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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.
AVIS
BUDGET
DOLLAR
DUMMY
ERSATZ
FAUX
FRITZ
FUTZ
HERTZ
MESS
MOCK
PLAYS
TINKER
TOY
TRUFFLES
YUTZ
Themes
The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.
IMITATIONStraightforward
PLAY AROUND (WITH)Moderate
CAR RENTAL COMPANIESTricky
SNACK BRANDS PLUS STARTING LETTERDevious
One word per group
Theme name plus one word from each category.
IMITATIONStraightforward
WORDS MEANING FAKE OR NOT THE REAL THING+ 3 more…
PLAY AROUND (WITH)Moderate
VERBS FOR CASUALLY TINKERING OR FIDDLING WITH SOMETHING+ 3 more…
CAR RENTAL COMPANIESTricky
PLACES YOU GO TO RENT A VEHICLE+ 3 more…
SNACK BRANDS PLUS STARTING LETTERDevious
SNACK BRAND NAMES HIDDEN INSIDE EACH WORD (PLUS AN EXTRA LETTER AT THE START)+ 3 more…
Full solution
IMITATIONStraightforward
DUMMY,ERSATZ,FAUX,MOCK
DUMMY, ERSATZ, FAUX, and MOCK all mean imitation or not genuine — a substitute for the real thing.
PLAY AROUND (WITH)Moderate
FUTZ,MESS,TINKER,TOY
FUTZ, MESS, TINKER, and TOY all mean to play around or fiddle with something in a casual, unfocused way.
CAR RENTAL COMPANIESTricky
AVIS,BUDGET,DOLLAR,HERTZ
AVIS, BUDGET, DOLLAR, and HERTZ are all well-known car rental companies.
SNACK BRANDS PLUS STARTING LETTERDevious
FRITZ,PLAYS,TRUFFLES,YUTZ
Each word contains a snack brand after removing the first letter: FRITZ = RITZ, PLAYS = LAYS, TRUFFLES = RUFFLES, YUTZ = UTZ.