Vol. I — No. 35

ERSTWHILE

Price $10,000

2026

erstwhile.io, answered from the public pages

FAQ for the daily investing game

These answers follow the public FAQ, how-to-play, terms, and privacy pages at erstwhile.io, plus Alldle where a second publisher agrees. Support mail for the game itself is [email protected].

Illustrated newspaper desk with a cream certificate, ten chips, and a green year stamp for the daily investing game
Ten burgundy chips arranged on a cream certificate beside a hidden year marked 20 question marks

If the page looks empty

There is no public status page. I can say what the public record supports, and I will not invent an outage. The puzzle runs in the browser. A content filter that blocks erstwhile.io will leave you with nothing to play; Alldle’s listing notes that “unblocked” depends on the network. Google sign-in inside another site’s frame can fail when the browser limits third-party cookies. Opening erstwhile.io in its own tab is the workaround I would try. Account and payment questions go to [email protected].

Questions

Is the daily puzzle free?

Yes. Supporter, at $2.49 a month or $8.99 a year, adds the older archive, Unlimited mode, one streak save a week, certificate styles, and deeper stats.

When does a new puzzle arrive?

At midnight in your local time. Players who share a local date share that puzzle.

Do I need an account?

No. Results stay in the browser. Google sign-in is optional and is described as sync across devices.

Are the prices real?

Stocks, metals, and the S&P 500 use year-end closes, adjusted for splits and dividends, via StatMuse. Commodities and US natural gas use December averages, IMF via FRED.

Are the headlines real?

The public pages say they are real headlines from named outlets, sometimes trimmed so a date does not give the year away.

How is the result judged?

Final value after five years, next to an S&P 500 fund, plus a daily rank and the share of possible plays you beat.

Can I play yesterday?

Yesterday is free. Older puzzles are a Supporter feature. A past puzzle you already played stays free. Archive games count on your profile, not in that day’s ranking.

What if I miss a day?

The streak resets. Supporters get one streak save a week.

Is there an app?

No download and no official app. It is a website on desktop and on a phone.

Does the game show ads?

The terms and privacy pages say no ads and no ad or tracking cookies. On 11 November 2026 the live page had empty, hidden ad slots. I report both facts and do not call the game an ad product.

Is it financial advice?

The public pages say no. It is a game about a past window of years.

What is the Market?

A streak of 3 days lets you claim a 2–4 letter ticker. Five days starts that ticker at $10. Ten days puts it on the public Market. The price moves up on days you beat the S&P and down on days you do not.

Keep reading

How to playThe five-year sequence in one place.UnlimitedWhat the paid mode includes.Play onlineAdd the site to a phone home screen.

Sources