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Play This Puzzle →A few sample clues
This American inventor patented an early hand-operated windshield wiper in 1903.
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This German physicist discovered a type of invisible ray in 1895 that could photograph the bones inside a living hand.
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This American entrepreneur co-founded Apple and later helped popularize the iPod and iPhone.
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This American inventor demonstrated the first computer mouse in a famous 1968 presentation now nicknamed 'The Mother of All Demos.'
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This French mathematician built one of the first mechanical calculators as a teenager to help his tax-collector father.
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All 97 questions in this topic, with answers — use it to study, or just browse. Every actual play of the puzzle only pulls a random handful of these into one game, so knowing them all here won't spoil which ones show up or where they're hidden in the grid. Play it here.
This American chemist developed an inexpensive way to synthesize cortisone and other steroid drugs from soybeans.
JULIANThis Scottish engineer gave the first public demonstration of a working television system in 1926, using mechanical scanning discs.
BAIRDThis American physicist co-invented the integrated circuit and later co-founded a major microprocessor company.
NOYCEThis British surgeon pioneered the use of antiseptic techniques in operating rooms during the 1860s, sharply reducing infections.
LISTERThis American virologist developed one of the first effective vaccines against polio in the 1950s.
SALKThis German engineer patented a rotating-disk scanning device in 1884 that became an early building block of television.
NIPKOWThis American dressmaker patented an improved ironing board in 1892, shaped to fit sleeves more easily.
BOONEThis American entrepreneur invented a self-wringing mop after growing tired of cleaning up broken glass with an old-fashioned one.
MANGANOThis American insurance salesman patented a reliable fountain pen in 1884 after a leaky one ruined an important contract.
WATERMANThis German mathematician built on earlier mechanical calculators to create a machine that could also multiply and divide.
LEIBNIZBorn Sarah Breedlove, this entrepreneur's hair-care line made her one of America's first self-made female millionaires.
WALKERThis American businessman popularized the disposable-blade safety razor in the early 1900s.
GILLETTEThis Hungarian-Argentine journalist invented a pen that used a rolling ball instead of a fountain nib.
BIROThis English physicist developed an incandescent lightbulb around the same time as Edison, sparking a legal dispute.
SWANThis American industrialist designed a luxurious railroad sleeping car that made long train journeys far more comfortable.
PULLMANThis American pharmacist invented a carbonated soft drink in 1886 that was originally sold as a tonic at soda fountains.
PEMBERTONThis American inventor built the first practical mechanical dishwasher, unveiling it at the 1893 World's Fair.
COCHRANEThis American inventor patented a revolving-cylinder firearm design in 1836 that let a gun fire multiple shots without reloading.
COLTThis American blacksmith developed a polished steel plow in 1837 that could slice through the sticky prairie soil of the Midwest.
DEEREThis Italian inventor sent the first transatlantic radio signal in 1901.
MARCONIThis American businessman invented an airtight plastic food-storage container that still bears his name.
TUPPERThis German engineer built what's widely considered the first practical automobile powered by an internal combustion engine.
BENZThis American inventor developed a system of dots and dashes used to send messages over the telegraph.
MORSEBorn in Suriname, an inventor named '_ _ _' Matzeliger built a machine in 1883 that could shape 700 pairs of shoes a day.
JANThis American minister and dietary reformer lent his name to a whole-wheat cracker he promoted in the 1830s.
GRAHAMThis engineer, who worked on NASA projects, accidentally invented a powerful water-blasting toy while designing a new kind of heat pump.
JOHNSONThis American scientist invented an instant-film camera that developed photographs within minutes, launching a famous camera brand.
LANDThis Scottish-born inventor patented the telephone in 1876 and later founded a major telephone company.
BELLThis German-American merchant, working with tailor Jacob Davis, patented riveted blue denim work pants in 1873.
STRAUSSThis American engineer personally designed the Apple II computer, working alongside a more famous co-founder.
WOZNIAKThe World Wide Web was invented in 1989 by a British computer scientist named '_ _ _' Berners-Lee.
TIMThis American inventor patented a machine that folded and glued flat-bottomed paper bags in the 1870s.
KNIGHTThis Hollywood actress co-invented a radio frequency-hopping system in World War II that later inspired Wi-Fi technology.
LAMARRThis American confectioner developed affordable milk-chocolate bars using mass-production methods in the late 1800s.
HERSHEYThis Serbian-American engineer developed the alternating-current system that still powers homes today.
TESLAThis American inventor created a waterproof, reusable diaper cover in the 1940s, paving the way for later disposable diapers.
DONOVANAn American inventor named '_ _ _ _ _ _' Hollerith built a punched-card tabulating machine used for the 1890 U.S. census.
HERMANThese two Ohio bicycle-shop brothers achieved the first sustained, powered airplane flight in 1903.
WRIGHTThis English mathematician wrote what's considered the first computer algorithm, meant for Babbage's Analytical Engine.
LOVELACEThis prolific American inventor held over 1,000 patents, including ones for the phonograph and a practical lightbulb.
EDISONThis American computer scientist and Navy rear admiral invented the first compiler, a program that translates code.
HOPPERThis early steam locomotive, built by George and Robert Stephenson in 1829, helped launch the railway age.
ROCKETThis American scientist developed hundreds of new uses for the peanut and sweet potato to help struggling Southern farmers.
CARVERThis American engineer built one of the first commercially successful steamboats, launched on the Hudson River in 1807.
FULTONThis American businessman founded a cereal company after recovering at the same sanitarium that inspired the Kellogg brothers.
POSTOften called the father of computing, this English mathematician designed an early mechanical calculator called the Difference Engine.
BABBAGEThis American engineer co-invented the integrated circuit, or microchip, in 1958.
KILBYThis American industrialist didn't invent the automobile, but he revolutionized its production with the moving assembly line.
FORDAn engineer named '_ _ _ _ _' Armstrong invented FM radio in the early 1930s, dramatically reducing static compared to AM signals.
EDWINThe inventor of electronic television was named '_ _ _ _ _' Farnsworth.
PHILOThis Italian astronomer significantly improved the telescope's design and used it to discover four of Jupiter's moons.
GALILEOThis American inventor's mechanical reaper sped up wheat harvesting and transformed 19th-century farming.
MCCORMICKThis French artist developed one of the first practical photographic processes, announced to the public in 1839.
DAGUERREThis American inventor discovered the process of vulcanizing rubber, making it far more durable, in 1839.
GOODYEARThis American industrialist invented a safety device that stopped elevators from falling if their cable snapped.
OTISA Dutch eyeglass maker named '_ _ _ _' is often credited with building one of the first practical telescopes in 1608.
HANSThis French weaver invented a loom in 1804 controlled by punched cards, an early ancestor of computer programming.
JACQUARDThis English physician developed the world's first vaccine, protecting against smallpox, in 1796.
JENNERThis French chemist developed a heat-treatment process that kills harmful bacteria in milk and other beverages.
PASTEURThis American inventor patented one of the first practical sewing machines in 1846.
HOWEThis American entrepreneur made photography affordable for the masses by founding a company known for its roll-film cameras.
EASTMANThis Polish-French scientist, along with her husband, discovered radium and pioneered research into radioactivity.
CURIEThis Swedish astronomer proposed a temperature scale in 1742 that places water's freezing and boiling points 100 degrees apart.
CELSIUSThis Russian-American engineer developed an early electronic television camera tube in the 1920s.
ZWORYKINThis African American inventor patented an early traffic signal and a safety hood that became a precursor to the gas mask.
MORGANThis German engineer patented a compression-ignition engine in the 1890s that now bears his name.
DIESELThis French chef developed a method of preserving food in sealed glass jars, laying the groundwork for canning.
APPERTThis British merchant patented the use of tin-coated cans for preserving food shortly after a French chef pioneered sealed jars.
DURANDThis American engineer designed the first modern air conditioning system in 1902 to control humidity at a printing plant.
CARRIERThis African American inventor improved the carbon filament used in lightbulbs, making them longer-lasting and cheaper to produce.
LATIMERThis American chemist invented a super-strong synthetic fiber used in bulletproof vests while researching lightweight tire materials.
KWOLEKThis Swedish chemist invented dynamite in 1867, making explosives far safer to handle and transport.
NOBELThis American newspaper editor invented the modern typewriter, arranging its keys in the QWERTY layout still used today.
SHOLESThis German inventor's mid-15th-century printing press with movable type transformed how books were made.
GUTENBERGThis Scottish scientist discovered penicillin in 1928 after noticing mold had killed bacteria in a petri dish.
FLEMINGThis American innkeeper accidentally invented a popular cookie in the 1930s when a chopped chocolate bar didn't fully melt into her dough.
WAKEFIELDThis American engineer invented the microwave oven in the 1940s after a candy bar melted in his pocket near radar equipment.
SPENCERThis British engineer patented an early jet engine design in the 1930s.
WHITTLEThis Canadian-American engineer invented an automatic lubricator that let steam engines run long stretches without stopping.
MCCOYThis American businessman improved on earlier sewing-machine designs and built a manufacturing empire around them.
SINGERThis American statesman, famous for his kite experiment in a thunderstorm, invented the lightning rod and bifocal glasses.
FRANKLINThis self-taught engineer patented a portable refrigeration unit that helped preserve food and medicine during World War II.
JONESThis American physicist launched the world's first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926.
GODDARDThis Scottish engineer's improvements to the steam engine in the 1760s and 70s helped power the Industrial Revolution.
WATTThis American doctor and his brother accidentally invented a flaked breakfast cereal while experimenting with boiled wheat dough.
KELLOGGThis American physicist invented the dry-copying process that led to the modern photocopier.
CARLSONThis American inventor's 1793 cotton gin sped up the removal of seeds from cotton fibers.
WHITNEYThis English engineer developed an inexpensive process for mass-producing steel from molten iron in the 1850s.
BESSEMERBlinded as a child, this Frenchman invented a system of raised dots that lets blind people read by touch.
BRAILLEThis Russian-American engineer built the first mass-produced helicopter.
SIKORSKYThis Swiss engineer invented a hook-and-loop fastener after studying burrs stuck to his dog's fur.
MESTRALThis American engineer co-founded an arcade game company and helped launch the video-game industry in the early 1970s.
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