Need a little help solving today’s [BRACKET CITY]?

We’re here to guide you through each layer of the puzzle, step by step, until you uncover the final sentence, revealing a real event from this day in history.

Today’s Initial Puzzle

Here’s the starting bracket that kicked things off in today’s game

[like co[back___ (accumulation of [__tied (dangerous state for shoelaces I'm told)]done work)]ne but a lot stronger] C[\"a__!\" you say gleefully having lo[Blanchett whose first [something often kept [service concerned with protecting politicians (and [place to sit with [💩 sample]s]feiting!)] by expecting parents, lest they get pressured out of \"Bort\"] has an uncommon start]d the missing Mint Milano]nel [response indicated when you keep your shoulders still and rotate your [body part you are often urged to use after having made a mental bl[\"___ the sea!\" sings the delightful cartoon [word after [sillier-sounding word for a recluse] or before cake 🦀]]] smoothly side to side, turning your chin about 15 to 30 degrees in each direction]. 5 is released","puzzleSolution":"Perfume Chanel No. 5 is released

Today's [BRACKET CITY] Clues and Answers

Below are all of today’s clues, along with the correct answers:

service concerned with protecting politicians (and counterfeiting!)

The answer is secret.

response indicated when you keep your shoulders still and rotate your head smoothly side to side, turning your chin about 15 to 30 degrees in each direction

The answer is No.

💩 sample

The answer is stool.

place to sit with stools

The answer is counter.

"___ the sea!" sings the delightful cartoon crab

The answer is under.

like cologne but a lot stronger

The answer is Perfume.

word after hermit or before cake 🦀

The answer is crab.

back___ (accumulation of undone work)

The answer is log.

Blanchett whose first name has an uncommon start

The answer is cate.

"a__!" you say gleefully having located the missing Mint Milano

The answer is ha.

body part you are often urged to use after having made a mental blunder

The answer is head.

__tied (dangerous state for shoelaces I'm told)

The answer is un.

sillier-sounding word for a recluse

The answer is hermit.

something often kept secret by expecting parents, lest they get pressured out of "Bort"

The answer is name.

Today's NYT Puzzle Guides by LadyPuzzle Pro

• Today's Wordle
• Connections Hint Today
• NYT Crossword Answers Today
• Strands Answers Today
• Spelling Bee Hints
• Connections Sports Edition (The Athletic)

Today's [BRACKET CITY] Final Solution

Here’s the historical fact revealed by today’s puzzle:

May 5, 1921: Perfume Chanel No. 5 is released

Daily Challenges Beyond NYT Games

• Word Salad Hints
• Betweenle Answer
• Contexto Answer
• Blossom Word Finder

What is [BRACKET CITY]?

Bracket City is a daily word game where every correct answer reveals part of the next clue, like solving your way down a trail of nested brackets. The result is a full sentence tied to something that happened on this day in history.

Created by Ben Gross, the game launched here on January 1, 2025, and quickly built a loyal following. As of April 8, 2025, Bracket City became part of The Atlantic's games platform, where Ben now works alongside Caleb Madison, The Atlantic’s Director of Games.
You can play it here.

How the Game Works

• Solve any clue just by typing the answer and hitting Enter.
• You don’t need to click, just type and go!
• Each correct answer unlocks a new layer, until the whole sentence is revealed.

Need help?
Click a clue once to get a hint (the first letter), and click again to reveal the full answer. Just keep in mind: peeks and reveals affect your score.

🏆 Ranks and Scoring

Your performance earns you a city-themed title, based on how you solve the puzzle:

• Commuter
• Mayor
• Kingmaker (perfect solve!)

Here’s what affects your score:

• ❌ Wrong guesses
• 👀 Peeking at clues
• 🛟 Revealing answers

You’ll also see your:

• Base score
• Penalties (for wrongs, peeks, reveals)
• Final score
• Total keystrokes vs. minimum needed

🗓 Want to play past puzzles?

The archive goes all the way back to January 1, 2025, so you can challenge yourself with earlier games any time.

⚙️ Game Settings

• Hard mode: Every keystroke counts, and there’s no submit button! (Must be enabled before starting.)
• Dark mode: Prefer to puzzle in the shadows? You got it.