I froze with my pen over the circled letters. You can feel the tiny tug between pride and the urge to peek. I’ll walk you through the answer fast—no fluff, just the parts you need.
Today’s Jumble answer (April 13, 2026)
A coffee ring stains the corner of the strip while the puzzle waits for a decision. If you want the quick fix, here are the solved words and the cartoon punchline so you can get back to bragging or sulking—your call.
What are today’s Jumble answers?
First Words:
- OTTOH = TOOTH
- WCNLO = CLOWN
- NKISYN = SKINNY
- OKCDEL = LOCKED
Cartoon Question:
WHEN ASKED IF IT EVER WANTED TO END UP IN A FIREPLACE, THE OAK TREE SAID – – –
Cartoon Answer:
OT OW IN OD = I “WOOD” NOT
Jumble answers yesterday (April 12, 2026)
The paper’s margin still has yesterday’s coffee drip—proof that yesterday happened fast. If you missed 04/12/26, here’s what the answers looked like so you can compare word patterns and smugness levels.
First Words:
- CTHAAT = ATTACH
- NIEEGN = ENGINE
- AUETPN = PEANUT
- JIETNC = INJECT
- OTROCH = COHORT
- KNNIPA = NAPKIN
Cartoon Question:
THEY WERE CONSIDERING A NEW BANK TO HANDLE THEIR FINANCES, AND THERE WAS A LOT TO – – –
Cartoon Answer:
TTC NI EAU NCT OO AK = TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
How to play Jumble
The strip is split into two chores: first the scrambled words, then the cartoon riddle that stitches the circled letters into a punchline. You solve the jumbled words, collect the circled letters, and fit them into the cartoon’s clue—simple mechanics, sneaky satisfaction.
How do I solve the Jumble cartoon?
Start by lining up the circled letters from the solved words and scan the cartoon for tone, props, and puns. I treat the cartoon like a locksmith picking a stubborn safe: steady, small movements, and attention to which letters repeat. The comic’s scene is the biggest hint—follow it, and the phrase will click into place.
What is Jumble?
It lives on the Chicago Tribune site but spills across mornings in diners and feeds around the world. Jumble is a daily word puzzle on the Chicago Tribune (play at fun.chicagotribune.com) that pairs mini-anagrams with a cartoon punchline; beat your personal time and collect the modest bragging rights.
I use Jumble to warm up my word muscles before tackling games like Wordle Unlimited, Contexto, or Waffle—each refines a slightly different skill. If you want a quick practice tool, Contexto trains context clues; Wordle hones pattern recognition; Waffle tests shape and placement. All three have active communities and tools that share stats and strategies.
If you prefer to spare yourself the small moral argument about peeking, you can read the answers and still pretend you earned them—no one’s auditing your coffee stains, and the joke is still as cozy as a campfire story.
Want to argue whether solving is more satisfying than cheating—what’s your take?