Jump to a hint level
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
← Back to hint toolLoad any date with the interactive hint ladder
Word grid
All 16 words, sorted alphabetically. Group them into four categories of four.
CHINATOWN
COLOR
CREEP
ELEGY
KARMA
KEYED
KNIVES OUT
PONZI
PYRAMID
RHYME
SEVEN
SHANDY
SLIP
SNEAK
STEAL
VERTIGO
Themes
The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.
MOVE STEALTHILY, WITH "IN"Straightforward
KINDS OF SCHEMESModerate
DETECTIVE MOVIESTricky
BODY PARTS SURROUNDED BY TWO LETTERSDevious
One word per group
Theme name plus one word from each category.
MOVE STEALTHILY, WITH "IN"Straightforward
ADD 'IN' BEFORE EACH OF THESE TO MEAN MOVING QUIETLY AND SECRETLY+ 3 more…
KINDS OF SCHEMESModerate
THESE ALL PRECEDE 'SCHEME' TO DESCRIBE A TYPE OF PLAN OR CON+ 3 more…
DETECTIVE MOVIESTricky
CLASSIC AND MODERN FILMS WHERE SOLVING A MYSTERY IS CENTRAL+ 3 more…
BODY PARTS SURROUNDED BY TWO LETTERSDevious
EACH WORD HIDES A BODY PART SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO LETTERS+ 3 more…
Full solution
MOVE STEALTHILY, WITH "IN"Straightforward
CREEP,SLIP,SNEAK,STEAL
CREEP, SLIP, SNEAK, and STEAL can all follow 'in' to mean move stealthily: increep, inslip, insneak, insteal — or more commonly 'sneak in,' 'slip in,' 'creep in,' 'steal in'
KINDS OF SCHEMESModerate
COLOR,PONZI,PYRAMID,RHYME
COLOR scheme, PONZI scheme, PYRAMID scheme, and RHYME scheme are all common compound phrases using the word 'scheme'
DETECTIVE MOVIESTricky
CHINATOWN,KNIVES OUT,SEVEN,VERTIGO
CHINATOWN (1974), KNIVES OUT (2019), SEVEN (1995), and VERTIGO (1958) are all celebrated detective or mystery films
BODY PARTS SURROUNDED BY TWO LETTERSDevious
ELEGY,KARMA,KEYED,SHANDY
ELEGY contains LEG, KARMA contains ARM, KEYED contains EYE, and SHANDY contains HAND — each body part is surrounded by one letter on each side