spectrum puzzle from November 9, 2026: six things on one hidden scale, fewest to most, with every figure and where the checks were best spent.
The puzzle
Order these places by population, fewest at the top and most at the bottom. The board opened in this order:
- Wyoming
- Iceland
- California
- New Zealand
- Michigan
- Australia
Nothing was in its place; California opened 3 places from home.
The walkthrough
The ends first. Iceland is the fewest of the six at 396,000 people and California the most at 39,000,000 people. Anchor those and the middle four are what is left to place.
Where the scale splits. The widest gap is between Michigan (10,000,000 people) and Australia (28,000,000 people) — 18,000,000 people apart. Everything above that line belongs on the fewest side and everything below it on the most side, so sorting the six into those two groups is most of the puzzle.
The closest call. Iceland (396,000 people) and Wyoming (590,000 people) are only 194,000 people 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
| # | Fewest to Most | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | 396,000 people |
| 2 | Wyoming | 590,000 people |
| 3 | New Zealand | 5,400,000 people |
| 4 | Michigan | 10,000,000 people |
| 5 | Australia | 28,000,000 people |
| 6 | California | 39,000,000 people |
Previous: Spectrum #86 (Sun, Nov 8) · Next: Spectrum #88 (Tue, Nov 10) · 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.