Looking at the available words, I can see several potential categories emerging: 1. Computer security terms: BACKDOOR, VIRUS, TROJAN HORSE, WORM - these are all types of malware or security vulnerabilities 2. Symbols of protection: SHIELD, AEGIS, GUARD, PROTECTION - these all relate to defense/protection 3. Lucky charms: HORSESHOE, FLEUR-DE-LIS, TRIDENT, BUFFALO - these could be symbols associated with luck 4. Space/astronomy terms: ORBIT, LIGHTNING BOLT, ICE BREAKERS, EXTRA - this seems less clear The computer security category seems very strong with BACKDOOR, VIRUS, TROJAN HORSE, and WORM. These are all well-known types of malicious software or security threats. Let me start with this guess as it appears to be the most obvious connection.

Great! The computer security category was correct. Now I have the remaining words: EXTRA, ORBIT, SHIELD, FLEUR-DE-LIS, AEGIS, GUARD, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, LIGHTNING BOLT, PROTECTION, BUFFALO. Looking at these, I can see another very clear category: protection/defense words. SHIELD, AEGIS, GUARD, and PROTECTION all directly relate to protection or defense. AEGIS is particularly interesting as it's a mythological shield of protection, making it fit perfectly with SHIELD and GUARD. PROTECTION is the general term that encompasses them all. This seems like the next most obvious connection to try.

Excellent! Now I have the remaining words: EXTRA, ORBIT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, LIGHTNING BOLT, BUFFALO. Looking at these 8 words, I need to find two more categories of 4 words each. Let me analyze what's left: - EXTRA, ORBIT, ICE BREAKERS - these could be related to space/astronomy or activities - FLEUR-DE-LIS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, LIGHTNING BOLT, BUFFALO - these are all symbols or emblems I notice that FLEUR-DE-LIS (French royal symbol), TRIDENT (Neptune's weapon/sea symbol), HORSESHOE (luck symbol), and LIGHTNING BOLT (Zeus's symbol/power symbol) could all be "symbols or emblems". BUFFALO could also fit as a symbol (like the American buffalo/bison). However, looking more carefully, I think there might be a better grouping. Let me consider: - FLEUR-DE-LIS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, BUFFALO could be "symbols on flags or coats of arms" - EXTRA, ORBIT, ICE BREAKERS, LIGHTNING BOLT seems less clear Actually, let me try a different approach. Maybe there's a "lucky charms" category? HORSESHOE is definitely a lucky charm. The others are less obvious. Let me go with the most obvious grouping I can see: FLEUR-DE-LIS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, and BUFFALO as symbols/emblems.

That guess was incorrect. Let me re-examine the remaining 8 words: EXTRA, ORBIT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, LIGHTNING BOLT, BUFFALO. I need to find two different groups of 4. Let me think about this differently. Maybe one group is related to activities or things you do: - ICE BREAKERS (activities to get people talking) - EXTRA (going above and beyond) - ORBIT (revolving around something) - LIGHTNING BOLT (could be a fast action) Another possibility - maybe some are related to brands or logos: - BUFFALO (Buffalo Bills, Buffalo wings) - LIGHTNING BOLT (Gatorade, etc.) Let me look for a different grouping. What if I try: - ORBIT, ICE BREAKERS, LIGHTNING BOLT, EXTRA These could all be types of activities or concepts. ORBIT (to orbit around), ICE BREAKERS (social activities), LIGHTNING BOLT (speed/sudden action), EXTRA (additional effort). This is still not feeling very strong. Let me try another approach. Maybe there's a "things that can break" category? ICE BREAKERS literally breaks ice, LIGHTNING BOLT can break things... Actually, let me try grouping by what they represent: - ORBIT, LIGHTNING BOLT, ICE BREAKERS, EXTRA These could all be "types of actions or movements." Let me try this group.

Two incorrect guesses so far. I need to be more careful. Let me look at the remaining 8 words again: EXTRA, ORBIT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, LIGHTNING BOLT, BUFFALO. I need to find two valid groups of 4. Let me think about this more systematically. Maybe one group is related to symbols or emblems, but I need the right combination: - FLEUR-DE-LIS (symbol of French royalty/scouting) - TRIDENT (symbol of Neptune/sea power) - LIGHTNING BOLT (symbol of power/electricity) - HORSESHOE (symbol of luck) These are all clearly symbols or emblems. Let me try this group. The remaining would be: EXTRA, ORBIT, ICE BREAKERS, BUFFALO. These could be "things that are additional or special" - EXTRA (obvious), ORBIT (special path), ICE BREAKERS (special activities), BUFFALO (special animal/symbol). Let me try the symbols group first.

This is getting critical - only one incorrect guess remaining. Let me carefully re-examine the 8 remaining words: EXTRA, ORBIT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, HORSESHOE, LIGHTNING BOLT, BUFFALO. I've tried grouping the symbols together twice with different combinations and both were wrong. Let me think completely differently. What if one group is related to sports or athletics? - ORBIT (could relate to orbital mechanics in space, but also sports movements) - LIGHTNING BOLT (Usain Bolt's nickname) - BUFFALO (Buffalo Bills NFL team) - HORSESHOE (horseshoe pitching game) This could work! The remaining would be: EXTRA, FLEUR-DE-LIS, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT. These could be "special or distinctive things" - EXTRA (additional), FLEUR-DE-LIS (distinctive symbol), ICE BREAKERS (special activities), TRIDENT (distinctive weapon). Let me try the sports-related group.

Looking at the available words, I need to identify groups of 4 that share a common category. Let me analyze potential connections: MAMMOTH, STARE, SNICKER, WHALE, SCRATCH, DING, PLATE, MAR, BOX, WHISPER, MOUND, COLOSSUS, WHOPPER, BASE, POINT, DENT I notice several potential categories: 1. Baseball terms: BASE, MOUND, PLATE, POINT (though POINT is a stretch) 2. Large things: MAMMOTH, WHALE, COLOSSUS, WHOPPER 3. Sounds/noises: SNICKER, WHISPER, DING (need one more) 4. Damage/marks: SCRATCH, MAR, DENT (need one more) The baseball category seems most promising as BASE, MOUND, and PLATE are clearly baseball-related. POINT could refer to scoring points in baseball. Let me try this group first.

My first guess of baseball terms was incorrect. Let me re-evaluate the words and look for stronger connections. Available words: MAMMOTH, STARE, SNICKER, WHALE, SCRATCH, DING, PLATE, MAR, BOX, WHISPER, MOUND, COLOSSUS, WHOPPER, BASE, POINT, DENT Let me look for other potential categories: 1. Large things: MAMMOTH, WHALE, COLOSSUS, WHOPPER. This seems very strong - all refer to things that are very large in size. 2. Damage/marks: SCRATCH, MAR, DENT. I need one more for this group. 3. Quiet sounds: WHISPER, SNICKER. Need two more. 4. Baseball terms didn't work, so maybe BASE, MOUND, PLATE belong elsewhere. The "large things" category seems most compelling. MAMMOTH (extinct giant elephant), WHALE (large marine mammal), COLOSSUS (giant statue), WHOPPER (large burger or big lie). This connection feels very solid. Let me try this group.

Great! The "large things" category was correct. Now I have 12 words remaining: STARE, SNICKER, SCRATCH, DING, PLATE, MAR, BOX, WHISPER, MOUND, BASE, POINT, DENT Let me look for the next strongest connection: 1. Damage/marks: SCRATCH, MAR, DENT. I need one more for this group. 2. Baseball terms: BASE, MOUND, PLATE. POINT could work here too. 3. Quiet/subtle sounds: WHISPER, SNICKER. Need two more. 4. Looking/gazing: STARE. Need three more. The damage/marks category seems strong with SCRATCH, MAR, DENT. Let me see if any other word fits - maybe BOX (as in "box someone's ears" or damage)? Or POINT (as in "point out flaws")? Actually, let me reconsider the baseball terms: BASE, MOUND, PLATE are all clearly baseball-related. POINT could work as in "scoring point" in baseball. Let me try this group since three of them are very clearly connected.

My baseball guess was wrong again. Let me reconsider the remaining words: STARE, SNICKER, SCRATCH, DING, PLATE, MAR, BOX, WHISPER, MOUND, BASE, POINT, DENT I need to be more careful now with only 2 mistakes remaining. Let me look for the strongest connections: 1. Damage/marks: SCRATCH, MAR, DENT. These three are very clearly related to damage or blemishes. I need a fourth that fits. Looking at the remaining words, BOX could work as in "boxing someone's ears" (damage) or maybe DING (a small dent/damage). 2. Sounds: SNICKER, WHISPER, DING. These are all sounds. I need one more. 3. Looking: STARE. Only one clear word for this. 4. Baseball: BASE, MOUND, PLATE. Three clear baseball terms, but POINT didn't work. The damage/marks category seems strongest. SCRATCH, MAR, DENT are definitely damage. DING could be a small dent or damage to a surface. Let me try this group.

Excellent! The damage/marks category was correct. Now I have 8 words remaining: STARE, SNICKER, PLATE, BOX, WHISPER, MOUND, BASE, POINT Let me look for connections among these: 1. Baseball terms: BASE, MOUND, PLATE. These three are clearly baseball-related. POINT could work as in scoring points in baseball, but that didn't work before. Maybe POINT belongs to a different category? 2. Sounds: SNICKER, WHISPER. Need two more. 3. Looking/gazing: STARE. Need three more. 4. Container/enclosure: BOX. Need three more. Let me think about what categories could work: - Maybe STARE, POINT, WHISPER, SNICKER could be "ways to communicate" or "subtle actions"? - Or maybe BASE, POINT, BOX, PLATE could be "things that can be a foundation/base"? - Or SNICKER, WHISPER could be "quiet sounds" - but I need two more. Actually, let me reconsider the baseball terms. BASE, MOUND, PLATE are so clearly baseball-related. Maybe POINT fits in a different way, or maybe there's another baseball term I'm missing. Let me try BASE, MOUND, PLATE with BOX - as in "box score" in baseball statistics. That could work!

Great! The baseball category worked with BOX (as in box score). Now I have 4 words remaining: STARE, SNICKER, WHISPER, POINT Let me think about the connection between these four: - STARE: to look fixedly - SNICKER: a quiet, often disrespectful laugh - WHISPER: to speak very softly - POINT: to indicate or direct attention These all seem to be subtle actions or forms of communication that are not loud or overt. They could be "subtle actions" or "ways to communicate quietly/discreetly." STARE is a visual action, SNICKER and WHISPER are quiet sounds, and POINT is a gesture. They all fit under the category of subtle/non-verbal or quiet communication methods.

I need to analyze the 16 available words and find groups of four that share a common category. Let me list the words and look for potential connections: Available words: PRINTER, FOLLOW, TATTOO MACHINE, WATCH, SQUID, MONTH, VELVETEEN, ROGER, JUROR, PEN, WHITE, DONUT, TRACK, TRIX, MONITOR, ROSE Let me look for obvious categories: 1. Technology/office items: PRINTER, MONITOR, PEN, WATCH 2. Colors: WHITE (but only one obvious color word) 3. Animals: SQUID (only one obvious animal) 4. Time/calendar: MONTH, WATCH 5. Legal/court: JUROR, ROGER (as in "roger that" or could be a name) 6. Food: DONUT, TRIX (cereal) 7. Textures/materials: VELVETEEN 8. Actions/verbs: FOLLOW, TRACK 9. Names: ROGER 10. Plants: ROSE Let me think more deeply about potential categories: Technology devices: PRINTER, MONITOR, WATCH, PEN - this seems plausible as all can be electronic devices Court/legal terms: JUROR, ROGER (as in "roger that"), FOLLOW, TRACK - this is a stretch Things that can be tracked: FOLLOW, TRACK, WATCH, MONITOR - this is interesting Breakfast foods: DONUT, TRIX, but only have two Let me look for more subtle connections: - Things that can be "white": WHITE, SQUID (white squid), DONUT (white donut), ROSE (white rose) - Things that "follow": FOLLOW, TRACK, WATCH, MONITOR - Things with "ink": PRINTER, PEN, TATTOO MACHINE, SQUID (squid ink) The ink connection seems promising - PRINTER uses ink, PEN uses ink, TATTOO MACHINE uses ink, and SQUID produces ink. This feels like a clever Connections category. Let me go with PRINTER, PEN, TATTOO MACHINE, SQUID as things that use/produce ink.

I need to make another guess with 4 words from the remaining 12. Let me analyze what's left: Available words: DONUT, FOLLOW, JUROR, MONITOR, MONTH, ROGER, ROSE, TRACK, TRIX, VELVETEEN, WATCH, WHITE Looking for new categories: 1. Things that can be "white": WHITE, DONUT (white donut), ROSE (white rose), VELVETEEN (white velveteen) 2. Time-related: MONTH, WATCH, MONITOR (monitor time), TRACK (track time) 3. Surveillance/observation: FOLLOW, TRACK, WATCH, MONITOR 4. Legal/court: JUROR, ROGER (roger that), FOLLOW (follow orders), TRACK (track evidence) 5. Food items: DONUT, TRIX, but only two 6. Names: ROGER, ROSE 7. Textures: VELVETEEN, but only one The surveillance/observation category seems strong: FOLLOW, TRACK, WATCH, MONITOR - these all relate to watching or keeping track of something/someone. Let me go with this group.

I need to make another guess with 4 words from the remaining 8. Let me analyze what's left: Available words: DONUT, JUROR, MONTH, ROGER, ROSE, TRIX, VELVETEEN, WHITE Looking for categories: 1. Things that can be "white": WHITE, DONUT (white donut), ROSE (white rose), VELVETEEN (white velveteen) 2. Time/calendar: MONTH 3. Legal: JUROR, ROGER (roger that) 4. Food: DONUT, TRIX 5. Names: ROGER, ROSE 6. Textures: VELVETEEN 7. Rabbit names: ROGER (Roger Rabbit), TRIX (Trix rabbit), but only two The "things that can be white" category seems plausible - WHITE is the color itself, DONUT can be white (glazed), ROSE can be white, and VELVETEEN can be white fabric. This feels like a solid Connections category. Let me go with WHITE, DONUT, ROSE, VELVETEEN.

Looking at the available words, I can identify several potential categories. The most obvious connection is Disney Princesses: TIANA (from The Princess and the Frog), AURORA (from Sleeping Beauty), MERIDA (from Brave), and ARIEL (from The Little Mermaid). These are all main princess characters from Disney animated films and form a clear, cohesive group. This seems like a strong starting guess with high confidence.

Great! The Disney Princesses category was correct. Now I need to analyze the remaining words: SPLIT, AERIAL, ROUNDOFF, GEORGIA, ANGULAR, ARIAL, VOLUMETRIC, ARABESQUE, IMPACT, AREAL, VERDANA, LINEAR. I can see another potential category: Typography/Fonts. ARIAL and VERDANA are both well-known sans-serif typefaces. I need two more font-related words. Looking at the list, I don't see other obvious font names. Let me reconsider. Another possibility: Gymnastics/Dance terms. AERIAL, ROUNDOFF, and ARABESQUE are all moves in gymnastics or dance. I need a fourth one. SPLIT could also fit here as it's a gymnastic move/dance position. This seems like a strong category. Let me go with the gymnastics/dance category: AERIAL, ROUNDOFF, ARABESQUE, SPLIT.

Excellent! Two categories down. The remaining words are: GEORGIA, ANGULAR, ARIAL, VOLUMETRIC, IMPACT, AREAL, VERDANA, LINEAR. Now I can clearly see the typography/fonts category: GEORGIA, ARIAL, VERDANA, and IMPACT are all well-known typefaces. This is a very strong connection. The remaining four words would be: ANGULAR, VOLUMETRIC, AREAL, LINEAR. These all seem to be mathematical or geometric terms describing types of measurements or properties. "AreAl" is related to area measurement, "Linear" relates to lines, "Volumetric" relates to volume, and "Angular" relates to angles. This also forms a coherent group. I'll go with the fonts category first as it seems more definitive.

Perfect! Three categories are now solved. The remaining four words must be the final category: ANGULAR, VOLUMETRIC, AREAL, LINEAR. These all relate to types of measurements, properties, or dimensions in mathematics and physics: - ANGULAR: relating to angles - VOLUMETRIC: relating to volume (3D measurement) - AREAL: relating to area (2D measurement) - LINEAR: relating to lines (1D measurement) This forms a cohesive category of mathematical/scientific descriptors. Since these are the only four words left, this must be the correct final group.

I need to analyze the available words and look for potential connections. Let me group them by possible categories: Words: PICTURE, BRAIN, SHAR PEI, SIXTEEN, CREPE PAPER, TOOTH, PEPPER, PRUNE, TALK, POTATO, LITTER, FILM, FLICK, SPRINKLE, FEATURE, SCATTER Possible connections I see: 1. Words related to movies/film: PICTURE, FILM, FLICK, FEATURE 2. Words related to dogs: SHAR PEI, LITTER (of puppies) 3. Words related to food: POTATO, PEPPER, PRUNE, TOOTH (as in sweet tooth) 4. Words related to spreading/scattering: SCATTER, SPRINKLE, LITTER, TALK 5. Words related to numbers: SIXTEEN (standalone) 6. Words related to body parts: BRAIN, TOOTH 7. Words related to paper: CREPE PAPER, PICTURE The strongest connection I see is the movie/film category: PICTURE, FILM, FLICK, FEATURE. These are all common terms for movies or cinematic works. "Picture" is a classic term for a movie, "film" is the standard term, "flick" is slang for a movie, and "feature" refers to a feature-length film. Let me go with this category as my first guess.

I need to analyze the remaining words after correctly guessing the movie category. The available words are: BRAIN, CREPE PAPER, LITTER, PEPPER, POTATO, PRUNE, SCATTER, SHAR PEI, SIXTEEN, SPRINKLE, TALK, TOOTH Let me look for connections: 1. Words related to spreading/distributing: SCATTER, SPRINKLE, LITTER, TALK - SCATTER means to spread randomly - SPRINKLE means to distribute lightly - LITTER can mean to scatter trash around - TALK could be "scattered talk" or conversation that spreads 2. Words related to dogs: SHAR PEI, LITTER (of puppies) - but I need 2 more dog words 3. Words related to food: POTATO, PEPPER, PRUNE, TOOTH (as in sweet tooth) 4. Words related to body parts: BRAIN, TOOTH 5. Words related to being wrinkled/crinkled: SHAR PEI (wrinkly dog), PRUNE (wrinkled fruit), CREPE PAPER (can be crinkled) The spreading/distributing category seems strongest: SCATTER, SPRINKLE, LITTER, TALK. These words all involve some form of distribution or spreading, whether it's physical objects, conversation, or information.

My previous guess was incorrect. Let me re-analyze the remaining words: BRAIN, CREPE PAPER, LITTER, PEPPER, POTATO, PRUNE, SCATTER, SHAR PEI, SIXTEEN, SPRINKLE, TALK, TOOTH Let me consider other possible connections: 1. Words related to being wrinkled/crinkled: SHAR PEI (wrinkly dog), PRUNE (wrinkled fruit), CREPE PAPER (can be crinkled), BRAIN (has wrinkles/folds) - SHAR PEI is known for its wrinkled skin - PRUNE is a wrinkled dried plum - CREPE PAPER is crinkled paper - BRAIN has a wrinkled appearance with its folds and grooves 2. Words related to spreading/distributing: SCATTER, SPRINKLE, LITTER, TALK - this was my previous guess that was wrong 3. Words related to food: POTATO, PEPPER, PRUNE, TOOTH (as in sweet tooth) 4. Words related to dogs: SHAR PEI, LITTER (of puppies) - only 2 words The wrinkled/crinkled category seems promising. All four words have a connection to wrinkles, folds, or crinkled textures. Let me try this category.

I need to analyze the remaining 8 words: LITTER, PEPPER, POTATO, SCATTER, SIXTEEN, SPRINKLE, TALK, TOOTH Let me look for connections: 1. Words related to spreading/distributing: SCATTER, SPRINKLE, LITTER, TALK - SCATTER means to spread randomly - SPRINKLE means to distribute lightly - LITTER can mean to scatter trash around - TALK could be "scattered talk" or conversation that spreads 2. Words related to food: POTATO, PEPPER, TOOTH (as in sweet tooth) - only 3 words 3. Words related to being small/pieces: LITTER (of kittens/puppies), PEPPER (small specks), TOOTH (small part), SIXTEEN (small number compared to others) 4. Words that can be verbs: SCATTER, SPRINKLE, TALK, LITTER The spreading/distributing category still seems most logical. SCATTER, SPRINKLE, LITTER, and TALK all involve some form of distribution or spreading. Let me try this again since it's the strongest connection I see.

I've tried the spreading/distributing category twice and it was incorrect both times. Let me re-examine the remaining 8 words: LITTER, PEPPER, POTATO, SCATTER, SIXTEEN, SPRINKLE, TALK, TOOTH Let me think of completely different categories: 1. Words related to "small" or "tiny things": - LITTER (of small animals like kittens/puppies) - PEPPER (small specks) - TOOTH (small part of the mouth) - SIXTEEN (relatively small number) - SPRINKLE (small particles) 2. Words that are also nouns for babies/young: - LITTER (of puppies/kittens) - TOOTH (baby tooth) - POTATO (small potato) - PEPPER (small pepper) 3. Words that can be verbs: - SCATTER, SPRINKLE, TALK, LITTER 4. Words related to food preparation: - POTATO, PEPPER, TOOTH (as in toothpick), LITTER (as in chicken litter) 5. Words that are also slang or have double meanings: - POTATO (couch potato) - PEPPER (to pepper with questions) - TOOTH (sweet tooth) - LITTER (to litter) The "small" or "tiny things" category seems most promising. LITTER refers to small animals, PEPPER refers to small specks, TOOTH is a small body part, and SIXTEEN is a relatively small number. Let me try this category.

I have one incorrect guess remaining, so I need to be very careful. Let me re-examine the remaining 8 words: LITTER, PEPPER, POTATO, SCATTER, SIXTEEN, SPRINKLE, TALK, TOOTH I've already tried: 1. SCATTER, SPRINKLE, LITTER, TALK (spreading/distributing) - INCORRECT 2. LITTER, PEPPER, TOOTH, SIXTEEN (small/tiny things) - INCORRECT Let me think of new categories: 1. Food-related: POTATO, PEPPER, TOOTH (sweet tooth), TALK (food talk/eating talk) 2. Words that are also nouns for things that can be found: LITTER (on ground), PEPPER (in kitchen), POTATO (in garden/kitchen), TOOTH (in mouth) 3. Words related to "multiple" or "many": LITTER (many animals), PEPPER (many specks), POTATO (many potatoes), SIXTEEN (many of something) 4. Words that can be used as slang: POTATO (couch potato), PEPPER (pepper with questions), TOOTH (sweet tooth), LITTER (litter the place) The food-related category seems most promising. POTATO and PEPPER are obviously food. TOOTH connects to "sweet tooth" which is food-related. TALK could connect to "food talk" or conversations about eating. Let me try this food category.

Looking at the available words, I need to identify potential categories of four related words. Let me analyze the words: COMPASS, INSET, WALL, BETTER, HATCH, KEY, DOWNING, SCALE, DOOR, FLEET, MAIN, TOP, GATE, PORTAL, BEST, BEAT Some initial patterns I see: - Words related to doors/entry: DOOR, GATE, PORTAL - Words related to superiority: BEST, BETTER, TOP - Words related to navigation/directions: COMPASS, KEY - Words related to opening/access: HATCH, KEY, DOOR, GATE, PORTAL - Words that could be part of phrases: DOWNING (Downing Street), MAIN (main street), WALL (Wall Street) Let me look for the strongest connection. The entry/doorway words seem very connected: DOOR, GATE, PORTAL, and HATCH could all be types of entryways or openings. This seems like a solid category - "Types of entryways or passages." DOOR - standard entry GATE - outdoor entry/exit PORTAL - magical or formal entry HATCH - small opening, like on a ship or floor This seems like a coherent group of 4 related words.

I need to make a valid guess with 4 words from the remaining list. The available words are: BEAT, BEST, BETTER, COMPASS, DOWNING, FLEET, INSET, KEY, MAIN, SCALE, TOP, WALL. Looking at these words, I can see some potential categories: - Words related to superiority/comparison: BEST, BETTER, TOP - Words that could be street names: DOWNING, MAIN, WALL - Words related to tools/navigation: COMPASS, KEY, SCALE - Words that could be verbs/nouns with multiple meanings: BEAT, KEY, SCALE, WALL The strongest connection seems to be the superiority words: BEST, BETTER, TOP. I need a fourth word that fits this category. Looking at the remaining words, none clearly fit the "superiority" theme. Let me consider the street names category: DOWNING (as in Downing Street), MAIN (as in Main Street), WALL (as in Wall Street). This is a strong connection of 3 words. For a fourth, I don't see another obvious street name. Another possibility: BEAT, BEST, BETTER could all be related to competition or performance. BEAT (to defeat), BEST (optimal), BETTER (improved). But I still need a fourth. Looking at COMPASS, KEY, SCALE - these are all tools/instruments. COMPASS for navigation, KEY for unlocking, SCALE for measuring. This could be a category of "tools" or "instruments." I think the tools/instruments category is strongest: COMPASS, KEY, SCALE. I need one more tool-like word. WALL doesn't fit well as a tool. INSET could be related to design/layout work. FLEET could be a group of vehicles but not really a tool. Let me go with COMPASS, KEY, SCALE and add INSET - these could all be related to drafting, design, or technical work.

Great! Now I have 8 words left: BEAT, BEST, BETTER, DOWNING, FLEET, MAIN, TOP, WALL. Let me analyze the remaining words for potential categories: 1. Words related to superiority/comparison: BEST, BETTER, TOP 2. Words that are street names: DOWNING, MAIN, WALL 3. Words that could be related to competition/performance: BEAT, BEST, BETTER, TOP The superiority/comparison words (BEST, BETTER, TOP) seem like a strong category of 3. I need a fourth word that fits. Looking at the remaining words, BEAT could fit as in "beat the best" or "beat your previous record." The street names (DOWNING, MAIN, WALL) are also a strong category of 3, but I don't see a fourth obvious street name. Let me go with the superiority/competition category: BEST, BETTER, TOP, BEAT. These all relate to being superior or winning in some context.

Perfect! I have 4 words left: DOWNING, FLEET, MAIN, WALL. These must be the final category. Let me analyze them: - DOWNING - as in Downing Street (famous street in London) - MAIN - as in Main Street (common street name) - WALL - as in Wall Street (famous street in New York) - FLEET - as in Fleet Street (famous street in London) These are all famous streets! This is a very clear category. DOWNING Street, MAIN Street, WALL Street, and FLEET Street are all well-known street names, with three being particularly famous streets in major cities.

Looking at the available words, I need to find four words that belong to the same category. Let me analyze potential connections: VOTE, QUARTER, DOWN, WHOLE, SHAKE, HEEL, FLAT, SAY, TIRE, STEAM, WAFFLE, NATURAL, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE, PUMP I can see several possible categories: 1. Words related to speaking/communication: VOTE, SAY, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE 2. Words related to feet/shoes: HEEL, PUMP (could also include FLAT) 3. Words that can be verbs and nouns: VOTE, SHAKE, SAY, TIRE, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE, PUMP 4. Words related to breakfast/food: WAFFLE, SHAKE (milkshake), VOTE (voting with your feet/stretch), STEAM The most obvious connection I see is in the speaking/communication category. VOTE, SAY, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE - all relate to expression or making oneself heard. Let me go with four of these: SAY, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE. These all directly relate to communication and expression. Actually, let me reconsider. VOTE could be about voting, SAY, SPEAK, VOICE are clearly about speaking. CHOICE is about decision making. Maybe SAY, SPEAK, VOICE are the clearest connection, but I need a fourth. Looking again at other connections: - HEEL, PUMP, FLAT - these could be types of shoes - SHAKE, STEAM, WAFFLE, TIRE - could be breakfast-related (milkshake, steamed food, waffle, tired from breakfast?) Let me go with the speaking connection as it seems strongest: SAY, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE - all relate to expression or communication.

My first guess was incorrect. Let me re-examine the words for different connections: VOTE, QUARTER, DOWN, WHOLE, SHAKE, HEEL, FLAT, SAY, TIRE, STEAM, WAFFLE, NATURAL, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE, PUMP Looking for other patterns, I notice: - HEEL, PUMP, FLAT could be types of shoes, but I need a fourth - QUARTER, WHOLE are measurements - Words that can be both verbs and nouns: VOTE, SHAKE, SAY, TIRE, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE, PUMP Let me try a different approach. Maybe there are compound words or phrases: - "STEAM ROLL" (though ROLL isn't present) - "QUARTER PUMP" (gas station pump) - "NATURAL CHOICE" - "WHOLE FOODS" (though FOODS isn't present) Actually, let me look at words related to feet/shoes more carefully: HEEL, PUMP, FLAT. These are all types of shoes or shoe parts. But I need a fourth. Wait, let me consider another angle - words that can be modified with "down": - SHAKE down (extortion) - VOTE down (reject) - BREAK down (not present) - TURN down (not present) Or maybe words related to breakfast/food: - SHAKE (milkshake) - STEAM (steamed food) - WAFFLE - VOTE (voting with your feet doesn't quite fit) Let me try the measurement/quantity angle: QUARTER, WHOLE, and maybe... NATURAL (as in natural numbers)? That's a stretch. Actually, let me reconsider the shoe category. HEEL, PUMP, FLAT are clearly shoe-related. Maybe "TIRE" could fit as in "tire tread" or "tire shoes"? No, that's weak. Let me try a completely different approach - words that can precede "down": - SHAKE down - VOTE down - BREAK down (not present) - TURN down (not present) Actually, let me look for words that can be modified with "off": - VOTE off - SHAKE off - TIRE off - PUMP off Or words that can be modified with "up": - VOTE up - SHAKE up - PUMP up - SPEAK up Let me try SPEAK UP, PUMP UP, SHAKE UP, VOTE UP - these are all phrasal verbs meaning to increase or intensify something.

Two incorrect guesses. I need to be more careful and look for clearer connections. Let me list the words again and think systematically: VOTE, QUARTER, DOWN, WHOLE, SHAKE, HEEL, FLAT, SAY, TIRE, STEAM, WAFFLE, NATURAL, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE, PUMP Let me try to find the most obvious, undeniable connections: 1. **Shoe types/parts**: HEEL, PUMP, FLAT. These are very clearly related to shoes. I need a fourth. What about "TIRE"? As in "to tire" your feet? That's weak. "SAY"? No. 2. **Measurements/quantities**: QUARTER, WHOLE. These are clear. What else? "NATURAL" (natural numbers)? "VOTE" (as in a quarter vote)? Weak. 3. **Speaking words**: SAY, SPEAK, VOICE. Very clear connection. What's the fourth? "CHOICE" (choice of words)? "VOTE" (voting with your voice)? Possible but not as strong. 4. **Food/breakfast**: WAFFLE, SHAKE (milkshake), STEAM (steamed food). What's the fourth? "NATURAL" (natural food)? "WHOLE" (whole foods)? Possible. 5. **Words that can be verbs and nouns**: VOTE, SHAKE, SAY, TIRE, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE, PUMP. Too many. Let me focus on the strongest connections. The shoe connection (HEEL, PUMP, FLAT) seems very strong but I'm missing the fourth. The speaking connection (SAY, SPEAK, VOICE) is also very strong. Wait, let me reconsider. Maybe the fourth shoe word isn't obvious. What about "TIRE" as in "to tire" meaning to exhaust your feet? Or maybe I'm missing something. Actually, let me try a different approach. Let me look for words that can go before "off": - VOTE off - SHAKE off - TIRE off - PUMP off Or words that can go before "up": - SPEAK up - PUMP up - SHAKE up - VOTE up Let me try the shoe connection again. HEEL, PUMP, FLAT are definitely shoe-related. Maybe "TIRE" is the fourth as in "tire tread" or relating to feet? Let me try that.

This is my last chance before running out of guesses. I need to find a very clear connection. Let me look at the remaining words and think of the most obvious categories: CHOICE, DOWN, FLAT, HEEL, NATURAL, PUMP, QUARTER, SAY, SHAKE, SPEAK, STEAM, TIRE, VOICE, VOTE, WAFFLE, WHOLE Let me think about common phrases or compound words: - "QUARTER PUMP" (gas station) - "WHOLE FOODS" (WHOLE is present) - "NATURAL CHOICE" (both present) - "FLULAT TIRE" (both present) - "WAFFLE HOUSE" (WAFFLE is present) - "STEAM ROOM" (STEAM is present) Wait, let me think about words that can be modified with "down": - SHAKE down - VOTE down - BREAK down (not present) - TURN down (not present) Words that can be modified with "off": - VOTE off - SHAKE off - TIRE off - PUMP off Words that can be modified with "up": - SPEAK up - PUMP up - SHAKE up - VOTE up Let me try a completely different angle. Maybe it's about breakfast food: - WAFFLE - SHAKE (milkshake) - STEAM (steamed food) - NATURAL (natural food) Or maybe it's about measurements/quantities: - QUARTER - WHOLE - NATURAL (natural numbers) - ??? Actually, let me go back to one of my earlier ideas. The speaking words: SAY, SPEAK, VOICE. These are very clearly connected. What could be the fourth? CHOICE (as in freedom of choice in speech)? VOTE (as in voting with your voice)? Let me try: SAY, SPEAK, VOICE, CHOICE. All relate to communication and expression.

I need to analyze the 16 available words to find groups of 4 that share a common category. Let me look for patterns: Words: POLAROID, VENETIAN, BOLOGNESE, JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, JOURNEYMAN, NEAPOLITAN, RUSHMORE, HASSELBLAD, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, CREAMSICLE, PARMESAN, ASTROTURF, FUJIFILM, OLYMPUS I can see several potential categories: 1. Camera brands: POLAROID, HASSELBLAD, FUJIFILM, OLYMPUS 2. Italian things: VENETIAN, BOLOGNESE, NEAPOLITAN, PARMESAN 3. Sports arena features: JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, ASTROTURF 4. Food/ice cream related: BOLOGNESE, NEAPOLITAN, PARMESAN, CREAMSICLE 5. Geographic/place names: VENETIAN, BOLOGNESE, NEAPOLITAN, RUSHMORE The camera brands category seems very clear and distinct - POLAROID, HASSELBLAD, FUJIFILM, OLYMPUS are all camera manufacturers. This would be my strongest first guess. The Italian category also seems strong - VENETIAN (from Venice), BOLOGNESE (from Bologna), NEAPOLITAN (from Naples), and PARMESAN (from Parma) all relate to Italian places/cuisine. The sports arena features have 5 words, so I'd need to pick the right 4 from JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, ASTROTURF. Let me start with the camera brands as it seems the most clear-cut category.

Great! The camera brands category was correct. Now I have 12 words remaining: VENETIAN, BOLOGNESE, JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, JOURNEYMAN, NEAPOLITAN, RUSHMORE, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, CREAMSICLE, PARMESAN, ASTROTURF Looking at these, the Italian category is still very strong: VENETIAN, BOLOGNESE, NEAPOLITAN, PARMESAN. These all relate to Italian cities or cuisine from those cities. The sports arena features are also clear: JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, ASTROTURF. That's 5 words, so I'll need to figure out which 4 belong together. The remaining words are JOURNEYMAN, RUSHMORE, and CREAMSICLE. JOURNEYMAN could relate to careers/professions, RUSHMORE is a mountain, and CREAMSICLE is an ice cream treat. Let me go with the Italian category next as it seems very clear and distinct.

Excellent! The Italian category was also correct. Now I have 8 words remaining: JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, JOURNEYMAN, RUSHMORE, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, CREAMSICLE, ASTROTURF I can see a clear sports arena category with 5 words: JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, ASTROTURF. Since I need to pick 4, I need to figure out which one might not belong or if there's a different grouping. The remaining 3 words are JOURNEYMAN, RUSHMORE, and CREAMSICLE. These don't seem to have an obvious connection to each other. Let me think about the sports arena words: - JUMBOTRON: large screen in stadiums - KISSCAM: camera that shows couples on screen - SCOREBOARD: displays score - SKYBOX: premium seating area - ASTROTURF: artificial playing surface All of these seem like they could belong together. Maybe I should try 4 of them and see what happens. Let me go with JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX as they are all more about the fan experience and stadium features, while ASTROTURF is specifically about the playing surface.

My guess of the stadium fan experience features was incorrect. Let me re-analyze the 8 remaining words: JUMBOTRON, KISSCAM, JOURNEYMAN, RUSHMORE, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, CREAMSICLE, ASTROTURF I need to find a different grouping. Let me think about other possible connections: 1. Maybe the sports category is different - perhaps ASTROTURF belongs with 3 others I haven't identified yet 2. JOURNEYMAN, RUSHMORE, and CREAMSICLE might connect in some way 3. Maybe there's a theme I'm missing Let me look for other patterns: - JOURNEYMAN: a worker or sports player who is reliable but not spectacular - RUSHMORE: Mount Rushmore - CREAMSICLE: a frozen dessert Wait, let me think about colors or appearances: - CREAMSICLE (orange and cream) - RUSHMORE (stone/gray) - ASTROTURF (green) - SKYBOX (could relate to sky/blue) Or maybe things that are "man-made" or constructed: - JUMBOTRON - RUSHMORE - SCOREBOARD - ASTROTURF Let me try a different approach. Maybe the sports category includes ASTROTURF. Let me try JUMBOTRON, SCOREBOARD, SKYBOX, ASTROTURF - these are all major physical features of a modern sports stadium.

Great! The sports stadium features category was correct. Now I have 4 words remaining: KISSCAM, JOURNEYMAN, RUSHMORE, CREAMSICLE This is the final category, so these four must be connected somehow. Let me think about the connection: - KISSCAM: a feature at sporting events - JOURNEYMAN: a term for a skilled worker or athlete who is competent but not elite - RUSHMORE: Mount Rushmore - CREAMSICLE: a frozen dessert What could connect these? - Maybe they all relate to American culture? - Maybe they're all compound words or have specific etymologies? - Maybe they're all things you might find at different types of entertainment venues? Let me think more deeply: - KISSCAM: found at sports arenas - JOURNEYMAN: often used in sports context for players - RUSHMORE: Mount Rushmore - American landmark - CREAMSICLE: American frozen treat This seems like it could be "Things associated with American entertainment/leisure" or perhaps a more specific theme I'm not seeing immediately. Since this is the last group and must be correct, I'll go with these four words.

Looking at the available words, I need to identify potential categories. Let me analyze the words: BLANKET, UPHOLD, DRAW, SHAM, JUSTICE, ENERGY, DISCARD, HONOR, LABOR, THROW, SHEET, PLAY, PASS, STATE, FULFILL, KEEP I can see several potential groupings: 1. Words related to maintaining/supporting: UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP, FULFILL 2. Words related to discarding/getting rid of: DISCARD, THROW, PASS 3. Words related to covering: BLANKET, SHEET 4. Words related to legal/formal concepts: JUSTICE, STATE, HONOR 5. Words related to action/effort: LABOR, ENERGY, PLAY The strongest connection I see is UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP, FULFILL - these all relate to maintaining commitments, promises, or duties. UPHOLD (uphold a law), HONOR (honor a commitment), KEEP (keep a promise), FULFILL (fulfill an obligation). This seems like a solid category about maintaining or carrying out duties/promises.

The first category was UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP, FULFILL. This group seems to be about maintaining commitments or duties. The remaining words are: BLANKET, DRAW, SHAM, JUSTICE, ENERGY, DISCARD, LABOR, THROW, SHEET, PLAY, PASS, STATE. Now I need to find the next category. I see a few potential connections: 1. Words related to discarding/rejecting: DISCARD, THROW, PASS, DRAW (like drawing a card and not using it) 2. Words related to covering: BLANKET, SHEET 3. Words related to concepts/ideas: JUSTICE, ENERGY, LABOR, STATE, SHAM, PLAY 4. Words related to action/effort: ENERGY, LABOR, PLAY The strongest connection I see now is DISCARD, THROW, PASS, DRAW. These can all relate to getting rid of something or not keeping it. DISCARD (throw away), THROW (toss away), PASS (give away/refuse), DRAW (as in to draw a card from a deck, potentially to discard it later). This feels like a "get rid of" or "not keep" category. Let me try this grouping.

My previous guess of DISCARD, THROW, PASS, DRAW was incorrect. Let me re-evaluate the remaining words: BLANKET, SHAM, JUSTICE, ENERGY, DISCARD, LABOR, THROW, SHEET, PLAY, PASS, STATE. The connection between DISCARD, THROW, and PASS is strong (getting rid of something), but DRAW might be the outlier. Let's look for other categories. I see a very clear pairing: BLANKET and SHEET. Both are types of cloth coverings. I need two more words to complete this set. Are there any other words that could fit a "coverings" category? None of the remaining words seem to fit well. Let's look for another strong connection. I see JUSTICE, STATE, and ENERGY. These are all abstract concepts. LABOR could also fit as an abstract concept (the concept of work/effort). This seems plausible. Another possibility is a "fake/not real" category: SHAM, PLAY (as in a role/play-acting), maybe DRAW (a draw in a game is a non-result/anti-climax)? This feels weaker. Let's reconsider the "get rid of" category. DISCARD, THROW, PASS are very strong. What could be the fourth word? Maybe I was right about the category but wrong about the fourth word. None of the others fit perfectly. Let's try a different approach. What about words related to performance or action? PLAY, LABOR, ENERGY, DRAW (as in to draw a weapon or to attract). This is a possibility. Let's try the most concrete and obvious category I can see: BLANKET and SHEET are coverings. What about SHAM and PLAY? A SHAM is a fake covering, and a PLAY can be a cover story. This is a bit of a stretch. Let's go back to the abstract concepts: JUSTICE, STATE, ENERGY, LABOR. These are all major concepts in fields like political science, economics, and philosophy. This feels like a solid, albeit academic, category.

The second category was JUSTICE, STATE, ENERGY, LABOR. This group seems to be about major abstract concepts, often related to society, politics, or economics. The remaining words are: BLANKET, DRAW, SHAM, DISCARD, THROW, SHEET, PLAY, PASS. Now I need to find the next category. Let's analyze the remaining words: 1. BLANKET, SHEET: These are very clearly related as types of cloth coverings for a bed. 2. DISCARD, THROW, PASS: These are all actions related to getting rid of or relinquishing something. 3. DRAW, PLAY, SHAM: These could be related to deception or non-genuine things. A SHAM is a fake, a PLAY can be an act, and a DRAW can be a stalemate (no real winner). The strongest and most obvious connection is BLANKET and SHEET. I need two more words to complete this set. None of the other words fit a "coverings" theme literally. However, a SHAM can be a decorative pillow cover, and a DRAW can mean to draw curtains closed, which is a form of covering. This is a bit of a stretch, but possible. Let's look at another strong connection: DISCARD, THROW, PASS. These all mean to get rid of something. What could be the fourth? Maybe DRAW, as in to draw a card and then discard it? This is a common action in card games. Let's try the most concrete pairing first. BLANKET and SHEET. Let's try to find two more words that could fit. What if the category is "things found in or related to a bedroom"? BLANKET, SHEET... and maybe PLAY (as in a playroom)? This is weak. Let's reconsider the "get rid of it" category. DISCARD, THROW, PASS. What about DRAW? You can draw a card from a deck, but the goal is often to *discard* cards. You can also draw a weapon, which is not about getting rid of it. This connection is weak. Let's try another angle. BLANKET, SHEET, DRAW, PLAY. Could these be related? A blanket statement, a sheet of paper, a draw in a game, a play in a game. This is a "game/paper/statement" category, which feels very loose. Let's go with the most obvious pair, BLANKET and SHEET, and try to build a category around them. What if the category is "things that can cover or conceal"? BLANKET, SHEET, DRAW (as in to draw a curtain), and maybe SHAM (as in a sham marriage, which conceals the truth)? This seems plausible.

My previous guess of BLANKET, SHEET, DRAW, SHAM was incorrect. I need to reconsider the remaining words: BLANKET, DRAW, SHAM, DISCARD, THROW, SHEET, PLAY, PASS. Let's re-examine the potential groups: 1. BLANKET, SHEET: Strong connection as bed coverings. 2. DISCARD, THROW, PASS: Strong connection for getting rid of something. 3. SHAM, PLAY: Connection related to faking or performing. 4. DRAW: Can mean many things (pull, sketch, tie a game). I have made two mistakes, so I need to be careful. The groupings I've identified have strong internal logic, but I'm struggling to find the fourth word for each. Let's try the "get rid of" category again. DISCARD, THROW, PASS are very strong. What about DRAW? You can draw a card in a game, but the subsequent action is often to play or discard it. Maybe the category is "actions in a card game"? DRAW, PLAY, DISCARD, PASS. This seems very plausible. Let's try this grouping. It uses four of the remaining words and has a clear, consistent theme.

The third category was DRAW, PLAY, DISCARD, PASS. This group is clearly about actions common in card games. The remaining words are: BLANKET, SHAM, THROW, SHEET. There are only four words left, so this must be the final category. I need to find the connection between BLANKET, SHAM, THROW, and SHEET. Let's analyze them: - BLANKET: A type of bedding. - SHEET: A type of bedding. - THROW: A verb, but can also be a noun (e.g., a throw blanket). - SHAM: Can mean a fake, but also refers to a decorative pillow cover (a pillow sham). The connection is now clear. BLANKET, SHEET, and THROW are all types of bedding or covers. A SHAM is the cover for a decorative pillow, which is also part of bedding. The category is "Bedding" or "Things you might find on a bed."

Looking at the available words, I can see several potential categories emerging: 1. Jewelry/accessories: EARRING, NECKLACE, PLEATHER VEST, MESH SHIRT 2. Words related to cursing/swearing: PROFANITY, FOUR-LETTER WORDS, EXPLETIVES, SWEARING 3. Red herrings/deception: HERRING, MYSTERY, STIRRING (as in "stirring the pot"), OUROBOROS 4. Chemical/biological: HISTAMINE, MOUSE (animal or computer?), HOUSE 5. Holiday: CHRISTMAS The strongest and most obvious connection appears to be the words related to cursing/swearing. PROFANITY, FOUR-LETTER WORDS, EXPLETIVES, and SWEARING all clearly belong to the category of offensive language or curse words. This seems like a very solid connection to start with. Let me make this first guess as it appears to be the most straightforward category.

Great, the first category was correct. Now I have the remaining words: CHRISTMAS, OUROBOROS, MYSTERY, PLEATHER VEST, EARRING, HERRING, STIRRING, MESH SHIRT, HISTAMINE, MOUSE, HOUSE. Looking at these, I can see another very strong category emerging: clothing and accessories. - PLEATHER VEST - MESH SHIRT - EARRING - (And potentially HERRING, as in "red herring" pattern, or something else) Wait, let me look more carefully. I see: - PLEATHER VEST (clothing) - MESH SHIRT (clothing) - EARRING (accessory) For the fourth item, I need to be careful. Let me reconsider the remaining words: - CHRISTMAS (holiday) - OUROBOROS (symbol) - MYSTERY (concept) - HERRING (fish, but also "red herring") - STIRRING (action) - HISTAMINE (chemical) - MOUSE (animal/computer) - HOUSE (building) Actually, looking at this again, I think I might have missed something. Let me think about other possible connections. Wait, I see another potential category: things that can be "red" or related to the color red: - HERRING (red herring) - CHRISTMAS (red is a Christmas color) - HOUSE (red house) - MOUSE (could refer to a field mouse, but not necessarily red) This seems weaker than I initially thought. Let me go back to the clothing/accessory idea. I have: - PLEATHER VEST - MESH SHIRT - EARRING - ??? Actually, let me look for another pattern. I see: - HERRING - STIRRING - MYSTERY - ??? These could be related to "red herrings" or things that mislead/distract in mysteries. But I'm missing a clear fourth. Let me try the clothing/accessory category and see if there's something I'm missing: - PLEATHER VEST - MESH SHIRT - EARRING - ??? Hmm, I don't see a clear fourth item for clothing. Let me reconsider. Looking again, I see: - CHRISTMAS - HOUSE - MOUSE - ??? These could be related to famous Christmas stories or themes. "A Christmas Carol" has a house, and while there's no prominent mouse, it's a possibility. Actually, let me step back and look for the most obvious remaining connection. I see: - OUROBOROS - MYSTERY - HERRING - STIRRING These might all be things that can be "red" or related to deception/mysteries, but it's not as clear as my first successful guess. Let me try the clothing category with what I have and see if I'm missing something obvious.

That guess was incorrect, so the clothing category is not the right path. Let me re-examine the remaining words: CHRISTMAS, OUROBOROS, MYSTERY, HERRING, STIRRING, MESH SHIRT, HISTAMINE, MOUSE, HOUSE. I need to find a new connection. Let me look for patterns again. I see a potential category related to things that can be "red": - HERRING (as in "red herring") - CHRISTMAS (red is a primary Christmas color) - HOUSE (as in "red house") - MOUSE (This is the weak link, but could be a reference to something specific) This seems a bit forced. Let me try another angle. How about things related to deception or misdirection? - HERRING (red herring) - MYSTERY (involves misdirection) - STIRRING (as in "stirring the pot" to create confusion) - OUROBOROS (a symbol of cycles/deception) This is a possibility. Let me try one more approach. What about things that can be found in or around a house? - HOUSE - MOUSE - HERRING (fish, could be in a kitchen) - ??? This doesn't seem strong either. Let me go back to the "red" category, as it seems the most plausible, even if the connection for MOUSE is a bit of a stretch. Maybe there's a reference I'm not immediately seeing.

That guess was also incorrect. I have 2 mistakes left, so I need to be more careful. Let me re-examine all the remaining words: CHRISTMAS, OUROBOROS, MYSTERY, STIRRING, MESH SHIRT, HISTAMINE, MOUSE, HOUSE. I've tried clothing and "red" things. Let me look for a completely different connection. What about things that can be part of a story or narrative? - MYSTERY (a genre) - CHRISTMAS (a setting/theme for many stories) - HOUSE (a common setting) - MOUSE (a character, like in "The Nutcracker" or "A Christmas Carol" - though Tiny Tim isn't a mouse, it's a Christmas story) This seems plausible. Or maybe things related to chemistry or biology? - HISTAMINE (a chemical) - MOUSE (an animal used in labs) - HOUSE (could be a greenhouse?) - ??? This seems weak. Let me try another approach. What about things that can be "stirred" or cause a reaction? - STIRRING (the action itself) - HISTAMINE (causes a reaction in the body) - MYSTERY (stirs curiosity) - ??? Still missing a clear fourth. Let me go back to the story/narrative idea, as it seems the most cohesive: - MYSTERY (genre) - CHRISTMAS (theme) - HOUSE (setting) - MOUSE (character) This seems like a solid category of "Elements of a Story" or "Narrative Components".

This is my fourth guess, meaning I have only one mistake left. I need to be very certain. The remaining words are: OUROBOROS, MYSTERY, STIRRING, MESH SHIRT, HISTAMINE, MOUSE, HOUSE. My previous attempts at categories have failed. Let me look at these words with fresh eyes. I see: - OUROBOROS (a symbol, a serpent eating its own tail) - MYSTERY (a concept, a genre) - STIRRING (an action, can also mean emotionally moving) - MESH SHIRT (clothing) - HISTAMINE (a chemical compound) - MOUSE (an animal, computer device) - HOUSE (a building) Let me look for a completely different kind of connection. What if some of these are compound words or can be paired with another word on the list to form a new concept? Let me think about the words I haven't used much in my reasoning: - STIRRING - HISTAMINE - OUROBOROS Is there a connection here? Not an obvious one. What if the connection is more abstract or conceptual? - MYSTERY (the unknown) - OUROBOROS (cycles, infinity, the unknown) - HISTAMINE (invisible, internal process) - STIRRING (can mean creating something new from nothing, like stirring a pot) This is getting very abstract and unlikely. Let me try a completely different approach. What if I'm looking for things that are "fake" or "imitations"? - MESH SHIRT (could be seen as a style, not always functional) - MOUSE (computer mouse is not a real mouse) - HERRING (if it were still here, a red herring is a fake clue) - ??? This doesn't seem to work with the remaining words. Let me try one more time. What about things that can be found in a specific place, like a lab or a specific type of story? - HISTAMINE (in a lab) - MOUSE (in a lab) - MYSTERY (in a mystery story) - HOUSE (in a story) This is inconsistent. Let me go back to the idea of things that can be "red" or related to deception, but with the remaining words: - STIRRING (stirring up trouble, a "red" flag?) - MYSTERY (can involve "red" herrings) - OUROBOROS (a symbol, can seem mysterious or deceptive) - ??? I'm still missing the fourth. Let me try something completely different. What if the category is "Things that can be in a title"? - MYSTERY (e.g., "And Then There Were None" is a mystery) - HOUSE (e.g., "House of Cards") - ??? This isn't working either. Let me look for the most unusual words: OUROBOROS and HISTAMINE. They are very specific. What could they connect to? - OUROBOROS: cycles, snakes, symbols - HISTAMINE: allergies, body, medicine Is there a "snake" or "allergy" theme? No. Let me try one last idea. What about things that can be "stirred" or cause a strong reaction? - STIRRING (the action) - HISTAMINE (causes a physical reaction) - MYSTERY (stirs curiosity/emotion) - HOUSE (stirs memories/family) This is my best guess at a conceptual link. It's a bit of a stretch, but I'm running out of options.

I need to analyze the 16 available words to find groups of 4 that share a common category. Let me look for obvious connections: 1. FLY, COMBINE, VHS, BIRTH, FLOWER, START, ALF, POLE, WED, GENESIS, BOND, MTV, DAWN, DAY, NES, FUSE Looking for potential categories: - Time/Day related: DAWN, DAY, START, BIRTH, GENESIS - Media/Technology: VHS, MTV, NES, ALF - Actions/Verbs: FLY, COMBINE, WED, FUSE, START - Objects/Things: POLE, FLOWER, BOND, FUSE The most obvious connection I see is a time/day group: DAWN, DAY, START, and GENESIS all relate to beginnings or time periods. DAWN is the beginning of day, DAY is a time period, START means to begin, and GENESIS means origin or beginning. This seems like a strong category. Let me go with this group first.

My first guess of DAWN, DAY, START, GENESIS was incorrect. I need to reassess the connections. Let me look for other strong patterns. The words: FLY, COMBINE, VHS, BIRTH, FLOWER, START, ALF, POLE, WED, GENESIS, BOND, MTV, DAWN, DAY, NES, FUSE Another very strong pattern I see is media/technology from specific decades: - VHS (video tapes) - MTV (Music Television) - NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) - ALF (the TV show character) These four were all very prominent in 1980s pop culture. VHS tapes were the home video format, MTV revolutionized music, NES was the dominant gaming console, and ALF was a hugely popular TV show. This seems like a much more specific and likely category than my previous attempt.

Great! The 1980s media/pop culture category was correct. Now I have 12 words remaining: FLY, COMBINE, BIRTH, FLOWER, START, POLE, WED, GENESIS, BOND, DAWN, DAY, FUSE Let me look for new connections among these words. I see a strong "beginnings" or "origins" theme here: - BIRTH (the beginning of life) - GENESIS (the origin or beginning) - DAWN (the beginning of the day) - START (the beginning of an action) These four words all fundamentally relate to the concept of a starting point or origin. This seems like a very clear and cohesive category.

Excellent! Two categories found. Now I have 8 words remaining: FLY, COMBINE, FLOWER, POLE, WED, BOND, DAY, FUSE Let me analyze these remaining words for connections: Looking at potential categories: - Actions: FLY, COMBINE, WED, FUSE - Objects: FLOWER, POLE, BOND - Time: DAY I notice that FLY, COMBINE, WED, and FUSE can all be verbs meaning "to join together": - FLY (as in a flag flying, or to move quickly through air) - COMBINE (to join or merge) - WED (to marry, join in matrimony) - FUSE (to join by melting together) Actually, let me reconsider FLY. Another possibility is that FLOWER, POLE, BOND, and FUSE could be related to things that can be "extended" or "stretched": - FLOWER (blooms/opens up) - POLE (can be extended) - BOND (can be extended in time) - FUSE (can be extended in length) Or maybe FLY, COMBINE, WED, DAY have some connection? Wait, let me look more carefully at FLY, COMBINE, WED, FUSE. These could all be words that mean "to join" or "unite": - FLY (as in to fly a flag, unite it with a pole) - COMBINE (to join together) - WED (to join in marriage) - FUSE (to join by melting) This seems plausible. Let me try this group.

My guess of FLY, COMBINE, WED, FUSE was incorrect. I need to re-evaluate the 8 remaining words: FLY, COMBINE, FLOWER, POLE, WED, BOND, DAY, FUSE Let's look for a different connection. I see a potential category with words that have multiple meanings or can be used as different parts of speech: - FLY (verb: to move through air; noun: an insect) - COMBINE (verb: to join; noun: a farm machine) - WED (verb: to marry; can be short for Wednesday) - BOND (noun: a connection; verb: to stick together; also a type of debt) This seems like a strong possibility. These words all have common alternative meanings or uses. Let me try this group.

I have only 1 incorrect guess remaining, so this is my last chance to get it right. The remaining 8 words are: BOND, COMBINE, DAY, FLOWER, FLY, FUSE, POLE, WED My previous attempts at finding categories have failed. Let me think more creatively about these words: - BOND, COMBINE, FUSE, WED could all mean "to join together" - FLOWER, POLE, FLY, DAY could be things that can be "up" or "high" - COMBINE, FLOWER, BOND, FUSE could be things that can be "made" or "created" Wait, let me look at this differently. Maybe there's a more obvious connection I'm missing. Looking at FLOWER, POLE, BOND, FUSE: - FLOWER (can be part of a "flower bed") - POLE (can be part of a "pole position") - BOND (can be part of "bond paper") - FUSE (can be part of "fuse box") Actually, let me try a different approach. Maybe the category is simpler. COMBINE, FLOWER, FLY, FUSE - these could all be related to "things that can be together" or "things that merge" Or maybe: BOND, DAY, FLOWER, POLE - these could be things that can be "long" or "extended" Let me try COMBINE, FLOWER, FLY, FUSE as things that can merge or come together.

Looking at the available words, I can see several potential categories emerging: 1. Words related to vertical/support structures: PILLAR, COLUMN, POST, POLE, STAKE 2. Words related to knowledge/information: INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE, SECRETS, OBSERVE 3. Words related to attention/consideration: MIND, REGARD, INTEREST, FOLLOW 4. Words related to portions/ownership: PERCENTAGE, SHARE, STAKE, DIRT The most obvious and clear group seems to be the structural support words. PILLAR, COLUMN, POST, and POLE are all vertical structures used for support. This seems like a very strong connection that would likely be a category in Connections. I'll start with this group.

Now I have 12 words left. Let me analyze the remaining words to find the next clear category: 1. Knowledge/Information words: INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE, SECRETS, OBSERVE 2. Attention/Consideration words: MIND, REGARD, INTEREST, FOLLOW 3. Portion/Ownership words: PERCENTAGE, SHARE, STAKE, DIRT The knowledge/information group seems very strong. INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE, SECRETS, and OBSERVE are all related to gathering or having knowledge. OBSERVE is the action of gathering information, SECRETS are hidden information, INTELLIGENCE is processed information, and INFORMATION is the general term. This looks like a solid category.

I need to analyze the 16 available words and look for potential categories. Let me group them by potential connections: Words related to surfaces/flooring: CARPET, TILE, LAMINATE, WOOD Words related to coastal areas: SHORE, COAST, STRAND Words related to crying/loud sounds: WAILER, BANSHEE Words related to connections/sparks: CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP Words related to breaking things: HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS (maybe?) Miscellaneous: BANK, CHEMISTRY The most obvious and strong connection I see is the flooring category: CARPET, TILE, LAMINATE, WOOD. These are all types of flooring materials. This seems like a very clear category that would likely be correct in the Connections game. Let me also consider other possibilities: - Coastal words: SHORE, COAST, STRAND - this is only 3 words - Sound words: WAILER, BANSHEE - only 2 words - Bank, Chemistry, Connection, Spark - these don't seem to have a clear connection The flooring category is the strongest and most complete with exactly 4 words that clearly belong together.

I need to analyze the remaining 12 words to find the next category. Let me re-examine them: Words related to coastal areas: SHORE, COAST, STRAND (3 words) Words related to crying/loud sounds: WAILER, BANSHEE (2 words) Words related to connections/sparks: CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP (3 words) Words related to breaking things: HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS (2 words) Miscellaneous: BANK, CHEMISTRY The coastal theme still looks promising with SHORE, COAST, STRAND. I need a fourth word. Let me think about other coastal-related terms. None of the remaining words seem to fit this category. Let me look at other potential groupings: - Maybe "things that can break or be broken": HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS, BANK (bank can fail/break), CONNECTION (connection can break) - Maybe "things that make noise": WAILER, BANSHEE, FIREWORKS, PIP (pip can be a sound) - Maybe "types of things": BANK (river bank), COAST, SHORE, STRAND (all related to water edges) Actually, let me reconsider the coastal category. SHORE, COAST, and STRAND are all coastal/water edge terms. Is there a fourth? Maybe BANK as in "river bank"? That would give me SHORE, COAST, STRAND, BANK - all related to edges of bodies of water. This seems plausible. Another possibility: WAILER, BANSHEE, HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS - these could all be things that cause or involve loud sounds or emotional distress. Wailer and Banshee are loud mourners, Heartbreaker causes emotional pain, Fireworks make loud bangs. I think the water edges category is stronger. Let me go with SHORE, COAST, STRAND, BANK.

Now I have 8 words remaining: BANSHEE, CHEMISTRY, CONNECTION, FIREWORKS, HEARTBREAKER, PIP, SPARK, WAILER Let me look for connections among these: Words related to sounds/cries: BANSHEE, WAILER (both are beings that wail/mourn loudly) Words related to connections/sparks: CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP Words related to breaking/causing distress: HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS, BANSHEE, WAILER Miscellaneous: CHEMISTRY The sound category seems strong: BANSHEE and WAILER are both known for wailing. What could join them? Maybe FIREWORKS (they make loud bangs)? Or maybe PIP (can be a small sound)? Let me think about other groupings: - CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP - these could be related to electricity or small connections - HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS - both can be explosive/dramatic - CHEMISTRY doesn't seem to fit well with any group Actually, let me look at BANSHEE, WAILER, HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS. BANSHEE and WAILER are mournful/loud beings. HEARTBREAKER causes emotional distress. FIREWORKS are explosive and loud. This could be "things that are loud or cause distress" or "dramatic things". Another possibility: CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP, CHEMISTRY - these could all be related to small beginnings or connections. A spark starts a fire, a pip is a small seed, chemistry is about molecular connections, connection is obvious. I think the second category is stronger - things related to small beginnings or connections. Let me go with CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP, CHEMISTRY.

I have 8 words remaining and need to find a category. My previous guess of CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP, CHEMISTRY was incorrect. Let me re-examine the remaining words: BANSHEE, CHEMISTRY, CONNECTION, FIREWORKS, HEARTBREAKER, PIP, SPARK, WAILER Let me try a different approach. Look at the words more carefully: BANSHEE - a spirit that wails WAILER - someone who wails These two clearly go together as "beings that wail/make mournful sounds" What could join them? HEARTBREAKER - causes emotional pain/distress FIREWORKS - make loud explosive sounds So BANSHEE, WAILER, HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS could be "things that cause distress or are loud/dramatic" Or maybe the category is more specific. Let me think about other groupings: CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP - these could be related to small things or beginnings CHEMISTRY doesn't seem to fit with any group well Let me try the sound/distress group: BANSHEE, WAILER, HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS - BANSHEE and WAILER make mournful sounds - HEARTBREAKER causes emotional distress - FIREWORKS make loud explosive sounds This seems like a plausible category - things that are loud, dramatic, or cause distress.

I have 8 words remaining and 2 incorrect guesses left. My previous guesses were: 1. CONNECTION, SPARK, PIP, CHEMISTRY - INCORRECT 2. BANSHEE, WAILER, HEARTBREAKER, FIREWORKS - INCORRECT Let me re-examine the remaining words more carefully: BANSHEE, CHEMISTRY, CONNECTION, FIREWORKS, HEARTBREAKER, PIP, SPARK, WAILER I need to find the correct categories. Let me think about different connections: Maybe the categories are: - BANSHEE, WAILER, FIREWORKS, SPARK (things that make sounds/light?) - CONNECTION, PIP, CHEMISTRY, HEARTBREAKER (things that can fail or break?) Let me try a different approach. Look for less obvious connections: BANSHEE and WAILER are definitely related (both wail) What about CHEMISTRY and CONNECTION? Chemistry involves molecular connections SPARK and FIREWORKS are related (fireworks have sparks) PIP and HEARTBREAKER? Not obvious Maybe: - BANSHEE, WAILER, SPARK, FIREWORKS (things that are loud/bright/dramatic) - CONNECTION, PIP, CHEMISTRY, HEARTBREAKER (things that can fail) Let me try the first group: BANSHEE, WAILER, SPARK, FIREWORKS These are all things that are dramatic, loud, or bright.

Looking at the available words, I can see several potential categories emerging: 1. Religious figures/clergy: BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER, SAINT PATRICK, SAINT VALENTINE 2. First appearances/beginnings: INTRODUCTION, DEBUT, LAUNCH, PREMIERE 3. Sports figures: M.L.B. PLAYER, N.F.L. PLAYER 4. People/titles: PRESIDENT, MOTHER, LORDE, BURNS The strongest and most cohesive category appears to be "first appearances/beginnings" with INTRODUCTION, DEBUT, LAUNCH, and PREMIERE. These all specifically refer to the initial presentation or showing of something - whether it's a book, performance, product, or event. This seems like a clear Connections category.

Great, the first category was "First Appearances/Beginnings". Now I need to find the next category from the remaining words. Let's analyze what's left: Remaining words: BURNS, M.L.B. PLAYER, BISHOP, LORDE, N.F.L. PLAYER, POPE, SAINT PATRICK, CLERGY MEMBER, SAINT VALENTINE, PRESIDENT, MOTHER, BIRD I can see another very strong category emerging: Religious Figures/Clergy. The words BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER, SAINT PATRICK, and SAINT VALENTINE all fit this theme. I need to pick four. The most cohesive group seems to be BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER, and SAINT PATRICK. SAINT VALENTINE also fits, but I'll start with these four as they represent a clear cross-section of religious roles and figures.

I received an INVALID_RESPONSE because I didn't provide any words. Let me correct this. I need to analyze the remaining words and make a guess. Available words: BIRD, BISHOP, BURNS, CLERGY MEMBER, LORDE, M.L.B. PLAYER, MOTHER, N.F.L. PLAYER, POPE, PRESIDENT, SAINT PATRICK, SAINT VALENTINE My previous guess of BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER, SAINT PATRICK was incorrect. Let me reconsider the categories. Looking at the remaining words, I can see: 1. Religious figures: BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER, SAINT PATRICK, SAINT VALENTINE (5 words) 2. Sports figures: M.L.B. PLAYER, N.F.L. PLAYER (2 words) 3. People/titles: LORDE, PRESIDENT, MOTHER (3 words) 4. Miscellaneous: BIRD, BURNS (2 words) Since my first religious guess was wrong, maybe the category is different. Let me try a different approach. I see two sports-related terms, so maybe there's a sports category. But I only have 2, so I need 2 more. Let me try SAINT PATRICK and SAINT VALENTINE together with something else. Maybe "People with holidays named after them"? But I only have those two. Actually, let me try the sports category. Maybe the other two are something like ATHLETE or something similar, but I don't see those words. Let me try M.L.B. PLAYER and N.F.L. PLAYER with two other words that might fit a "Professional" category. Actually, let me try a different approach. Maybe the category is "Religious figures" but I picked the wrong four. Let me try BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER, SAINT VALENTINE this time.

My second guess of BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER, SAINT VALENTINE was also incorrect. This suggests that the "religious figures" category might not be the right grouping, or I'm still missing the specific connection. Let me re-examine all the remaining words. Available words: BIRD, BISHOP, BURNS, CLERGY MEMBER, LORDE, M.L.B. PLAYER, MOTHER, N.F.L. PLAYER, POPE, PRESIDENT, SAINT PATRICK, SAINT VALENTINE Let me think about different possible connections: 1. Saints: SAINT PATRICK, SAINT VALENTINE (only 2) 2. Sports: M.L.B. PLAYER, N.F.L. PLAYER (only 2) 3. People/Titles: LORDE, PRESIDENT, MOTHER (3) 4. Religious: BISHOP, POPE, CLERGY MEMBER (3) Maybe the categories are more specific. Let me think about what connects across different groups. Wait, let me try a different approach. Maybe the category is "Words that can be names" or "People/Titles". Let me try grouping LORDE, PRESIDENT, MOTHER, and maybe one more that fits this pattern. Actually, let me try the sports category. Maybe the other two words are something I'm not seeing. M.L.B. PLAYER, N.F.L. PLAYER... what else could be sports-related? Maybe BIRD (like Larry Bird) and BURNS (like someone's last name)? Or maybe it's "Types of people" - M.L.B. PLAYER, N.F.L. PLAYER, CLERGY MEMBER, PRESIDENT? Let me try that.

I'm down to my last incorrect guess, so I need to be very strategic. Let me re-examine all the remaining words: BIRD, BISHOP, BURNS, CLERGY MEMBER, LORDE, M.L.B. PLAYER, MOTHER, N.F.L. PLAYER, POPE, PRESIDENT, SAINT PATRICK, SAINT VALENTINE My previous attempts at religious groupings failed, and my attempt at "types of people" also failed. Let me think about different connections. Maybe the category is "People you might address by a title": - PRESIDENT (addressed as "Mr. President") - MOTHER (addressed as "Mother") - POPE (addressed as "Your Holiness" or "Pope") - BISHOP (addressed as "Your Excellency" or "Bishop") This seems like a plausible category that cuts across different domains but shares the common theme of being addressed by formal titles.

I need to analyze the 16 available words and look for potential connections. Let me group them mentally: Words that might be related to changing direction/mind: - ABOUT-FACE - BACKPEDAL - FLIP-FLOP - RENEGE Words that might be related to things that move/spin: - PINWHEEL - WIND CHIME - VANE (likely weather vane) - KANGAROO (hops) Words that might be related to forcing things in: - SHOEHORN - WEDGE - JAM - STUFF Words that might be related to areas/locations: - STREET - FLAG - RAINBOW - NEIGHBORHOOD The first group (ABOUT-FACE, BACKPEDAL, FLIP-FLOP, RENEGE) seems like the strongest connection - they all relate to reversing a decision or position. These are commonly used terms for changing one's mind or direction.

I need to find four related words from the available list. Let me analyze the words to find potential connections: LARK, SCRAPER, RAM, FRY, DIP, FLYER, FORD, WING, CHIP, ROCKET, LINCOLN, DODGE, DUCK, DIVE, STAR, SENATOR Looking at these words, I can see several potential categories: 1. Car manufacturers: FORD, LINCOLN, DODGE, RAM 2. Birds: LARK, DUCK 3. Flying things: FLYER, WING, ROCKET, STAR 4. Actions: FRY, DIP, DIVE 5. Political: SENATOR 6. Tools: SCRAPER 7. Food related: CHIP The car manufacturers category seems very clear and strong - FORD, LINCOLN, DODGE, and RAM are all well-known car brands. This appears to be a solid connection. Let me go with this guess.

I need to make another guess with 4 words from the remaining list. Let me analyze what's left: Available words: CHIP, DIP, DIVE, DUCK, FLYER, FRY, LARK, ROCKET, SCRAPER, SENATOR, STAR, WING Looking at these words, I can see several potential categories: 1. Birds: LARK, DUCK 2. Actions: DIVE, FRY 3. Food related: CHIP, DIP 4. Flying things: FLYER, ROCKET, STAR, WING 5. Other: SCRAPER, SENATOR The food category seems strong - CHIP and DIP are clearly related as food items. But I need 4 words, and I only see 2 clear food connections. The flying category also looks good - FLYER, ROCKET, STAR, WING are all related to things that fly or are in the air. This seems like the strongest 4-word category available. Let me go with the flying things category.

My previous guess of FLYER, ROCKET, STAR, WING was incorrect. I need to re-evaluate the remaining words. Available words: CHIP, DIP, DIVE, DUCK, FLYER, FRY, LARK, ROCKET, SCRAPER, SENATOR, STAR, WING Let's reconsider the categories: 1. Birds: LARK, DUCK (Only 2, not enough) 2. Actions: DIVE, FRY (Only 2, not enough) 3. Food: CHIP, DIP (Only 2, not enough) 4. Politics/ Government: SENATOR (Only 1) 5. Tools/ Implements: SCRAPER (Only 1) Maybe the connections are more abstract or based on wordplay. Let's look for other patterns: - DUCK and DIVE are both actions related to avoiding things. - FRY and CHIP are both related to food (French fries and fish and chips). - What about a category of "things you do in a kitchen"? FRY, DIP, CHIP... but what's the fourth? - What about "things that can be verbs"? DUCK, DIVE, FRY, CHIP. This is a possibility. - What about "short words"? All of them are short, that's not a category. Let's try a different angle. Maybe it's about words with multiple meanings. - CHIP (potato chip, wood chip, microchip) - DIP (sauce, to duck down) - DIVE (to plunge, a type of play in football) - DUCK (bird, to avoid) This seems plausible. Let's try the food angle again, as it's a common Connections category. FRY, CHIP, DIP... what could be the fourth? Maybe DUCK (as in duck a l'orange)? That feels like a stretch. Let's try the verbs category: DUCK, DIVE, FRY, CHIP. They can all be actions. - To duck (avoid) - To dive (plunge) - To fry (cook) - To chip (break a small piece off, or in golf) This seems like a solid category of "words that can be verbs".

My last two guesses were incorrect. I need to rethink the categories completely. Let's list the remaining words and look for less obvious connections. Available words: CHIP, DIP, DIVE, DUCK, FLYER, FRY, LARK, ROCKET, SCRAPER, SENATOR, STAR, WING Let's try to find a new category. What about things related to sports or games? - CHIP (in golf) - DIVE (in soccer/fутбол, swimming) - DUCK (could be a term, but less common) - FRY (not really a sports term) - FLYER (in gymnastics or wrestling) - STAR (star player) - WING (in hockey, soccer, football) This could be a possibility: FLYER, DIVE, CHIP, STAR. They are all terms used in sports. Let's try that.

This is a critical point. I have one guess left. I need to find the correct category. Let's re-examine the words one more time, looking for a connection I've missed. Available words: CHIP, DIP, DIVE, DUCK, FLYER, FRY, LARK, ROCKET, SCRAPER, SENATOR, STAR, WING My previous attempts were: 1. Car brands (FORD, LINCOLN, DODGE, RAM) - CORRECT 2. Flying things (FLYER, ROCKET, STAR, WING) - INCORRECT 3. Verbs (DUCK, DIVE, FRY, CHIP) - INCORRECT 4. Sports terms (FLYER, DIVE, CHIP, STAR) - INCORRECT The "flying things" category seemed so strong. Why was it wrong? Let's reconsider. Maybe the category is more specific. What about "things that can be projectiles"? ROCKET, STAR (throwing star), DUCK (decoy?), CHIP (golf ball)? No, that's weak. Let's look at a completely different angle. What if the category is related to a specific phrase or concept? - CHIP off the old block - DIP in the pool - DIVE right in - DUCK and cover This doesn't seem to form a set of four. Let's go back to the food idea. FRY, CHIP, DIP... what's the fourth? LARK? No. DUCK? Yes, duck is food. This seems plausible. FRY, CHIP, DIP, DUCK. They are all types of food or things you do with food. This is a very common Connections category type. Let's try this. It feels more likely than some of my previous attempts.

Looking at the available words, I can see several potential categories emerging: 1. States of matter/phase changes: FREEZE, MELT, CONDENSE, VAPORIZE, SHRINK 2. Computer/tech terms: HACK, SUB, BACKUP, ALTERNATE, COVER 3. Miscellaneous items: COPPER, HONEY, HERO, SUIT 4. Time/future: SOMEDAY 5. Actions: COVER, SHRINK, FREEZE, MELT The strongest connection I see is the phase changes/state transitions. FREEZE, MELT, CONDENSE, and VAPORIZE are all clearly related to changes in states of matter. This seems like a very solid category that would likely be one of the four groups in the puzzle. Let me go with this group as my first guess since it has the clearest and most specific connection.

Great! The first guess was correct. Now looking at the remaining words: COPPER, SHRINK, COVER, SUB, HACK, HONEY, SOMEDAY, SUIT, ALTERNATE, HERO, FANTASY, BACKUP I can see another strong category emerging - computer/technology terms. HACK, BACKUP, ALTERNATE, and SUB all have clear connections to computing: - HACK (computer hacking) - BACKUP (data backup) - ALTERNATE (alternate key, alternate data paths) - SUB (subdirectory, substitute) This seems like a very cohesive group that would likely be one of the remaining categories in the puzzle.

My previous guess of computer terms was incorrect. Let me re-evaluate the remaining words: COPPER, SHRINK, COVER, HONEY, SOMEDAY, SUIT, HERO, FANTASY, BACKUP, ALTERNATE, SUB, HACK. I need to find a different connection. Looking at the words again, I see a potential category related to "substitute" or "secondary" roles. SUB, BACKUP, ALTERNATE, and COVER all fit this theme: - SUB (substitute player) - BACKUP (backup plan or person) - ALTERNATE (alternate choice) - COVER (to cover for someone) This seems like a plausible category that groups these words together in a different way than my previous tech-focused attempt.

Excellent! That guess was correct. The remaining words are: COPPER, SHRINK, HONEY, SOMEDAY, SUIT, HERO, FANTASY, HACK. Let's analyze these for potential categories: 1. Materials/Things: COPPER, HONEY, SUIT 2. Actions: SHRINK, HACK 3. Characters/Concepts: HERO, FANTASY 4. Time: SOMEDAY The materials group seems a bit small, but let me think if "SUIT" could fit a different category. SUIT could also refer to a suit of cards or a business suit. COPPER is a metal and also a police officer. HONEY is a food and a term of endearment. Looking at HERO, FANTASY, SUIT - this doesn't seem to connect well. Looking at COPPER, HONEY, SUIT - these are all things/items. Maybe I'm missing something. Let me try a different angle. Is there a category of words that can follow other words? - Business SUIT - Super HERO - Science FANTASY - COPPER pipe - Honey BADGER (not present) - Someday... This isn't working well. Let me go back to the most obvious grouping. COPPER, HONEY, and SUIT are all physical things/materials. I need a fourth word to complete this category. From what's left, SHRINK could work as an action, but that doesn't fit the "things" category. Wait, let me think about HERO, FANTASY, SUIT, HACK. Could these be related to genres or types of stories? Superhero stories are often fantasy. A suit could be part of a character's costume. Hack could be a hack writer or a plot hack. This seems like a stretch. Let's reconsider the materials group. COPPER (metal), HONEY (food substance), SUIT (clothing). These are all tangible items. What else could fit? Maybe I'm missing the category entirely. Looking again at HERO, FANTASY, SUIT, HACK... this is tough. Let me try the most obvious grouping I can see, even if it's not perfect. COPPER, HONEY, SUIT are all things. I need a fourth thing. From the remaining words, none seem to fit perfectly as "things." Let me try a completely different approach. Maybe there's a category of words that can be verbs? SHRINK, HACK... that's only two. OK, let's go with the most plausible category I can construct. COPPER, HONEY, SUIT are all tangible items. I'll add SHRINK to this group as a potential category of "physical things and their properties" or something similar. This feels a bit weak, but it's the best I can see right now.

That guess was incorrect. I have two guesses left. Let's re-examine the remaining words: COPPER, HONEY, SOMEDAY, SUIT, HERO, FANTASY, HACK. My previous attempts to group COPPER, HONEY, and SUIT failed. Let me look for a completely different connection. Looking at the words, I see a potential category of types or genres: - FANTASY (a genre of fiction) - HERO (a character type, often in fantasy/action stories) - SUIT (could refer to a "superhero suit") - HACK (could be a "hack-and-slash" genre, or a type of story) This seems like a plausible category related to fiction, characters, or genres. Let me try this grouping.

That guess was incorrect. I have only one guess left, so I need to be very careful. The remaining words are: COPPER, HONEY, SOMEDAY, SUIT, HERO, FANTASY, HACK. I need to find the two remaining groups of four. Let me try to find the most undeniable connection possible. Looking at the words, I see "SOMEDAY" which stands out as a time-related word. Can I find three other words that fit a category with it? It seems difficult to group. Let's reconsider the words. Maybe the categories are more abstract. - COPPER: A metal, a color, a police officer. - HONEY: A food, a color, a term of endearment. - SUIT: Clothing, a set (deck of cards), a lawsuit. - HERO: A protagonist, a sandwich. - FANTASY: A genre, a dream. - HACK: To chop, a computer crime, a bad writer. - SOMEDAY: A point in the future. Let me try a different approach. What about words that can be colors? - COPPER (a reddish-brown color) - HONEY (a golden color) - FANTASY (could be a color name, though less common) This doesn't seem strong enough. What about words related to food or drink? - HONEY - HERO (as in a hero sandwich) - SUIT (as in a "suitcase" of wine, very obscure) - COPPER (as in copper pots, also a stretch) This is also weak. Let me go back to the most obvious connection I can find. COPPER, HONEY, and SUIT are all tangible nouns. I need a fourth. From the remaining words, none fit perfectly. But maybe the category is just "Nouns"? HERO is also a noun. Let me try this group of four nouns.

Looking at the available words, I can see several potential categories emerging: 1. Political terms: PROGRESSIVE, LIBERAL, LEFT, BLUE - these all relate to left-leaning politics in the US context 2. Movie titles: DEPARTED, MARTIAN, RAINMAKER, and possibly others 3. Geometric shapes: CONE, CUP, SPLIT 4. Miscellaneous terms: THEATER, GOOD SHEPHERD, GREEK/ROMAN GOD, SPACECRAFT, FICTIONAL BOXER, SHAKE The political category seems most obvious and clear-cut. PROGRESSIVE, LIBERAL, LEFT, and BLUE are all commonly associated with left-wing politics in American political discourse. This appears to be the strongest and most straightforward connection among the available words. Let me start with this political category as my first guess.

Great, the political category was correct. Now I have 5 guesses remaining to find the remaining 3 categories. Let's analyze the remaining words: THEATER, GOOD SHEPHERD, GREEK/ROMAN GOD, SPACECRAFT, CONE, DEPARTED, MARTIAN, SPLIT, CUP, RAINMAKER, FICTIONAL BOXER, SHAKE I can see some strong potential categories: 1. **Movie Titles**: DEPARTED, MARTIAN, RAINMAKER - these are all well-known movies. "The Departed," "The Martian," and "The Rainmaker." I need a fourth movie title from the list. 2. **Geometric Shapes/Objects**: CONE, CUP, SPLIT - these could be shapes or ways things can be divided. "Cone" and "Cup" are shapes, and "Split" is an action related to division. 3. **Miscellaneous**: THEATER, GOOD SHEPHERD, GREEK/ROMAN GOD, SPACECRAFT, FICTIONAL BOXER, SHAKE Looking more closely at the movie titles, I don't immediately see a fourth obvious one. Let me reconsider the categories. Wait, let me look at this differently: - THEATER could be a type of building/venue - GOOD SHEPHERD could be a religious title or movie title - GREEK/ROMAN GOD is a type of deity - SPACECRAFT is a type of vehicle - CONE, CUP are shapes/containers - SPLIT is an action - DEPARTED, MARTIAN, RAINMAKER are movie titles - FICTIONAL BOXER is a character type - SHAKE is an action Let me try the movie category first since three are so clear, and see if there's a fourth I'm missing or if one of the other words fits.

I need to analyze the remaining 12 words and find the next strongest connection. My previous guess of movie titles was incorrect, but the fact that it was "INCORRECT" rather than "INVALID_RESPONSE" means all four words were valid in the pool. Remaining words: THEATER, GOOD SHEPHERD, GREEK/ROMAN GOD, SPACECRAFT, CONE, DEPARTED, MARTIAN, SPLIT, CUP, RAINMAKER, FICTIONAL BOXER, SHAKE Let me look for new categories: 1. **Character Types / Roles**: FICTIONAL BOXER, GOOD SHEPHERD, GREEK/ROMAN GOD. These are all types of characters or roles. I need a fourth. 2. **Actions / Verbs**: SPLIT, SHAKE. Only two, so probably not a full category. 3. **Containers / Shapes**: CONE, CUP. Only two. 4. **Words that can precede "UP"**: SHAKE UP, SPLIT UP. Only two. 5. **Words that can precede "OFF"**: SHAKE OFF, SPLIT OFF. Only two. Looking at the "Character Types" idea: FICTIONAL BOXER, GOOD SHEPHERD, GREEK/ROMAN GOD. What could be the fourth? Maybe one of the other words fits this theme in a less obvious way. Or maybe this isn't the right category. Let me try a different approach. What if some of these are things that "fly" or are in the sky? SPACECRAFT, MARTIAN. Only two. What about words related to weather or natural phenomena? RAINMAKER, SHAKE (as in earthquake). Only two. Let's reconsider the movie idea. DEPARTED, MARTIAN, RAINMAKER. Maybe the fourth isn't THEATER. What about GOOD SHEPHERD? "The Good Shepherd" is a movie. That seems more likely than THEATER by itself. Let me try this movie category again.

Excellent, the movie titles category was correct. Now I have 8 words left and 4 guesses remaining to find the last two categories. Remaining words: THEATER, GREEK/ROMAN GOD, SPACECRAFT, CONE, SPLIT, CUP, FICTIONAL BOXER, SHAKE Let's analyze these for connections: 1. **Character/Roles**: GREEK/ROMAN GOD, FICTIONAL BOXER. These are both types of characters. I need two more to complete this set. 2. **Physical Objects/Things**: SPACECRAFT, CONE, CUP, THEATER. These are all tangible things or places. 3. **Actions/Verbs**: SPLIT, SHAKE. These are both actions. 4. **Categories of things**: Maybe some of these words describe a *type* of something. Let's look closer at the "Character/Roles" category. GREEK/ROMAN GOD and FICTIONAL BOXER are both roles one can play or character types. Could any of the other words fit this? - THEATER could be a role/setting for characters. - SPACECRAFT could be a role in a story (astronaut). - CONE and CUP are less likely to be roles. - SPLIT and SHAKE are actions. This seems like a stretch. Let me try another angle. What about "Things that can be a type of..."? - A type of character: GREEK/ROMAN GOD, FICTIONAL BOXER - A type of building: THEATER - A type of vehicle: SPACECRAFT This still feels weak. Let me reconsider the "Actions" category. SPLIT and SHAKE. Are there two more actions? No, the other words are mostly nouns. Let's try a completely different grouping. What if the category is "Words that can follow a specific word"? - Words that can follow "ICE": CONE, SHAKE - Words that can follow "BANANA": SPLIT - Words that can follow "BOXING": FICTIONAL BOXER (this is a stretch) The "ICE" connection seems promising. ICE CONE (snow cone), ICE SHAKE. What else? Maybe ICE CUP? Not really. ICE THEATER? No. Let's go back to the most obvious pair: SPLIT and SHAKE as actions. What if the other two are also actions in a more abstract sense? - SPACECRAFT -> to launch or pilot - CONE -> to shape or form This feels very weak. Let me try the most plausible, if not perfect, category I can see. The "Character/Roles" one. GREEK/ROMAN GOD, FICTIONAL BOXER. What if the category is "Roles in a story"? Then THEATER (the setting) and SPACECRAFT (a vehicle in a story) could fit. This is a bit of a stretch, but it's a potential connection. Let me try this.

Excellent! That category was correct. Now I have only 4 words left and 3 guesses remaining. This means the last four words must form the final category. Remaining words: CONE, SPLIT, CUP, SHAKE Let me analyze these four words to find their connection: - CONE: A geometric shape, an ice cream holder, a traffic cone - SPLIT: To divide, a banana split, a gymnastics move - CUP: A container, a trophy, a bra cup - SHAKE: To tremble, a milkshake, a musical instrument Looking for common connections: 1. **Things you can have with "ICE"**: ICE CONE, ICE CUP (less common), ICE SHAKE (milkshake). SPLIT doesn't fit well here. 2. **Words that can follow "BANANA"**: BANANA SPLIT. The others don't fit. 3. **Words related to food/drink**: CONE (ice cream), CUP (drinking), SHAKE (milkshake). SPLIT (banana split) fits here too! This seems very strong. All four are related to food or drink items. 4. **Words that can be actions**: SPLIT, SHAKE. CONE and CUP are primarily nouns. The food/drink connection seems like the most plausible and consistent category that links all four remaining words. This must be the final group.

Looking at the available words, I need to find groups of 4 that share a common category. Let me analyze the words: RACE, BARREL, FLY, AKEEM, DONKEY, FOLEY, ZIP, TUT, SHAME, COBRA, DOLITTLE, KONG, CAKE, TSK, TUT TUT, BAD I notice some potential connections: 1. Characters from movies/stories: COBRA, DOLITTLE, KONG, DONKEY (as in Shrek's Donkey) 2. Sounds or expressions: TSK, TUT, TUT TUT, SHAME 3. Words related to speed/movement: RACE, FLY, ZIP, KONG (King Kong climbing) 4. Words with negative connotations: BAD, SHAME, DONKEY (as in fool), FLY (as in annoying insect) The strongest connection I see is the expressions of disapproval or sounds: TSK, TUT, TUT TUT, SHAME. These are all ways to express disapproval or make tutting sounds.

My previous guess was incorrect. Let me re-evaluate the words and look for different connections. Available words: RACE, BARREL, FLY, AKEEM, DONKEY, FOLEY, ZIP, TUT, SHAME, COBRA, DOLITTLE, KONG, CAKE, TSK, TUT TUT, BAD Let me try a different approach. I notice some movie/pop culture references: - AKEEM (from "Coming to America") - FOLEY (could be Mick Foley the wrestler, or Foley sound effects) - DOLITTLE (Dr. Dolittle) - KONG (King Kong) Or maybe it's about famous movie characters: - COBRA (Cobra Commander from G.I. Joe) - DOLITTLE (Dr. Dolittle) - KONG (King Kong) - DONKEY (Donkey from Shrek) Let me try the movie characters angle.

Two incorrect guesses have been made, so I need to be more careful. Let me re-examine all the words and think outside the box. Available words: RACE, BARREL, FLY, AKEEM, DONKEY, FOLEY, ZIP, TUT, SHAME, COBRA, DOLITTLE, KONG, CAKE, TSK, TUT TUT, BAD I've tried movie characters and expressions of disapproval. Let me look for other patterns. Maybe it's about words that can follow other words: - RACE (horse race, car race) - BARREL (crab barrel, pork barrel) - FLY (fire fly, house fly) - ZIP (zip code, zip lock) Or maybe it's about words that are also verbs: - RACE, FLY, ZIP, TUT Wait, let me think about famous characters or people: - AKEEM (Prince Akeem from Coming to America) - FOLEY (Mick Foley the wrestler) - DOLITTLE (Dr. Dolittle) - KONG (King Kong) Actually, let me look at the words more literally. Maybe some are related to containers or storage: - BARREL, CAKE (of soap), ZIP (as in ziplock), FLY (as in fly in the ointment) Or words related to actions: - RACE, FLY, ZIP, TUT Let me try the action words approach.

This is my fourth guess, with only one mistake remaining. I need to be very careful. Let me completely re-evaluate the words and look for a connection I've missed. Available words: RACE, BARREL, FLY, AKEEM, DONKEY, FOLEY, ZIP, TUT, SHAME, COBRA, DOLITTLE, KONG, CAKE, TSK, TUT TUT, BAD Let me think about common phrases or idioms: - "RACE against time" - "BARREL of laughs" - "FLY in the ointment" - "DONKEY work" Or maybe it's about words that can be preceded by other words: - BAD (bad luck, bad day) - SHAME (what a shame) - TSK (tsk tsk) - TUT (tut tut) Wait, let me look at the words differently. Maybe it's about words that are also names: - AKEEM (Prince Akeem) - FOLEY (Mick Foley) - DOLITTLE (Dr. Dolittle) - KONG (King Kong) Or maybe it's about words that are also animals: - FLY, COBRA, DONKEY, KONG (gorilla) Let me try the animal connection.

I need to analyze the 16 available words to find groups of 4 that share a common category. Let me look for potential connections: FINLET, ADDRESS, CALL, TELEPHOTO, FISHEYE, PETITION, FLAKE, DRIVER, BID, APPEAL, EMAIL, ZOOM, NAME, NUMBER, MACRO, EBAY Looking at these words, I can see several potential categories: 1. Photography terms: TELEPHOTO, FISHEYE, ZOOM, MACRO 2. Communication methods: CALL, EMAIL, ADDRESS, NUMBER 3. Legal/formal requests: PETITION, APPEAL, CALL (as in "call to order"), BID 4. Computer/tech terms: DRIVER, EMAIL, ZOOM, MACRO 5. eBay related: EBAY, BID, ADDRESS, NAME 6. Fish-related: FINLET, FISHEYE, FLAKE The photography category seems the strongest and most clear-cut. TELEPHOTO, FISHEYE, ZOOM, and MACRO are all specific types of camera lenses or photography techniques. This appears to be a very solid connection. Let me go with this group first as it seems like the most obvious category.

Great, the photography category was correct. Now I have 12 words remaining: FINLET, ADDRESS, CALL, PETITION, FLAKE, DRIVER, BID, APPEAL, EMAIL, NAME, NUMBER, EBAY Let me re-evaluate the potential categories with the remaining words: 1. **Legal/Formal Requests:** PETITION, APPEAL, CALL (as in a call to action), BID. This seems like a strong possibility. A petition is a formal request, an appeal is a legal request, a "call" can be a call to action, and a bid is an offer or request to be accepted. 2. **eBay/Terms of a Transaction:** EBAY, BID, ADDRESS, NAME. This is also very strong. On eBay, you place a BID, you need to provide your NAME and ADDRESS for shipping. 3. **Communication/Contact Info:** CALL, EMAIL, ADDRESS, NUMBER. This is another solid category. These are all ways to communicate or contact someone. 4. **Fish-related:** FINLET, FISHEYE, FLAKE. FISHEYE is gone, but FINLET and FLAKE are still here. This category is no longer viable. I have three very strong potential categories. Let's think about which one is most likely to be a distinct group. The eBay category (EBAY, BID, ADDRESS, NAME) feels very specific and self-contained. The communication category (CALL, EMAIL, ADDRESS, NUMBER) overlaps with the eBay category (ADDRESS). The legal requests category (PETITION, APPEAL, CALL, BID) also overlaps (CALL, BID). In Connections, categories are usually distinct. If I pick "EBAY, BID, ADDRESS, NAME", the remaining words would be FINLET, CALL, PETITION, FLAKE, DRIVER, APPEAL, EMAIL, NUMBER. This leaves "CALL, EMAIL, NUMBER" which could form a communication group, but they'd need a fourth word. It also leaves "PETITION, APPEAL" which could be a legal group. Let's try the eBay category. It feels like a very clean, modern, and specific grouping that the puzzle creators would use.

The eBay category was incorrect. That's a valuable clue. It means the connections are likely more general or that I've misinterpreted the relationships. Let's re-examine the 12 remaining words: FINLET, ADDRESS, CALL, PETITION, FLAKE, DRIVER, BID, APPEAL, EMAIL, NAME, NUMBER, EBAY My previous strong ideas were: 1. Legal/Formal Requests: PETITION, APPEAL, CALL, BID 2. Communication/Contact Info: CALL, EMAIL, ADDRESS, NUMBER 3. eBay/Terms of a Transaction: EBAY, BID, ADDRESS, NAME (This was wrong) Since the eBay category was wrong, it suggests that EBAY, BID, ADDRESS, and NAME don't all belong together. Maybe EBAY is the odd one out in that group. Let's reconsider the "Legal/Formal Requests" category: PETITION, APPEAL, CALL, BID. - PETITION: A formal written request. - APPEAL: A formal request to a higher authority. - CALL: As in a "call to action" or "call to order". - BID: An offer to pay a certain price, a formal proposal. This connection seems quite strong and abstract, which is common in Connections. Let's try this group. If it's correct, the remaining words would be: FINLET, ADDRESS, FLAKE, DRIVER, EMAIL, NAME, NUMBER, EBAY. This seems like it could break down into two more logical groups (e.g., contact info and something else).

Excellent, the "Formal Requests" category was correct. Now I have 8 words remaining: FINLET, ADDRESS, FLAKE, DRIVER, EMAIL, NAME, NUMBER, EBAY Let's analyze these for two final groups of four. 1. **Communication/Contact Info:** EMAIL, ADDRESS, NAME, NUMBER. This is an extremely strong and obvious category. These are the fundamental components of modern contact information. 2. **Leftover words:** FINLET, FLAKE, DRIVER, EBAY. - FINLET: A small fin on a fish. - FLAKE: A small, flat piece; can refer to fish (fish flakes) or snow. - DRIVER: A person who drives; or a piece of software (device driver). - EBAY: The online marketplace. This second group is very strange. What connects a fish part, a piece of something, a person/software, and a website? This seems unlikely to be a valid category. Let me reconsider. Maybe my first choice is wrong. What if the groups are different? Let's look for other connections: - **Computer/Tech:** DRIVER, EMAIL, EBAY, NAME? (Name as in username). This is a bit of a stretch. - **Words that can precede "UP":** CALL UP, BID UP, ADDRESS UP (not really), ZOOM UP (not really). This is weak. - **Words that can precede "DRIVER":** DEVICE DRIVER, SCREWDRIVER, TAXI DRIVER. None of the other words fit. Let's go back to the most obvious connection: EMAIL, ADDRESS, NAME, NUMBER. It's so clean. If I assume this is a category, I'm left with FINLET, FLAKE, DRIVER, EBAY. What could that be? - Maybe they are all words that can be part of a compound noun? (Fish-flake, screw-driver, eBay-listing, fin-finlet). This feels very weak. - Is there a theme I'm missing? Let's think about the words again. FINLET, FLAKE -> these seem related to fish. DRIVER, EBAY -> these seem tech/commerce related. This suggests the groups are NOT (EMAIL, ADDRESS, NAME, NUMBER) and (FINLET, FLAKE, DRIVER, EBAY). Let's try a different combination. What about a "Computer/Internet" category? DRIVER (software), EMAIL, EBAY, NAME (username). This is plausible. It leaves FINLET, ADDRESS, FLAKE, NUMBER. - FINLET, FLAKE (fish) - ADDRESS, NUMBER (contact info) This doesn't work either. Let's try one more time. What if the categories are more conceptual? - Group 1: CONTACTINFO -> EMAIL, ADDRESS, NAME, NUMBER - Group 2: ???? Maybe there's a pun or a different meaning. - DRIVER: a screwdriver? a golf driver? - FINLET: a small fin - FLAKE: to abandon someone; a cereal - EBAY: the company What if the group is "Words that can be verbs"? DRIVER (to drive), EMAIL, FLAKE (to flake out), ADDRESS (to address an issue). NAME (to name), NUMBER, BID, CALL. This is too broad. Let's stick with the most undeniable category, even if the leftovers look weird. The category of "Contact Information" with EMAIL, ADDRESS, NAME, and NUMBER is one of the strongest possible Connections groups. It's possible the last group is tricky or obscure. I'll make this guess and see what happens. It's the highest probability play.

Excellent, the "Contact Information" category was correct. This leaves the final four words, which must form the last group: FINLET, FLAKE, DRIVER, EBAY Now I need to figure out the connection between these four words. They seemed like a random assortment before, but since they are the last ones remaining, there must be a unifying theme. Let's analyze them one by one and look for a common thread: - **FINLET:** A small fin on a fish, like behind the dorsal fin. - **FLAKE:** A small, flat piece that breaks off from something larger. Can refer to fish, paint, snow, or cereal. - **DRIVER:** A person who drives a vehicle. Also, a tool (screwdriver) or a piece of software (device driver). - **EBAY:** The online auction and shopping website. Let's look for connections: 1. **Parts of a whole?** A finlet is part of a fish. A flake is part of something larger. A driver is part of a system/company. eBay is a company, not really a part of something else. This is weak. 2. **Computer/Tech?** DRIVER (software), EBAY (website). But FINLET and FLAKE don't fit. 3. **Words that can follow another word?** - **Fish** finlet, **fish** flake. This is a strong connection for two of them. - **Screw** driver. - **eBay** listing. This doesn't create a single unifying category. 4. **Let's think about the words themselves.** Is there a hidden pun or a different meaning? - FINLET - FLAKE - DRIVER - EBAY What if the category is related to "small" things? - A finlet is a *small* fin. - A flake is a *small* piece. - A driver... is a driver small? Not inherently. - eBay... is eBay small? No. Let's reconsider the words in a different context. - FINLET: A specific type of fin. - FLAKE: A type of fish (e.g., flake and chips). - DRIVER: A type of golf club. - EBAY: A specific company. This isn't helping. Let's go back to the most promising lead: "Fish". FINLET and FLAKE both have strong connections to fish. FINLET -> a part of a fish. FLAKE -> a type of fish meat (often shark or cod). So, what's the connection for DRIVER and EBAY? Is there a famous fisherman named Driver? A boat called the eBay? This is getting too obscure. Let's try a different angle. Let's look at the structure of the words. FINLET, FLAKE, DRIVER, EBAY What if the category is "Words that end in 'ER' or sound like they do"? - DRIVER - FLAKE (doesn't fit) - FINLET (doesn't fit) - EBAY (doesn't fit) Okay, let's try a completely different approach. What if the connection is to a specific brand or concept? - The word "ebay" is a strong anchor. What connects to eBay? You can buy things. You can buy a **driver** (golf club, screwdriver). You can buy **flake** (food). You can buy a **fish** (which has a finlet). - This is a stretch. "Things you can buy on eBay" is too broad. Let's go back to the fish connection. It's so strong for two words. FINLET, FLAKE. What if DRIVER and EBAY are also related to fish? - DRIVER: Could refer to the "driver" of a boat. - EBAY: Is there a famous fishing boat on eBay? Or a brand of fishing gear? This feels like I'm forcing it. Let's rethink FLAKE. It's not just fish. It's paint flake, cornflake, snowflake. FINLET is specific to fish. Let's try one more time. What if the category is "Words associated with brands"? - EBAY is a brand. - DRIVER: "Driver" is a brand of golf club. - FLAKE: "Flake" is a brand of chocolate bar in the UK. - FINLET: Is there a "Finlet" brand? Unlikely. Okay, this is the last group. There has to be a connection. Let's reconsider the "Things you can buy on eBay" idea. - You can buy a DRIVER (tool, golf club). - You can buy FLAKE (fish food, cereal, chocolate). - You can buy a FISH (which has a FINLET). - You can buy things ON EBAY. The category could be "Things you might find on eBay" or "Things for sale". But that's so generic. Usually, the last group is also clever. Let's look at the words again. FINLET, FLAKE, DRIVER, EBAY What if the connection is to the letter 'E'? - EBAY - DRIV**ER** - FLAK**E** - FINL**E**T They all contain the letter E. But so do many other words that were on the board (EMAIL, NAME, NUMBER, PETITION, APPEAL, TELEPHOTO). This can't be it. Let's try a different wordplay angle. - EBAY -> sounds like "E-Bay" - DRIVER -> contains "DRIVE" - FLAKE -> can mean to abandon - FINLET -> contains "FIN" This is not working. Let's go back to the most concrete connection, even if it feels incomplete. The connection to fish. FINLET (part of a fish) FLAKE (a type of fish meat) DRIVER (driver of a fishing boat?) EBAY (a place to buy fishing gear?) This feels weak, but it's the only thread connecting more than one word. Let me try to find a better one. Let's think about the word "driver". It can be a golf club. "Tee it up high with a driver." EBAY -> auction. FLAKE -> fish. FINLET -> fish. Okay, let's try a completely lateral thought. What if these are all "terms from a specific field"? - Marine biology: FINLET, FLAKE (fish) - Technology: DRIVER, EBAY This gives two pairs, but not one group of four. Let's reconsider the brand idea. - EBAY: The company. - DRIVER: "Driver" is a brand of shoes (Puma Suede, also called Driver). - FLAKE: Cadbury's Flake chocolate bar. - FINLET: ??? This is the sticking point. Is there a "Finlet" brand of anything? A quick mental search doesn't bring anything up. Let's go back to the most basic, undeniable connection. FINLET and FLAKE relate to fish. DRIVER and EBAY do not. My assumption that the contact info group was correct might be wrong, but it's already been confirmed. So these four *must* go together. What if the category is "Words that can be preceded by a word from the previous group"? - EMAIL **driver**? No. - ADDRESS **flakes**? No. - NAME **finlet**? No. - NUMBER **ebay**? No. This is tough. Let's reconsider the "things you can buy" category. It's broad, but it's true for all four. - You can buy a fish with a FINLET. - You can buy fish FLAKE. - You can buy a DRIVER (tool, golf club). - You can buy things ON EBAY. The category might be simply "ITEMS" or "PRODUCTS". It's a bit of a letdown for a final category, but it fits. Let me try to find something more clever. Let's look at the words again. FINLET, FLAKE, DRIVER, EBAY Maybe it's about words that sound like other words? FINLET -> sounds like "finn-let" FLAKE -> sounds like... flake. DRIVER -> sounds like... drive-r. EBAY -> sounds like... e-bay. What if the connection is to "water"? FINLET (in water) FLAKE (snowflake) DRIVER (drives on roads, sometimes through water) EBAY (no connection) This is not it. I'm going to have to settle for the most plausible, even if slightly boring, connection. The connection to fish for two words is strong. The connection to "items for sale" is universal. The connection to "brands" is strong for three, but fails on the fourth. Let's try one last crazy idea. "Words that can be part of a name". - Finlet Jones - Flake White - Driver, Sam - eBay Inc. This is not a category. Okay, I'm going to go with the "brands/products" idea and assume there's a "Finlet" brand I'm not aware of, or that the connection is looser. - EBAY: A brand/company. - DRIVER: A brand of shoes/golf clubs. - FLAKE: A brand of chocolate. - FINLET: This is the problem. Is it a type of product? Yes, it's a product you get when you process a fish. It's a "fish product". So the category could be "PRODUCTS / BRANDS". This is a possibility. Another is "Things you can buy online". That feels more modern and cohesive. - You can buy a fish (with a finlet) online. - You can buy fish flake online. - You can buy a driver online. - You can buy things on eBay. This feels like the most likely, albeit broad, answer. It's a common trope in Connections for the final category to be a bit more general.