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Mercury is what makes hatters mad
Answers for Globle, Metazooa, Elemingle and more from Sep 1 - Sep 7
Abe Train
September 08, 2025
Coming to your inbox every Monday with a brand new fun-fact and all the answers to Trainwreck Labs games from the past week.
This week, we have…
A fun fact inspired by Elemingle
Metazooa: Live is coming back!
Answers to last week's games
Reader survey
Metazooa: Live… is coming back!
This September, the hit feature of Toronto Games Week is going to a new park with new plants, new animals, and new players. Come find the amazing ecological scavenger hunt at Metagame 2025 in Berkely, California from Sept 12 - 14.
Do you want Metazooa: Live to come to one of your local parks? Let me know!
Mercury is what makes hatters mad
“Mad” can mean either “crazy” or “angry”, but regardless way you should never drink mercury at a tea party.
In the whimsical world of 19th-century hat-making, a hidden peril lurked beneath the surface. The phrase "mad as a hatter" traces its roots back to this era when mercury (Elemingle answer #222) was widely used in the production of felt for hats. The process involved mercuric nitrate, a compound that emitted toxic fumes, which hat makers inhaled as they worked. Over time, this exposure led to mercury poisoning, causing severe neurological damage and erratic behaviour, often referred to as "hatter's shakes."
The symptoms of mercury poisoning included tremors, mood swings, and cognitive decline, leading many to believe that hatters were, quite literally, losing their minds. This phenomenon contributed to the popular culture image of the "mad hatter," most famously captured in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, where the character embodies a whimsical yet unsettling nature.
Despite being a key player in hat-making, mercury's toxic effects eventually led to its decline in use. Today, we understand the long-term health risks associated with mercury exposure and the importance of safe handling practices. The story of mercury and the mad hatters serves as a cautionary tale about the intersection of industrial practices and human health, reminding us of the invisible dangers that can accompany seemingly harmless trades.
Learn more: NIH
Trivia
There is evidence some Ancient Chinese emperors drank mercury. What did they think it would do for them? |
Answers to last week's games
Monday, September 1 to Sunday, September 7.
Globle
| Globle: Capitals
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Chronogram
| Fictogram
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Metazooa
| Metaflora
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Linxicon
The following are the shortest paths from last week:
#566 currently → want → desire → hunger → pan
#567 anybody → human → body → veins → tube
#568 base → foundation → basement → near → soon
#569 great → killed → hunting
#570 strongly → quickly → while
#571 symptom → ache → eye → bright
#572 sudden → timely → reliable → rely
#566 Play now!
Elemingle
#222 Mercury
#223 Francium
#224 Oganesson
#225 Bismuth
#226 Technetium
#227 Dubnium
#228 Tin
#229 Play now!
That’s all for this week. Thanks for reading!
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