Daily Orbs answers for November 12, 2026
November 12, 2026 has four puzzles: Literally Speaking IV, What Did We Learn? II, Terms of the Trade IV, Crop Locations II. Hints are the public descriptions. The answer rows stay inside each puzzle until you open it. Status for the day: 1 source · official + mirror.
Literally Speaking IV
Find the word matching both its modern definition and its literal roots.
Themed clue set · Vocabulary · Literally Speaking · 1 source · official + mirror
Editorial explanation: Use both the literal roots and the present-day definition to narrow the word. Astronaut fits the star-and-sailor clue as well as the space traveller definition, while peninsula fits the almost-an-island clue and the geographic shape; either half alone is a weaker check.
| Clue | Answer | Why | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| from Greek for "star sailor" a person trained to travel in space | Astronaut | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| from Greek for "far sound" a device for talking to someone at a distance | Telephone | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| from Latin for "twice-baked" chiefly British word for a cookie | Biscuit | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| from Latin for "almost an island" a landform projecting into water | Peninsula | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| from Latin for "little doll" a part of the eye | Pupil | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| from Old French for "spiny pig" a type of rodent | Porcupine | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| from Latin for "one who shares bread" someone you spend time with | Companion | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| from Greek for "flesh-eating" a stone burial container | Sarcophagus | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
What Did We Learn? II
Match each childhood tale to a lesson it teaches.
Matching pairs (bijection) · Literature, Mythology · What Did We Learn? · 1 source · official + mirror
Editorial explanation: Choose the lesson that follows from the story’s central action, rather than a moral that could fit almost any tale. Pinocchio matches honesty, while The Three Little Pigs matches preparation, because those are the contrasts highlighted by the board’s retellings.
| Clue | Answer | Why | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Emperor's New Clothes | Think for yourself | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Pinocchio | Honesty is the best policy | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| The Three Little Pigs | Preparation keeps you safe | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Beauty and the Beast | Look beyond appearances | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| The Pied Piper of Hamelin | Pay your debts | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Little Red Riding Hood | Be careful whom you trust | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| The Sorcerer's Apprentice | A little knowledge is dangerous | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| The Enormous Turnip | Every contribution counts | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| The Fisherman and His Wife | Greed can cost you everything | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Goldilocks and the Three Bears | Respect other people's property | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
Terms of the Trade IV
Match the jargon to the pursuit that uses it.
Matching pairs (bijection) · Vocabulary, Arts & Crafts, Sports · Terms of the Trade · 1 source · official + mirror
Editorial explanation: Identify the activity in which the term has a specialized meaning before trying to interpret it literally. Hang ten belongs with surfing and crumb coat with cake decorating; thinking about the action in each activity makes the jargon easier to remember.
| Clue | Answer | Why | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang ten | Surfing | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Triple axel | Figure skating | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Crumb coat | Cake decorating | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Wolf tone | Cello playing | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Bird's nest | Fishing | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Corpsing | Stage acting | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Leather-hard | Pottery | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Queen piping | Beekeeping | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Chimping | Photography | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
| Heisenbug | Computer programming | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source · official + mirror |
Crop Locations II
Match each crop to the countries that grow the most.
Matching pairs (bijection) · Countries, Food · Crop Locations · 1 source · official + mirror
Editorial explanation: Match each crop to the complete country trio in the published snapshot, rather than choosing its place of origin or a country famous for a recipe. Avocados pair with Mexico, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic here, while hazelnuts pair with Turkey, Italy, and the USA; the trio is the unit to compare.
| Clue | Answer | Why | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avocados | Mexico Colombia Dominican Republic | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Coconuts | Indonesia India Philippines | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Dates | Saudi Arabia Egypt Algeria | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Hazelnuts | Turkey Italy USA | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Kiwi | China New Zealand Italy | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Lentils | Canada India Australia | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Olives | Spain Turkey Italy | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Pineapples | Costa Rica Philippines Indonesia | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Rye | Germany Poland Russia | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
| Soybeans | Brazil USA Argentina | Official explanation; see the editorial explanation above for the solving pattern. | 1 source |
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Sources
Checked: 13 Nov 2026.