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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.
COMPACT
COMPRESSED
CRANIUM
CROQUETTE
DENSE
DUCTILE
FRANCIUM
HOCKEY
LEAD
MERCURY
MICROPHONE
MONITOR
POLONIUM
PRINTER
SQUASHED
TRACKPAD
Themes
The four category names, easiest to hardest. No words revealed yet.
COMPUTER PERIPHERALSStraightforward
TIGHTLY PACKEDModerate
HAZARDOUS ELEMENTAL METALSTricky
STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONESDevious
One word per group
Theme name plus one word from each category.
COMPUTER PERIPHERALSStraightforward
THINGS YOU MIGHT PLUG INTO YOUR LAPTOP OR DESKTOP+ 3 more…
TIGHTLY PACKEDModerate
WORDS MEANING SQUISHED OR CRAMMED TOGETHER+ 3 more…
HAZARDOUS ELEMENTAL METALSTricky
ELEMENTS ON THE PERIODIC TABLE THAT ARE DANGEROUS TO HANDLE+ 3 more…
STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONESDevious
EACH WORD SECRETLY BEGINS WITH THE SOUND OF A BIRD+ 3 more…
Full solution
COMPUTER PERIPHERALSStraightforward
MICROPHONE,MONITOR,PRINTER,TRACKPAD
MICROPHONE, MONITOR, PRINTER, and TRACKPAD are all external devices connected to a computer to extend its functionality
TIGHTLY PACKEDModerate
COMPACT,COMPRESSED,DENSE,SQUASHED
COMPACT, COMPRESSED, DENSE, and SQUASHED all describe something tightly packed or reduced in space
HAZARDOUS ELEMENTAL METALSTricky
FRANCIUM,LEAD,MERCURY,POLONIUM
FRANCIUM, LEAD, MERCURY, and POLONIUM are all metallic elements known for their toxicity or extreme reactivity and danger to humans
STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONESDevious
CRANIUM,CROQUETTE,DUCTILE,HOCKEY
CRANIUM starts with CRANE, CROQUETTE starts with CROW, DUCTILE starts with DUCK, and HOCKEY starts with HAWK — each begins with a homophone of a bird