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Answer deskVerified edition · 2026-09-02

Bracket City Answers – September 2, 2026

Final sentencethe first Eagle Scout is named

This walkthrough resolves a nested wordplay puzzle where each clue replaces bracketed text to reveal the final sentence: "the first Eagle Scout is named." The completion note "September 2, 1912:" points to the historical first Eagle Scout, Arthur Rose Eldred.

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The answer key

Clue by clue

  1. 01

    "___ 'em and weep"

    read

    The official answer is "read." The phrase "read 'em and weep" is a classic boast in poker, said when revealing a winning hand. The clue supplies the blank and the word "weep," and the answer completes the familiar idiom.

  2. 02

    avian nickname for the rudest finger

    bird

    The official answer is "bird." The middle finger is colloquially called "the bird," especially when extended rudely. The clue's "avian nickname" directly points to this slang term for the offensive gesture.

  3. 03

    bald bird "of bad moral character" according to Benjamin Franklin

    Eagle

    The official answer is "Eagle." Benjamin Franklin famously criticized the bald eagle's moral character in a letter, calling it a bird of bad moral character. The clue combines "bald bird" and the Franklin quote to identify the Eagle, which is also the highest Scout rank.

  4. 04

    boat's trail

    wake

    The official answer is "wake." A boat's trail is called its wake, the disturbed water left behind. The clue is a direct definition of this noun.

  5. 05

    by way of

    via

    The official answer is "via." The phrase "by way of" is a synonym for "via," meaning through or by means of. The clue is a direct definition of this preposition.

  6. 06

    cry, poetically

    weep

    The official answer is "weep." "Cry, poetically" is a definition of "weep," which is a literary or formal term for crying. The clue uses the poetic register to point to this verb.

  7. 07

    kind of exam administered by a professor or a dentist

    oral

    The official answer is "oral." An oral exam is administered by a professor, and a dentist also performs an oral examination. The clue uses the shared adjective "oral" to describe both types of exams.

  8. 08

    like a sudden, disagreeable awakening

    rude

    The official answer is "rude." A sudden, disagreeable awakening is described as a rude awakening, meaning a harsh or shocking realization. The clue defines the adjective "rude" in this idiomatic context.

  9. 09

    metal deformation due to impact

    dent

    The official answer is "dent." Metal deformation due to impact is called a dent, a depression caused by a blow. The clue is a direct definition of this noun.

  10. 10

    one in need is one indeed

    friend

    The official answer is "friend." The proverb "a friend in need is a friend indeed" means a true friend helps when you are in trouble. The clue quotes part of this saying, identifying the word "friend."

  11. 11

    prefix with -con or -boyfriend

    ex

    The official answer is "ex." The prefix "ex-" combines with "-con" to form "ex-con" (former convict) and with "-boyfriend" to form "ex-boyfriend." The clue points to this common prefix meaning former.

  12. 12

    spread made with fruit

    jam

    The official answer is "jam." A spread made with fruit is jam, a sweet preserve. The clue is a direct definition of this food item.

Working notes

How the brackets resolve

  1. 1

    Starting with clue clue-951dd2e96e11c0c8, the phrase "by way of" is replaced by its synonym "via," which means through or by means of. This substitution changes the bracketed text to "avian nickname for the..." and begins the nested resolution.

  2. 2

    Next, clue clue-3e1d5c870fbc9073 replaces "boat's trail" with "wake," the water path left behind a vessel. This turns the inner phrase into "like a sudden, disagreeable awakening," setting up the next clue about a rude awakening.

  3. 3

    Clue clue-11f83b51f96879b9 resolves "like a sudden, disagreeable awakening" to "rude," as in a rude awakening. The text now reads "rudest finger," which is a clue to the slang term for the middle finger.

  4. 4

    Clue clue-f9e705e52b807cd6 replaces "avian nickname for the rudest finger" with "bird," the slang for the middle finger. The phrase becomes "bald bird," which is a direct reference to the bald eagle, the subject of the next clue.

  5. 5

    Clue clue-6b780db1ac8cb0ed resolves "one in need is one indeed" to "friend," completing the proverb "a friend in need is a friend indeed." This creates the word "boyfriend," which is a clue for the prefix "ex-" in the next step.

  6. 6

    Clue clue-4b1ad01e94d95eb6 replaces "prefix with -con or -boyfriend" with "ex," forming "ex-con" and "ex-boyfriend." The text now reads "kind of exam administered by a professor or a dentist," which points to the adjective "oral."

  7. 7

    Clue clue-04a06458f02e8f0b resolves "metal deformation due to impact" to "dent," a depression from a blow. This creates the phrase "professor or a dentist," where "dentist" contains "dent," and the next clue identifies the shared adjective "oral."

  8. 8

    Clue clue-af02edbb0d2557b2 replaces "kind of exam administered by a professor or a dentist" with "oral," since both can give oral exams. The text now reads "of bad moral character," which is part of Benjamin Franklin's quote about the bald eagle.

  9. 9

    Clue clue-b3cead0803dfb50d resolves "cry, poetically" to "weep," a literary synonym for cry. This completes the phrase "___ 'em and weep," which is a poker idiom that the next clue will identify as "read."

  10. 10

    Clue clue-dd260162fdb5eeb1 replaces "___ 'em and weep" with "read," forming the poker phrase "read 'em and weep." The text now reads "spread made with fruit," which is a clue for the word "jam."

  11. 11

    Clue clue-253a720688eff307 resolves "spread made with fruit" to "jam," a sweet preserve. This completes the name "Benjamin Franklin," so the full sentence becomes "the first [bald bird 'of bad moral character' according to Benjamin Franklin] Scout is named."

  12. 12

    Finally, clue clue-7d753691501c22a1 resolves "bald bird 'of bad moral character' according to Benjamin Franklin" to "Eagle," referring to the bald eagle. The final sentence is "the first Eagle Scout is named," and the completion text "September 2, 1912:" marks the date of the first Eagle Scout award.

Puzzle source: official game page · Historical source: September 2, 1912:. Explanations on this page are independently written.