I want to start with the most clear-cut connection. Among the words, four are well-known types of camera lenses / photographic focal styles: • MACRO lens – for close-ups • ZOOM lens – variable focal length • FISHEYE lens – very wide, curved field of view • TELEPHOTO lens – long focal length for distant subjects None of the other available words fit this photography equipment theme, so these four should form a solid group.

After removing the four lens-related words, I’m looking for another very clear grouping. ADDRESS, EMAIL, NAME and NUMBER all fit neatly as the pieces of basic contact information you’re typically asked to provide on a form (mailing address, email, full name, phone number, etc.). No other available words match that specific “contact-info field” idea, so these four make a tight set that doesn’t overlap with the remaining words.

Two groups of four remain. I see a clean set of words that can all mean “to make a request”: • APPEAL (appeal to someone for help) • PETITION (petition the court) • BID (bid for someone’s attention / bid at auction) • CALL (call for aid) No other remaining words share that sense, so these four should fit together. If this is correct, the final four (DRIVER, FLAKE, FINLET, EBAY) will form the last category.

Only four words remain, so they must form the last category. Looking at them closely, each one hides (as a contiguous substring) the name of a body-of-water or water feature: • DRIVER → RIVER • FLAKE → LAKE • FINLET → INLET • EBAY → BAY Because all four conceal these geographic water terms, they should comprise the final set.

I’m looking for sets of four words that share a clear, tight connection. 1. LAG, ECHO, FREEZE, DROP all describe problems you might experience on a choppy video call or livestream (audio echo, video freeze, packet drop, network lag). 2. Other promising clusters I see: • APOLLO / FANTASTIC / SAMURAI / CANDLES → each follows a famous number in a well-known title (Apollo 13, Fantastic Four, Seven Samurai, Sixteen Candles). • MIME / PRISONER / REFEREE / SAILOR → figures commonly depicted in black-and-white stripes. • PRINCESS / MONKEY / GENIE / PARROT → the four main side characters in Disney’s “Aladdin.” The call-glitch set looks rock-solid and self-contained, so I’ll submit that first.

We still have three groups to find. The four words PRINCESS, MONKEY, PARROT, and GENIE all point straight at Disney’s “Aladdin”: • Genie – the wish-granting blue character • Princess – Princess Jasmine • Monkey – Abu, Aladdin’s pet • Parrot – Iago, Jafar’s sidekick None of the other remaining words fit that film, and these four don’t seem to overlap with my other suspected sets (number-movies or stripe-wearers). So I’ll play this solid-looking “Aladdin characters” group next.

Eight words remain: PRISONER, MIME, REFEREE, SAILOR, APOLLO, FANTASTIC, SAMURAI, CANDLES. I see two tidy, non-overlapping sets: A. Black-and-white stripe wearers • PRISONER – classic cartoon prisoner outfit • MIME – stereotypical mime shirt • REFEREE – striped uniform in many sports • SAILOR – Breton striped shirt B. Titles containing a number (Apollo 13, Fantastic Four, Seven Samurai, Sixteen Candles). To be safe, I’ll lock in the stripe-wearers first.

Only four words remain, and they fit a neat theme: each is part of a well-known title that includes a number. • APOLLO 13 • FANTASTIC FOUR • SEVEN SAMURAI • SIXTEEN CANDLES No other words are left, so this must be the final set.

Among the sixteen words, four of them immediately stand out as the names of well-known Chinese dynasties: • HAN • TANG • SONG • MING No other word in the list is a Chinese dynasty, so this feels like a very clean, unambiguous category. Because NYT Connections often includes one “gimme” group to get started, I’ll submit those four first.

With the dynasties out of the way, I’m looking for another clean, low-ambiguity set of four. KICK, PUNCH, ZEST and ZING frequently appear together as near-synonyms meaning “pep,” “spice,” or “extra oomph.” • A salsa can have a “kick.” • A cocktail might pack a “punch.” • A dish can use lemon “zest” for brightness. • Hot sauce can add “zing.” None of the remaining eight words (FREE, SOLO, SINGLE, BUCK, BILLY, JACK, STAG, RAM) comfortably fit this flavor/pep sense, so the quartet feels self-contained. I’ll submit those four next.

Two obvious themes remain among the eight unused words. 1. Male animal terms • BILLY (goat) • BUCK (deer/antelope/rabbit) • JACK (donkey/rabbit) • RAM (sheep) 2. Being without a partner • SINGLE • SOLO • STAG (“go stag” = attend alone) • FREE (“fancy-free,” “footloose and fancy-free”) Because STAG is strongly associated with “attending alone,” I’ll group it with the “unpartnered” set and leave BILLY, BUCK, JACK, and RAM as the male-animal quartet.

Only four unused words remain, and they all serve as common terms for male animals: • BUCK – male deer/rabbit/antelope • BILLY – male goat • JACK – male donkey/rabbit • RAM – male sheep With the first three categories solved, this must be the final set.

Scanning the list, I immediately notice four names that are all Eddie Murphy characters: • DONKEY – the talking donkey in “Shrek” • FOLEY – Axel Foley in “Beverly Hills Cop” • DOLITTLE – Dr. Dolittle in the film of the same name • AKEEM – Prince Akeem in “Coming to America” No other words in the set fit that very specific connection, so I’m confident these four belong together. I’ll submit them as my first guess.

With the Eddie-Murphy characters removed, I’m looking for other tight foursomes. 1. KING + ____ • TUT (King Tut) • KONG (King Kong) • COBRA (King Cobra) • CAKE (King Cake, the Mardi Gras pastry) Those four fit perfectly under the “Preceded by the word ‘KING’” umbrella and don’t overlap with any other obvious set, so I’ll lock them in next.

Eight words remain: SHAME, TUT TUT, ZIP, BAD, RACE, BARREL, FLY, TSK. I see two clean foursomes: A. Expressions of mild disapproval / scolding • SHAME (“Shame on you!”) • BAD (“Bad dog!”) • TUT TUT (clucking reproof) • TSK (click of disapproval) B. Verbs meaning “move quickly” • ZIP • RACE • FLY • BARREL No word appears to fit both ideas, and each set is internally consistent, so I’ll submit the scolding quartet first. If it’s accepted, the speed-verb set will automatically be correct for the final group.

Only four words remain—ZIP, RACE, BARREL, FLY—and they form the final category of verbs meaning “move quickly.” No ambiguity is left.

Looking for clear, concrete categories, the words that immediately cluster are the four that can all mean a vertical support: – COLUMN (architectural support) – PILLAR (structural support) – POLE (upright support) – POST (upright support, fence post, etc.) These four are tightly linked by the single idea “upright support/vertical structure,” and none of the other available words fit that concept. This feels like the safest first submission.

With the first set solved, examine the 12 remaining words for tight fours. A. Possible “pay-attention / heed” synonyms: – OBSERVE, FOLLOW, REGARD, MIND All four are interchangeable when you say “_____ the rules.” That’s a very neat, exclusive set; none of the other eight words fit that sense of “heed.” B. Possible “ownership portion” words: – STAKE, SHARE, PERCENTAGE, INTEREST All mean one’s part of an investment. C. Leftovers would be INTELLIGENCE, INFORMATION, SECRETS, DIRT, which are all “inside info / intel” synonyms—another coherent set. Given those findings, the safest order is to lock in the heed-synonym group first, because its members are unlikely to be confused with the other categories. So I’ll submit the “heed” set now.

Twelve words are gone; the eight left divide cleanly into two synonym groups: 1. “Ownership / portion” – STAKE (a 10% stake in the company) – SHARE (your share of the profits) – PERCENTAGE (a 25 % percentage of the take) – INTEREST (a controlling interest) 2. “Inside information / intel” – INTELLIGENCE – INFORMATION – SECRETS – DIRT (slang for compromising info) No overlap exists between the two ideas. The “portion” quartet feels very straightforward, so I’ll lock it in next.

Only four words remain, and they form the final, obvious category: synonyms for “inside information.” INTELLIGENCE – military or political insider knowledge INFORMATION – data, knowledge SECRETS – hidden facts DIRT – slang for compromising inside info No alternatives left, so this must be the last set.

To minimize early mistakes, I’ll start with what looks like the most clear-cut category. LENGTH, AREA, VOLUME, and PERIMETER are all basic geometric measurements that students learn together (dimensions or “measures of size/extent”). None of the other available words fit that mathematical theme, so this feels like a very solid first submission.

The strongest remaining linkage I see is “Las Vegas Strip casino-hotels.” All four of these are major resorts on the Strip, and none of the other unused words fit that theme: • LUXOR – the black pyramid casino • ARIA – resort at CityCenter • EXCALIBUR – the castle-themed casino • ENCORE – Steve Wynn’s sister property to Wynn Las Vegas No other available word is a Vegas hotel, so I’ll submit this set next.

Only eight words remain, and I can see two tidy four-word sets. Set A (what I’ll submit now): AYES, EASE, OWES, ARS – Each of these everyday words is a homophone for the plural of a single-letter name: • “AYES” → “I’s” • “EASE” → “E’s” • “OWES” → “O’s” • “ARS” → “R’s” No other leftover word matches that letter-sound gimmick. Set B (should be the final group once Set A is confirmed): CROSSWORD, DOMINO, OREO, ORCA – All are famously black-and-white objects. Because the homophone/letters set feels more idiosyncratic (and therefore less likely to overlap with anything else), I’ll lock that in first.

The four remaining words all share the property of being characteristically black-and-white: • CROSSWORD puzzles are printed in black and white squares. • DOMINO tiles have black backgrounds with white pips (or vice-versa). • OREO cookies are black (chocolate) wafers with white crème filling. • ORCA whales have distinctive black-and-white coloration. With all other words already grouped, this must be the final set.

Scanning the list, one quartet leaps out immediately: several entries are all straightforward synonyms for “curse words.” • EXPLETIVES • PROFANITY • FOUR-LETTER WORDS • SWEARING They’re clearly linked by meaning, and no other available word belongs in that semantic set. Because the connection is both obvious and exclusive, it’s a safe first guess.

The four obvious wearables jump out next: • EARRING – jewelry worn on the ear • NECKLACE – jewelry worn around the neck • PLEATHER VEST – a (fake-leather) article of clothing • MESH SHIRT – another article of clothing No remaining word is something a person actually wears, so these four cleanly form a “things you can put on your body” set.

With the profanity and “things you wear” groups settled, eight words remain. Four of them appear—verbatim and famously—in the opening two lines of the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (“’Twas the night before Christmas…”): 1. ’Twas the night before CHRISTMAS, 2. when all through the HOUSE, 3. not a creature was STIRRING, 4. not even a MOUSE. No other available word is part of that well-known quotation, so those four cleanly form the next group.

Only four words remain, so they must form the last group. A quick look shows each one begins with a different possessive pronoun: • HERRING – starts with HER • OUROBOROS – starts with OUR • MYSTERY – starts with MY • HISTAMINE – starts with HIS No other leftover words exist, and the pattern is neat and exclusive. The set is therefore “words whose first three letters are possessive pronouns.”

Scanning the list, four words immediately stand out as types of bears when the word “BEAR” is added after them: 1. POLAR + BEAR → polar bear 2. BLACK + BEAR → black bear 3. BROWN + BEAR → brown bear 4. SUN + BEAR → sun bear No other available word forms a common bear species in this way, so these four cleanly fit a single, well-defined category.

A new scan of the remaining words suggests a clear culinary connection: • BEAT – to mix vigourously, e.g., “beat the eggs” • WHIP – to aerate/mix, e.g., “whip the cream” • WHISK – to mix rapidly with a whisk • CREAM – as a verb, to beat fat and sugar together (“cream butter and sugar”) These four verbs are the standard techniques called for in baking and cooking directions. None of the other available words fit this specific “vigorous-mixing cooking verb” idea, so this set looks cohesive and exclusive. That makes it a strong candidate for the next group.

The eight remaining words are: BLONDE, DIM, FAINT, LIGHT, PALE, POOL, RICE, WORD I’m looking for a clean, exclusive set of four. DIM, FAINT, PALE and LIGHT all function as near-synonyms meaning “not bright / weak in intensity or color.” • a dim light • a faint glow • a pale color • a light shade No other available word fits that specific semantic idea (“blonde” refers to color but not to low intensity, and the other four words are unrelated), so this foursome is a tight, self-contained group.

Only four unused words remain: BLONDE, POOL, RICE, WORD Testing shared phrases: Add “DIRTY” in front of each and we get common, idiomatic expressions: • Dirty blonde – light brownish-blond hair shade • Dirty pool – unfair trick or play • Dirty rice – classic Cajun dish with spices and meat • Dirty word – profanity or taboo term No other leftover words exist, and each pairing with “dirty” is well-established, so this must be the final set.

Scanning the list, four words immediately jump out as actions you perform on a phone or tablet screen: • PINCH – zoom gesture • SWIPE – slide a finger to move items/pages • TAP – single-finger touch to select • SCROLL – move content up or down with a finger drag No other listed words fit this touchscreen-gesture idea, so these four look like a clean set.

“Chill,” “Lounge,” “Veg,” and “Loaf” are all informal verbs meaning “to relax, be lazy, or do nothing.” No other remaining words share that specific “take it easy” sense, so they look like a clean four-word set.

The remaining pool has several nouns tied to where customers can sit or be served in a restaurant/diner: • BAR – seats along the bar • COUNTER – the service counter/stool area • BOOTH – the enclosed bench-style seating • TABLE – the standard freestanding seating option Those four make a clean “restaurant seating spots” set, leaving ALE, HIVE, QUASH, and EEK for the final group.

We’re down to four words: ALE, HIVE, QUASH, EEK. Each of these becomes a vegetable (or culinary herb) when you prepend one letter: • K + ALE → KALE • C + HIVE → CHIVE • S + QUASH → SQUASH • L + EEK → LEEK So the commonality is “vegetable (or herb) names minus their initial letter.” That cleanly accounts for the last four words.

I sorted the 16 words into tentative thematic sets: 1. Jurassic Park elements • AMBER – the fossilized resin that trapped DNA • MOSQUITO – the insect in the amber • DINOSAUR – the creatures revived • PALEONTOLOGIST – Dr. Grant’s profession 2. Words meaning “a small bit of information/wisdom” • NUGGET • TIDBIT • KERNEL • PEARL (of wisdom) 3. Purple things • AMETHYST – a purple gemstone • EGGPLANT – the deep-purple vegetable/color • LAVENDER – the light-purple flower/color • GRIMACE – the purple McDonald’s character 4. Words meaning “a large amount of money” • PILE • BUNDLE • FORTUNE • MINT All 16 words fit neatly into four distinct, internally coherent categories with no overlaps. I’ll start by submitting one complete group; if it’s correct, that both confirms a set and reduces remaining ambiguity. I’ll begin with the purple set, since those connections are very explicit and unlikely to conflict with others.

The four remaining candidate groups still appear solid after re-checking for overlaps: A. Jurassic Park references • AMBER (mosquito trapped in it) • MOSQUITO (source of DNA) • DINOSAUR (creatures cloned) • PALEONTOLOGIST (Dr. Grant, Ellie Sattler) The other eight words fit cleanly into the two remaining sets (money synonyms and “nugget / pearl / kernel / tidbit of wisdom”), so confirming this Jurassic set now will further lock everything in place. Proceeding with that group.

With the two completed sets removed, the eight leftover words fall into two neat foursomes: 1. Small bits of information or wisdom • NUGGET (of information) • TIDBIT (of gossip) • KERNEL (of truth) • PEARL (of wisdom) 2. Large sums of money • PILE • BUNDLE • FORTUNE • MINT No word overlaps between those ideas: none of the “money” words double as standard idioms for snippets of information, and vice-versa. I’ll lock in the “bits of wisdom” set now.

Only four words remain, and they comfortably share the meaning “a large amount of money.” There are no other unused words, so this must be the final category.

Scanning the list, I notice four words that are classic items you hang on or around a Christmas tree: • ANGEL – often used as the tree-topper. • CANDY CANE – traditional striped ornament/treat hung on branches. • TINSEL – shiny strands draped for sparkle. • STRING LIGHTS – the lights wrapped around the tree. These clearly form a cohesive holiday-decor group and don’t overlap with the other apparent categories (photo-editing terms, things with cells, French food words). I’ll test this set first.

The most obvious remaining connection is the group of common French food‐related words that are also found in English: • CORNICHON – French for a small pickled gherkin. • PAMPLEMOUSSE – French for grapefruit (often appears on flavored sparkling water). • VINAIGRETTE – French salad dressing term. • PAIN – French word for “bread,” seen on bakery signs. No other available words share this clear linguistic/culinary link, so I’ll submit this set next.

Eight words remain, so we expect two final groups of four. 1. “Things that have CELLS” • ORGANISM – living things are made of biological cells. • HONEYCOMB – composed of wax cells for storing honey. • SOLAR PANEL – made up of photovoltaic cells. • SPREADSHEET – consists of grid “cells.” 2. “Photo-editing / retouching actions” • AIRBRUSH • TOUCH UP • PHOTOSHOP • FIX Either set could be submitted first; they appear cleanly partitioned. I’ll lock in the “cells” group now.

Only four words remain, and they all fit the “photo‐editing / retouching actions” category, so this must be the last set.

The first thing that jumps out are four words that are all synonyms for “a first appearance/beginning.” • DEBUT – a first public appearance • PREMIERE – a first showing (often of a film/play) • LAUNCH – the rollout of a new product/start of a mission • INTRODUCTION – the act of bringing something forth for the first time They form a very tight semantic set (words meaning “start”). No other available words fit that meaning as cleanly, so I’ll submit those four together first.

I’m looking for another tight four-word set. CARDINAL works as a common modifier for four of the remaining clues: • CARDINAL is a type of BIRD. • A CARDINAL is a high-ranking CLERGY MEMBER. • A St. Louis Cardinals M.L.B. PLAYER is commonly called “a Cardinal.” • An Arizona Cardinals N.F.L. PLAYER is likewise called “a Cardinal.” No other available words pair with CARDINAL in that same way, so this feels like the cleanest next group.

We still need two groups. Looking at the remaining eight words, four of them pair naturally with “’S DAY,” designating well-known holidays: • MOTHER → Mother’s Day • PRESIDENT → Presidents’ Day • SAINT VALENTINE → Valentine’s Day • SAINT PATRICK → St. Patrick’s Day No other unused words fit that pattern, so those four should form the next set. (Whatever four remain afterward will make the final category.)

Only four words remain: LORDE, BURNS, BISHOP, POPE. Each is the surname of a well-known poet: • Audre Lorde • Robert Burns • Elizabeth Bishop • Alexander Pope That neatly unites the last four into “Poets’ surnames,” completing the puzzle.

I start by looking for words that share an abstract, idiomatic meaning. ABOUT-FACE, BACKPEDAL, FLIP-FLOP, and RENEGE all describe the act of reversing course or changing one’s mind after having taken a position or made a commitment. • ABOUT-FACE: a military term now used figuratively for a complete reversal. • BACKPEDAL: to retreat from a stance. • FLIP-FLOP: to switch positions, especially in politics. • RENEGE: to go back on a promise or agreement. No other available words fit this “reverse/recant” idea, so these four make a clean, self-contained set. I’ll submit them as my first guess.

I now scan the remaining words (KANGAROO, RAINBOW, FLAG, WIND CHIME, JAM, WEDGE, PINWHEEL, SHOEHORN, STUFF, STREET, NEIGHBORHOOD, VANE) for new groupings. One clear set jumps out: verbs meaning “to force into a tight space.” • JAM – to cram something in. • STUFF – to pack tightly. • WEDGE – to force or squeeze into place. • SHOEHORN – literally and figuratively, to ease something in where it barely fits. These four are perfect synonyms in that sense, and none of the other words match that idea. I’ll submit them next.

We have eight words left. I see two clean groups that cover all of them without overlap. Group A – items activated by the breeze (objects you can watch/hear move when the wind blows): • FLAG – flutters in the wind. • PINWHEEL – spins in the wind. • WIND CHIME – moves and makes sound when wind blows. • VANE – rotates to show wind direction. Group B – single key words appearing in titles of classic U.S. children’s educational TV shows: • KANGAROO – as in “Captain Kangaroo.” • RAINBOW – “Reading Rainbow.” • STREET – “Sesame Street.” • NEIGHBORHOOD – “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” I’ll lock in the wind-moved objects first.

Only four words remain, and they form the final, self-evident category: All are key words in the titles of classic American children’s educational TV shows. • Captain KANGAROO • Reading RAINBOW • Sesame STREET • Mister Rogers’ NEIGHBORHOOD

I start by scanning the list for obvious, concrete categories. • BOXER, BRIEF and THONG immediately jump out as kinds of underwear; I look for a fourth and notice HIPSTER, which is also a common underwear cut. • To be sure HIPSTER isn’t needed elsewhere, I check other possibilities: subculture people (HIPSTER, PUNK, FLAPPER, BOHEMIAN) and see that PUNK is needed for a likely “mischief” set (PRANK, TRICK, FOOL, PUNK). So HIPSTER is freer for the underwear group. • Double-checking the other three: BOXER shorts, BRIEFs and THONGs are standard; HIPSTER underwear is sold by every big brand. Nothing conflicts with the other strong groupings I see (rock-song openers and toilet parts), so I’ll lock this in first.

With the underwear category confirmed, I look again at the remaining words: BABA, HOTEL, HANDLE, STAIRWAY, PRANK, FOOL, CHAIN, PUNK, FLAPPER, FLOAT, TRICK, BOHEMIAN I notice four of these are distinctive opening words of very famous classic-rock song titles: • STAIRWAY → “Stairway to Heaven” (Led Zeppelin) • HOTEL → “Hotel California” (Eagles) • BOHEMIAN → “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Queen) • BABA → “Baba O’Riley” (The Who) No other word in the list fits that pattern as cleanly, so this quartet feels solid and self-contained, leaving the rest to form two tidy groups (toilet-tank parts and prank synonyms) later.

Eight words remain: HANDLE, CHAIN, FLAPPER, FLOAT, PRANK, TRICK, FOOL, PUNK I see two clean, non-overlapping categories: 1. Parts you’ll find inside a toilet tank: • HANDLE – the lever you push to flush • CHAIN – connects the handle to the flapper • FLAPPER – rubber valve that lifts to release water • FLOAT – ball/column that rises with water to stop refilling 2. Words meaning “to play a practical joke on”: • PRANK – the noun/verb itself • TRICK – classic synonym • FOOL – “to fool someone” • PUNK – Ashton Kutcher’s show popularized “You got punked!” as “you were pranked” These two sets don’t share members, and every leftover word fits neatly into one of them. I’ll submit the toilet-parts group first.

Only four words remain, and they all serve as verbs or nouns for deceiving or playing a joke on someone. With the other three categories confirmed, this leftover grouping is certain.

I see a clear set of four words that are all types of malicious software or attack vectors in computing. Grouping those together first should confirm (or eliminate) one obvious category and help narrow the rest.

Among the remaining words, four are unmistakably brands of chewing gum (all widely sold in the U.S. and elsewhere). Identifying that set now will help confirm or rule out other overlaps. Chewing-gum brands: • EXTRA • ORBIT • ICE BREAKERS • TRIDENT

Two distinct sets appear in the eight remaining words. Set 1 (the one I’ll try now): four near-synonyms for “defense/protect.” • SHIELD • GUARD • PROTECTION • AEGIS If that’s correct, the last four words—LIGHTNING BOLT, BUFFALO, HORSESHOE, FLEUR-DE-LIS—would naturally form the other leftover category (icons that serve as NFL team logos: Chargers, Bills, Colts, Saints). I’ll lock in the synonym group first.

Only four words remain, so the category is necessarily correct if these four form a single group. LIGHTNING BOLT → Los Angeles Chargers logo BUFFALO → Buffalo Bills logo/mascot HORSESHOE → Indianapolis Colts logo FLEUR-DE-LIS → New Orleans Saints logo Those are all symbols featured on NFL team helmets.

Scanning the list, several words immediately evoke classic amusement-park attractions when paired with another common word: 1. MERRY → MERRY-GO-ROUND 2. ROLLER → ROLLER COASTER 3. FERRIS → FERRIS WHEEL 4. BUMPER → BUMPER CARS These four clearly form a tight, well-known set of carnival / amusement-park rides. No other available word fits that theme as neatly. Therefore this looks like a strong first group to try.

Step-by-step scan for a rock-solid, self-contained set: • RUBBER, BABY, BUGGY, BUMPER jump out immediately as the four words in the classic tongue-twister “Rubber baby buggy bumpers.” • None of the other available words (MERRY, ROLLER, etc.) fit that phrase, and these four don’t clearly fit any of the other emerging themes (luggage terms, cheerful adjectives, 1980s movie characters). • Because the phrase is so specific—and uses exactly these four words, in this order—it’s very unlikely they belong anywhere else. • Therefore this feels like the safest next submission.

A quick scan shows four words that pair *very* naturally with “bag” or “suitcase,” describing common luggage styles: • DUFFEL → duffel bag • CARRY-ON → carry-on bag • ROLLER → roller bag / roller suitcase • HARD-SHELL → hard-shell suitcase No other remaining word fits the luggage idea as cleanly, and each of these is routinely used on its own to specify a type of bag when traveling. That self-contained, highly specific connection feels strong enough to try now.

Eight words remain: MERRY, BRIGHT, SUNNY, BOUNCY, HEATHER, FERRIS, PEE-WEE, INDIANA. Look for a tight, unmistakable quartet. HEATHER, FERRIS, PEE-WEE, and INDIANA are all the distinctive first names (or nicknames) that headline hit 1980s films: • Heathers (1989) – teen dark comedy • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) – teen comedy • Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985) – cult comedy • Indiana Jones franchise – action/adventure, with installments in 1981, ’84, ’89 No other remaining word is a person’s name or appears in an ’80s movie title, so these four belong together. I’ll lock that in.

Only four words remain: MERRY, BRIGHT, SUNNY, BOUNCY. All four function as adjectives meaning cheerful, lively, or full of good spirits: • merry = cheerful, jolly • bright = happy, optimistic in mood (e.g., “a bright smile”) • sunny = radiantly cheerful (“a sunny disposition”) • bouncy = lively, energetic, upbeat There are no other words left to mix with them, and they plainly share that semantic link. So the last set must be these four “cheerful adjectives.”

I want a category that has exactly four clear members, without any extra “maybes.” Looking over the list, I see four verbs that all mean “to make ready”: • EQUIP – to supply what’s needed • PREPARE – to get things ready • OUTFIT – to equip or supply • READY – verb form meaning to prepare No other word in the list is a verb with that same “make ready” sense (ABLE, WILLING, etc. are adjectives). So these four look like a clean, self-contained set; I’ll try them first.

We still need three more categories. 1. Scan for a clean quartet of synonyms. • EAGER, GAME, WILLING, and DOWN all mean “inclined to participate” (“I’m eager/game/willing/down to go”). No other remaining word fits that sense (ABLE is more “capable” than “willing”). So these four look like a tight set. 2. A quick sanity-check of the leftovers after removing those four: • CANE, ABLE, EAVE, NOAA – homophones of Genesis names (Cain, Abel, Eve, Noah). • NASA, N.F.L., PARAMOUNT, SUBARU – well-known organizations whose logos feature stars. Both of those remaining quartets are tidy, so taking the “willing” set now feels safe. Therefore I’ll submit the synonym group next.

Two groups remain. The eight unused words are: CANE, ABLE, EAVE, NOAA NASA, N.F.L., PARAMOUNT, SUBARU I see one tidy set: Organizations with stars in their logos • NASA – “meatball” logo with white stars • N.F.L. – shield topped by eight white stars • PARAMOUNT – mountain encircled by stars • SUBARU – six-star Pleiades cluster on the badge Those four go neatly together and leave exactly four words ­– CANE, ABLE, EAVE, NOAA – that are homophones of biblical names (Cain, Abel, Eve, Noah). The partition is clean, so I’ll lock in the star-logo group now.

Only four words remain, and they must form the last category: CANE → sounds like “Cain” ABLE → sounds like “Abel” EAVE → sounds like “Eve” NOAA → sounds like “Noah” All are homophones of figures from the Book of Genesis. No other words remain, so this is certainly the final group.

First, I scan the list for any obvious, tight grouping of four words. One set stands out immediately: CHORAL, RAP, JAZZ, and AMERICANA are all clearly names of musical genres or styles. None of the other available words fits naturally into a “music genre” category, and these four fit perfectly together. Because this grouping is both specific and unambiguous, it’s a strong candidate for a correct set, and it’s sensible to test it first while all six guesses remain.

After removing the four musical-genre words, twelve remain: SHADE, SPLIT, BROKE, SPIRIT, CALL, BURST, READ, BLEW, WIGHT, SPECTER, DIVINE, FORECAST 1. Ghostly synonyms • SHADE (a ghost’s “shade”) • SPIRIT • SPECTER • WIGHT (archaic for an apparition) These four neatly form a classic “ghost / apparition” set, with no overlap from the other eight words. Before locking that in, I scan the other leftovers to be certain no alternative word fits the ghost idea better; none do. So testing the ghost group now is low-risk and will immediately confirm or eliminate a clear category.

Eight words remain: SPLIT, BROKE, CALL, BURST, READ, BLEW, DIVINE, FORECAST I see two tidy ways to divide them: A. “Predict” synonyms • CALL (sports commentators “call” the winner) • READ (to “read” the future or tea leaves) • DIVINE (literally “divine” the outcome) • FORECAST (predict weather, demand, etc.) These four all mean “to predict” and none of the other four do. B. Verbs commonly paired with “OPEN” • BROKE open • SPLIT open • BURST open • BLEW open Those four form a cohesive physical-action set and do not overlap the prediction words. Because both groupings are clean, order is arbitrary; I’ll submit the prediction quartet first.

Only four unused words remain, so they must compose the final group. They all commonly precede “OPEN” in everyday phrases: • BROKE open • SPLIT open • BURST open • BLEW open No other words are left, so this set is certain.

First I look for obvious thematic links among the 16 words. 1. I notice four verbs that all mean “cheat or swindle” in slang or standard usage: • FLEECE (to cheat someone out of money) • ROB (to steal from) • HOSE (slang: to cheat or rip off) • STIFF (slang: to refuse to pay, cheat a server on a tip) Because each of these words clearly shares that definition and none of the other available words fit this sense, I believe they form a strong, self-contained set. It’s the most confident grouping, so I’ll submit it first to test the waters and conserve guesses for the trickier categories later. If correct, it will also confirm that my reading of slang terms is accepted by the puzzle. Other potential future groupings I’ve tentatively identified (not submitting yet): • Plant parts: EAR, HEAD, STALK, BULB • Airplane parts: WING, ENGINE, NOSE, CABIN • Items made of or associated with WAX: HONEYCOMB, CANDLE, SEAL, CRAYON But first, let’s verify the “swindle” verbs group.

With the cheating-verbs group confirmed, three tidy, non-overlapping quartets remain: A. Airplane parts: ENGINE, WING, NOSE, CABIN B. Plant structures: BULB, EAR, HEAD, STALK C. Things commonly made of or sealed with WAX: CANDLE, HONEYCOMB, CRAYON, SEAL None of the words appear in more than one of those proposed sets, so there’s no conflict. The airplane set feels straightforward and least ambiguous (every commercial plane has a nose, wings, engines, and a passenger cabin), so I’ll lock that in next to further narrow the field.

The eight remaining words separate cleanly into two symmetric quartets: 1. Plant structures: • BULB – e.g., a tulip or onion bulb • STALK – the stem supporting leaves or a flower • EAR – an ear of corn or grain • HEAD – the head of lettuce, sunflower, etc. 2. Things associated with wax: • CANDLE – made of wax • HONEYCOMB – built from beeswax • CRAYON – primarily wax • SEAL – a wax seal on a letter or certificate There is no overlap or ambiguity left, so I’ll submit the plant-parts set first.

Only four words remain, and they’re unified by their clear connection to wax. • CANDLE – traditionally made from wax. • CRAYON – a coloring stick whose primary ingredient is wax. • HONEYCOMB – the hexagonal structure bees build from beeswax. • SEAL – as in a wax seal used to close letters or documents. Because these are the last unused words and they share the same wax-based theme, this has to be the final category.

Looking for tight, exclusive relationships among the 16 words: 1. KIND, WARM, SWEET, TENDER all precede “-HEARTED,” describing a compassionate disposition. 2. ARM, WING, FIN, FLIPPER are animal/human appendages. 3. FIDDLE, FRITTER, THROW, TRIFLE can all be followed by “AWAY.” 4. MICROWAVE, STOVETOP, KETTLE, POPPER are ways or devices for making popcorn. The “-HEARTED” set feels especially clear and unambiguous, so I’ll test that first.

With KIND, WARM, SWEET, TENDER removed, the remaining words are: FIN, WING, MICROWAVE, STOVETOP, FIDDLE, KETTLE, THROW, FRITTER, POPPER, TRIFLE, ARM, FLIPPER I see a clear quartet of body/animal appendages: • ARM (human limb) • WING (bird limb) • FIN (fish limb) • FLIPPER (marine mammal limb) These four fit neatly together and don’t seem to overlap strongly with any other candidate groups, so I’ll try them next.

The remaining words are: MICROWAVE, STOVETOP, KETTLE, POPPER, FIDDLE, FRITTER, THROW, TRIFLE Two clean-looking categories appear: A. FIDDLE, FRITTER, THROW, TRIFLE — verbs often followed by “AWAY” (fiddle away, fritter away, throw away, trifle away). B. MICROWAVE, STOVETOP, KETTLE, POPPER — places/appliances to make popcorn. I’ll submit the “AWAY” verbs first.

Only four ungrouped words remain, and they all relate to popcorn preparation devices or methods—making them a self-evident final set.