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Show the word gridAll 16 words — you figure out the groups
Show the themesCategory names only, no words revealed
One word per groupTheme name + one word per category
Full solutionAll words and explanations
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Word grid
All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.
ALTERNATE
BELOW
BOLT
HERO
INCUBATOR
LAB
NUT
REPLACEMENT
SANDBOX
SCREW
SEESAW
SUBMARINE
SWITCH
TEST BED
TOGGLE
WASHER
Themes
The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.
BITS OF HARDWAREStraightforward
PLACES WHERE IDEAS ARE DEVELOPEDModerate
GO BACK AND FORTHTricky
WHAT "SUB" MIGHT REFER TODevious
One word per group
Theme name plus one word from each category.
BITS OF HARDWAREStraightforward
SMALL FASTENERS YOU'D FIND IN A TOOLBOX+ 3 more…
PLACES WHERE IDEAS ARE DEVELOPEDModerate
SPACES DESIGNED TO NURTURE AND TEST NEW CONCEPTS+ 3 more…
GO BACK AND FORTHTricky
MOVE REPEATEDLY BETWEEN TWO STATES OR POSITIONS+ 3 more…
WHAT "SUB" MIGHT REFER TODevious
DIFFERENT MEANINGS OF A COMMON THREE-LETTER PREFIX+ 3 more…
Full solution
BITS OF HARDWAREStraightforward
BOLT,NUT,SCREW,WASHER
BOLT, NUT, SCREW, and WASHER are all common hardware fasteners used in construction and assembly.
PLACES WHERE IDEAS ARE DEVELOPEDModerate
INCUBATOR,LAB,SANDBOX,TEST BED
INCUBATOR, LAB, SANDBOX, and TEST BED are all environments or settings where ideas, products, or technologies are developed and tested.
GO BACK AND FORTHTricky
ALTERNATE,SEESAW,SWITCH,TOGGLE
ALTERNATE, SEESAW, SWITCH, and TOGGLE all mean to move or shift back and forth between two options or states.
WHAT "SUB" MIGHT REFER TODevious
BELOW,HERO,REPLACEMENT,SUBMARINE
SUB can refer to BELOW (under), a HERO (sub sandwich), a REPLACEMENT (substitute), or a SUBMARINE — all meanings of the prefix or abbreviation 'sub'.