The Sounds Around Us
September 13, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
Clears the floor
Rises off a hot cup
Stakes it as yours
Snatches away
Cold War superpower
A sleeping pill
Half of a whoop
A nun's nickname
Scottish valley
Hard hit, off-kilter
Uses captured pieces
Refill the chamber
UK gym shoes
Barely enthused
Ties the cargo
Fills the lungs
UK's public health
Pet food brand
Invite on a date
Remainder, in math
No room here
Fencer's blade
Injured for life
What Spock relies on
A, E, I, O and U
Margarine, old style
Austen's matchmaker
Pushes it along
Rested in bed
Unreleased track
Hails a ride
The first digit
Monk from Tibet
Fatal, or a gate
Time to start
Green light word
… apple a day
Yours, up north
On the Arabian Sea
Rebounds, or ousted
The Sounds Around Us — Solution
September 13, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
Clears the floor
S
Rises off a hot cup
V
Stakes it as yours
Snatches away
Cold War superpower
U
A sleeping pill
Half of a whoop
Z
A nun's nickname
Scottish valley
S
Hard hit, off-kilter
W
H
A
C
K
Uses captured pieces
S
H
O
G
I
Refill the chamber
E
UK gym shoes
Barely enthused
P
L
I
M
S
O
L
L
S
R
E
L
O
A
D
Ties the cargo
Fills the lungs
R
O
P
E
UK's public health
Pet food brand
Invite on a date
P
U
R
I
N
A
Remainder, in math
No room here
Fencer's blade
I
N
N
A
S
K
Injured for life
M
A
I
M
E
D
What Spock relies on
H
A, E, I, O and U
Margarine, old style
E
Austen's matchmaker
Pushes it along
Rested in bed
P
R
O
P
E
L
S
V
O
W
E
L
S
Unreleased track
Hails a ride
D
E
M
O
The first digit
Monk from Tibet
Fatal, or a gate
L
A
M
A
Time to start
C
U
E
Green light word
… apple a day
G
O
T
E
R
M
I
N
A
L
Yours, up north
A
I
N
On the Arabian Sea
O
M
A
N
Rebounds, or ousted
B
O
U
N
C
E
The Sounds Around Us — The notes
September 13, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
- SWEEPSClears the floorTo sweep is to clear dust and debris with a broom, usually in a wide, steady motion.
- VAPORRises off a hot cupVapor is the visible mist that rises from something hot, like tea or a boiling pot.
- CLAIMStakes it as yoursTo claim something is to assert ownership or a right to it, as in staking a claim to land.
- KIDNAPSSnatches awayTo kidnap is to seize and carry someone off by force, usually holding them against their will.
- USSRCold War superpowerThe USSR was the Soviet Union, the communist superpower that dissolved into separate states in 1991.
- ZOLPIDEMA sleeping pillZolpidem is the generic name for a common short-term sleep medication, sold under brands like Ambien.
- HOOHalf of a whoopHoo often follows 'whoo' in an exclamation of triumph or excitement, like 'whoo-hoo!'
- SISA nun's nicknameSis is a casual short form of sister, used both for a sibling and informally for a nun.
- GLENScottish valleyA glen is a narrow valley, especially in Scotland or Ireland, often carved by a stream.
- WHACKHard hit, off-kilterA whack is a hard blow; something 'out of whack' is broken, off-balance or not working right.
- SHOGIUses captured piecesShogi is a Japanese strategy game like chess, where captured pieces can be reused by the capturer.
- RELOADRefill the chamberTo reload is to put fresh ammunition into a weapon after firing all of it.
- PLIMSOLLSUK gym shoesPlimsolls are lightweight canvas shoes with a rubber sole, a British term for simple sneakers.
- LUKEWARMBarely enthusedLukewarm describes something neither hot nor cold, or figuratively a response lacking real enthusiasm.
- ROPETies the cargoA rope is a thick, twisted cord used for pulling, climbing or tying things down securely.
- AIRFills the lungsAir is the invisible mixture of gases we breathe; the word can also mean a musical tune.
- NHSUK's public healthThe NHS is the United Kingdom's National Health Service, providing publicly funded healthcare since 1948.
- PURINAPet food brandPurina is a well-known American brand that makes food for dogs, cats and other pets.
- ASKInvite on a dateTo ask can mean posing a question, requesting a favor, or inviting someone out romantically.
- MODULORemainder, in mathModulo is a mathematical operation that returns the remainder after dividing one number by another.
- INNNo room hereAn inn is a small lodging house for travelers, famously turning away Mary and Joseph in the nativity story.
- EPEEFencer's bladeAn epee is a slender fencing sword with a bell-shaped guard, the heaviest of the three fencing blades.
- MAIMEDInjured for lifeTo be maimed is to be permanently disfigured or disabled by a serious injury.
- LOGICWhat Spock relies onLogic is reasoning based on valid steps and evidence, famously the guiding principle of Star Trek's Spock.
- VOWELSA, E, I, O and UVowels are the open speech sounds that, in English, are represented by these five letters.
- OLEOMargarine, old styleOleo is an old-fashioned American term for margarine, short for oleomargarine.
- EMMAAusten's matchmakerEmma is the title character of Jane Austen's 1815 novel, a well-meaning matchmaker among her friends.
- PROPELSPushes it alongTo propel is to drive or push something forward, as an engine propels a boat.
- LAINRested in bedLain is the past participle of lie, as in 'she has lain in bed all morning.'
- DEMOUnreleased trackA demo is an early, unpolished recording of a song, made to test or pitch the idea.
- CABHails a rideA cab is a taxi, a car for hire that you flag down or book to get somewhere in the city.
- ONEThe first digitOne is the smallest positive whole number, and also stands in for 'a person' in general statements.
- LAMAMonk from TibetA lama is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher or spiritual leader, not to be confused with the fluffy llama.
- TERMINALFatal, or a gateTerminal can describe an incurable illness, or the building where travelers board planes or trains.
- CUETime to startA cue is a signal, often to an actor or musician, that it's time to begin their part.
- GOGreen light wordGo is what a traffic light signals when it turns green, meaning it's safe to proceed.
- AN… apple a dayAn is the article used before a word starting with a vowel sound, as in the old health saying.
- AINYours, up northAin is a Scots dialect word meaning 'own', as in 'my ain house.'
- OMANOn the Arabian SeaOman is a country on the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Arabian Sea, with Muscat as its capital.
- BOUNCERebounds, or oustedTo bounce is to spring back after hitting a surface, or informally, to be thrown out of a place.