Daily puzzle

Put The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg back in order

Seven beats from our edition of The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain, shuffled. Drag them, or use the arrows, until the story runs straight. No account, no streak to lose.

  1. A stranger wronged Hadleyburg offends a passing stranger, who vows a revenge aimed at the town's whole reputation.
  2. Gold and a riddle He leaves the Richardses a sack of supposed gold for whoever can repeat the remark made to a ruined man.
  3. The secret letters The stranger mails nineteen leading citizens the exact words, each believing he alone is the rightful heir.
  4. Nineteen claims Every recipient privately convinces himself he deserves the gold and submits a written claim.
  5. Public exposure At the town hall the identical forged claims are read aloud, humiliating the town's leading men.
  6. Gilded lead The sack is opened to reveal worthless gilded lead, the stranger's revenge complete.
  7. A wiser motto The disgraced town rewrites its motto to acknowledge temptation rather than pretend it does not exist.