History, Insects and Idioms
October 2, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
Slow down there!
Story's leading lady
Jam goes in one
Sturdy old giant
Hurls rocks at walls
Do … others
Original Nikkei
Handed over land
Turns soft and moldy
Speedy shorthand pro
Bells or fakes
Sun straight up
No joke intended
Vessel of pairs
Point after www
No longer in use
Done with 9 to 5
Shutting critics up
Dissolute old rake
Home of slam dunks
Juicy rumor mill
African biting fly
Bound for there
Mail or a stomp
Ruling power or diet
Genie from old tales
As high as it goes
Signs your paycheck
Devoured that novel
Starry blossom
Chow down now
Absorb a territory
Fuming with rage
Not a chance
Fill the craving
Opposite of she
Sacred vow of peace
Solo, not a pair
Moved with a stride
History, Insects and Idioms — Solution
October 2, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
Slow down there!
Story's leading lady
Jam goes in one
Sturdy old giant
J
Hurls rocks at walls
T
Do … others
Original Nikkei
U
Handed over land
C
Turns soft and moldy
Speedy shorthand pro
W
H
O
A
Bells or fakes
Sun straight up
R
I
N
G
E
R
S
No joke intended
Vessel of pairs
E
A
R
N
E
S
T
Point after www
D
O
T
A
R
K
No longer in use
Done with 9 to 5
O
B
S
O
L
E
T
E
Shutting critics up
O
Dissolute old rake
R
O
U
E
Home of slam dunks
Juicy rumor mill
D
African biting fly
N
S
I
L
E
N
C
I
N
G
Bound for there
Mail or a stomp
T
O
Ruling power or diet
N
Genie from old tales
T
As high as it goes
H
Signs your paycheck
B
O
S
S
Devoured that novel
R
E
G
I
M
E
Starry blossom
Chow down now
A
S
T
E
R
Absorb a territory
Fuming with rage
Not a chance
I
R
A
T
E
Fill the craving
Opposite of she
S
A
T
E
A
N
N
E
X
Sacred vow of peace
A
H
I
M
S
A
Solo, not a pair
O
N
E
Moved with a stride
S
T
E
P
P
E
D
History, Insects and Idioms — The notes
October 2, 2026 · 12×11 · Hard
- WHOASlow down there!Whoa: interjection of surprise, or a call to halt a horse.
- HEROINEStory's leading ladyHeroine: the central female character of a story, admired for courage.
- JARJam goes in oneJar: a glass or clay container with a lid, used for preserves.
- OAKSturdy old giantOak: a large, long-lived tree known for its strong wood and acorns.
- TREBUCHETHurls rocks at wallsTrebuchet: a medieval siege engine that flings heavy stones by counterweight.
- UNTODo … othersUnto: archaic form of 'to', best known from the Golden Rule.
- ISSEIOriginal NikkeiIssei: a first-generation Japanese immigrant, as opposed to Nisei, their children.
- CEDEDHanded over landCeded: gave up territory or rights, often after a war or treaty.
- ROTTurns soft and moldyRot: to decay, especially wood or organic matter.
- STENOSpeedy shorthand proSteno: short for stenographer, who transcribes speech in real time.
- RINGERSBells or fakesRingers: church bells rung in sequence, or impostors posing as someone else.
- NOONSun straight upNoon: twelve o'clock midday, when the sun is highest.
- EARNESTNo joke intendedEarnest: sincere and serious, without irony; also the name Ernest, punned in Wilde's play.
- ARKVessel of pairsArk: Noah's boat, said to carry animals two by two.
- DOTPoint after wwwDot: a small round mark, also the period in a web address.
- OBSOLETENo longer in useObsolete: outdated, replaced by something newer.
- RETIREEDone with 9 to 5Retiree: someone who has stopped working, usually after a career.
- SILENCINGShutting critics upSilencing: the act of making someone stop speaking or objecting.
- ROUEDissolute old rakeRoue: an old-fashioned term for a man devoted to a life of pleasure and vice.
- NBAHome of slam dunksNBA: the top professional basketball league in North America.
- GOSSIPJuicy rumor millGossip: casual talk about other people's private lives, often unverified.
- TSETSEAfrican biting flyTsetse: a blood-feeding African fly that can transmit sleeping sickness.
- TOBound for thereTo: preposition of direction, here completing the phrase for a standard workday.
- STAMPMail or a stompStamp: a small adhesive for postage, or the act of hitting the ground hard with a foot.
- REGIMERuling power or dietRegime: a system of government, or a strict routine like a diet or exercise plan.
- GINNGenie from old talesGinn: variant spelling of jinn, a supernatural spirit in Arabian folklore.
- MAXAs high as it goesMax: short for maximum, the highest possible amount.
- BOSSSigns your paycheckBoss: the person in charge at work, who supervises and pays employees.
- READDevoured that novelRead: past tense of 'read', to have taken in written words.
- ASTERStarry blossomAster: a flower with thin petals radiating like a star, blooming in autumn.
- EATChow down nowEat: to take in food.
- ANNEXAbsorb a territoryAnnex: to formally add territory to a country, or a building attached to a larger one.
- IRATEFuming with rageIrate: extremely angry.
- NONot a chanceNo: a flat refusal or denial.
- SATEFill the cravingSate: to satisfy a desire or appetite fully.
- HEOpposite of sheHe: pronoun used for a male person or animal.
- AHIMSASacred vow of peaceAhimsa: the principle of non-violence central to Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist ethics, championed by Gandhi.
- ONESolo, not a pairOne: the number after zero, denoting a single unit.
- STEPPEDMoved with a strideStepped: past tense of 'step', to have moved by lifting and placing a foot.