Daily puzzle

Put Battle Royal back in order

Seven beats from our edition of Battle Royal by Ralph Ellison, shuffled. Drag them, or use the arrows, until the story runs straight. No account, no streak to lose.

  1. Grandfather’s deathbed The narrator’s grandfather reveals on his deathbed that his meekness hid a lifelong resistance and tells the family to fight on through pretended compliance.
  2. The graduation speech The narrator’s speech praising humility earns him an invitation to speak before the most powerful white men in town.
  3. Forced to watch At the hotel, the boys are made to watch a naked white dancer while the drunken men threaten them.
  4. Blindfolded in the ring The boys are blindfolded and forced to fight each other, and the narrator is beaten by Tatlock.
  5. Electrified coins The boys scramble for money on an electrified rug and find that the gold coins are brass tokens.
  6. Social equality Bloodied, the narrator gives his speech, slips by saying social equality, and quickly takes it back.
  7. The note in the briefcase He receives a briefcase and scholarship, then dreams of a note inside ordering that he be kept moving forever.