BLEND is a daily portmanteau puzzle. A portmanteau fuses parts of two source words, along with their meanings, into one familiar blend. BRUNCH comes from breakfast and lunch; SMOG comes from smoke and fog. On most days you see the blend and a clue, then name both source words that were used to forge it.
The two answer boxes show the required word lengths, which can rule out tempting alternatives. Enter both sources before submitting because the pair is evaluated together. On occasional reverse days, the source words are supplied and your job is to create the blend instead. A hint reveals a letter if you are stuck, and each unsuccessful submission uses one of the day's limited guesses.
Start with meaning, then inspect the blend's beginning and ending for sounds or letter groups borrowed from likely parents. The join is not always a neat cut: letters can overlap, disappear, or change slightly to make the result pronounceable. Common usage matters more than inventing a technically possible combination. The catalog is deliberately reviewed so answers should be recognizable words rather than names, brands, or specialist curiosities.
A result records whether you solved, how many guesses you used, whether you requested help, and your daily streak. Its share pattern communicates the outcome without printing the blend or either source. The puzzle changes worldwide at 00:00 UTC. Reopening the daily puzzle restores the same attempt, while Archive and Random past puzzle links launch already aired entries in separate practice storage. Practice never changes the daily record, streak, or lifetime distribution, making it safe to learn the puzzle's wordplay after today's attempt is complete.
A portmanteau combines parts of two words: BRUNCH is forged from breakfast and lunch.
Most days show the blend and ask for both source words. Reverse days show the sources and ask you to make the blend.
Letter counts narrow the search. A hint can reveal a letter, and you have 4 guesses. Solving in fewer earns the stronger result.