First Words, Last Lines
September 5, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
Peace ape of Congo
Simplicity's friar
Firm, or a favor
Hides your IP
Town hall boards
Utter thrashing
Brainpower number
Took to heart
Seventh from sun
Curtain falls here
Climbs each morning
You'd call it odd
Hard skin patch
Camera's shout
Raja's consort
Putting jitters
Gridiron's measures
Rescue loans body
MD, for short
Tip-top shape
Wayfarer's rest
Decently proper
Lace-up's small hole
Legal disagreements
Certifiably bonkers
Puts to work
Wish you well
Tot's potty word
Old Greek money unit
Fireside yarn spun
Helping hand given
Bumped into you
Here … there
ASAP for medics
Skip out on debt
Tan folder's paper
Toy train brand
Where sailors roam
Down some water
First Words, Last Lines — Solution
September 5, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
Peace ape of Congo
Simplicity's friar
Firm, or a favor
Hides your IP
S
Town hall boards
Utter thrashing
C
Brainpower number
I
Took to heart
Seventh from sun
L
Curtain falls here
Climbs each morning
B
O
N
O
B
O
You'd call it odd
Q
U
E
E
R
Hard skin patch
Camera's shout
C
A
L
L
U
S
Raja's consort
Putting jitters
R
A
N
I
A
C
T
I
O
N
Gridiron's measures
Y
A
R
D
S
Rescue loans body
A
MD, for short
Tip-top shape
D
O
C
Wayfarer's rest
Decently proper
I
N
N
Lace-up's small hole
E
I
M
F
Legal disagreements
D
I
S
P
U
T
E
S
Certifiably bonkers
Puts to work
E
Wish you well
Tot's potty word
B
L
E
S
S
Old Greek money unit
Y
Fireside yarn spun
N
U
T
C
A
S
E
Helping hand given
Bumped into you
Here … there
M
E
T
ASAP for medics
Skip out on debt
S
T
A
T
Tan folder's paper
M
A
N
I
L
A
W
E
L
C
H
Toy train brand
L
I
O
N
E
L
Where sailors roam
S
E
A
Down some water
H
Y
D
R
A
T
E
First Words, Last Lines — The notes
September 5, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
- BONOBOPeace ape of CongoA great ape close to the chimpanzee, native to Congo's rainforest and known for peaceful, matriarchal troops.
- OCCAMSimplicity's friarWilliam of Occam (or Ockham) was a 14th-century English friar; 'Occam's razor' favors the simplest explanation that fits the facts.
- SOLIDFirm, or a favorAs an adjective, solid means firm or unbroken; as slang, 'a solid' means a favor done for someone.
- NATHides your IPNAT (Network Address Translation) lets a router hide many private IP addresses behind one public one.
- COUNCILSTown hall boardsCouncils are elected local bodies, often meeting in a town hall, that decide on local services and planning.
- BLOODBATHUtter thrashingA bloodbath is a scene of extreme violence or, loosely, a crushing defeat, as in a stock market bloodbath.
- IQBrainpower numberIQ (Intelligence Quotient) is a standardized score meant to measure reasoning ability, first devised by Alfred Binet.
- LEARNTTook to heartLearnt is the British past tense of 'learn' (American English prefers 'learned').
- URANUSSeventh from sunUranus is the seventh planet from the Sun, an ice giant tipped on its side, discovered by William Herschel in 1781.
- ENDCurtain falls hereThe end is simply where something, a story, a road, a life, stops.
- RISESClimbs each morningRises here evokes the sun climbing each morning, or a curtain going up to start a show.
- QUEERYou'd call it oddQueer originally meant strange or odd; it's since become a common umbrella term for LGBTQ+ identities.
- CALLUSHard skin patchA callus is an area of thickened, hardened skin that forms from repeated friction, like on a guitarist's fingertips.
- ACTIONCamera's shoutAction is the director's cue to start filming a scene.
- RANIRaja's consortA rani is the wife or consort of a raja, a Hindu prince or king in the Indian subcontinent.
- YIPSPutting jittersThe yips are sudden, involuntary muscle tremors that ruin fine motor skills, famously in golf putting.
- YARDSGridiron's measuresYards measure ground gained on a football field, roughly a metre each.
- IMFRescue loans bodyThe IMF (International Monetary Fund) lends money to countries in financial crisis, in exchange for policy reforms.
- DOCMD, for shortDoc is short for both 'doctor' and 'document', context decides which.
- FETTLETip-top shapeFettle means condition or state; 'in fine fettle' means in excellent shape.
- INNWayfarer's restAn inn is a small hotel or tavern, traditionally offering food, drink and a bed to travelers.
- SEEMLYDecently properSeemly means proper, fitting or decent according to social convention.
- EYELETLace-up's small holeAn eyelet is a small reinforced hole, like those a shoelace threads through.
- DISPUTESLegal disagreementsDisputes are disagreements or conflicts, often settled in court or through negotiation.
- NUTCASECertifiably bonkersNutcase is informal slang for someone thought to be crazy or wildly eccentric.
- USESPuts to workUses, as a verb, means employs or puts something to a purpose.
- BLESSWish you wellTo bless is to wish someone well or ask for divine favor on their behalf.
- CACATot's potty wordCaca is a childish or informal word for excrement, used mostly with toddlers.
- MINAOld Greek money unitA mina was an ancient Greek and Mesopotamian unit of weight and currency, mentioned in the Bible's parable of the talents.
- TALEFireside yarn spunA tale is a story, often one told aloud, sometimes fictional or exaggerated.
- AIDHelping hand givenAid is help or assistance given to someone in need.
- METBumped into youMet is the past tense of 'meet', to have encountered someone for the first time.
- NORHere … thereNor links two negatives together, as in 'neither here nor there.'
- STATASAP for medicsStat is medical shorthand for 'immediately', shouted in emergency rooms.
- WELCHSkip out on debtTo welch (or welsh) on a deal means to fail to honor a promise or debt.
- MANILATan folder's paperManila describes sturdy tan paper or folders, originally made from Manila hemp in the Philippines.
- LIONELToy train brandLionel is best known as the classic American brand of toy model trains, founded in 1900.
- SEAWhere sailors roamThe sea is the salt water covering most of Earth, home to countless marine creatures.
- HYDRATEDown some waterTo hydrate is to drink water or otherwise replenish the body's fluids.