LinkedIn Pinpoint #871 Hints & Answer: Sandy Desert & Salt Lake
Pinpoint answer #871, the LinkedIn Pinpoint solution, and a clue-by-clue solve path
Updated Sep 18, 12:00 AM PDT: LinkedIn Pinpoint #871 (Sep 18) begins with “Sandy Desert” and “Salt Lake.” Reveal the remaining clues and verified category only when you are ready.
Answer at a glance
LinkedIn Pinpoint #871 answer:
Answer: Geographic place names when preceded by “Great”. Each clue is a well-known geographic feature that becomes its familiar proper name by adding the same leading word. “Sandy Desert” points to Great Sandy Desert, “Salt Lake” to Great Salt Lake, “Rift Valley” to Great Rift Valley, “Barrier Reef” to Great Barrier Reef, and the final clue confirms the pattern with Great Britain (England+Scotland+Wales).
Automated explanation · not human reviewed ·
Source: the public LinkedIn Pinpoint game. Our explanations and solving path are independently written; this site is not affiliated with LinkedIn or Microsoft.
The reasoning below is an explanatory route through the clues, not a record of a person's live attempt. Sources, automation and limits →
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♧ 5 Clues
Why “Geographic place names when preceded by “Great”” Connects All Five Clues
A tempting alternative is “famous geographic landmarks” or even “things that can be described as big,” since deserts, lakes, valleys, reefs, and Britain all have scale associations. But clue 5 is a clincher: “Britain: England+Scotland+Wales” specifically evokes the fixed proper noun “Great Britain,” not a generic size description. Once that is seen, the earlier clues stop being loose categories and instead read as incomplete place names awaiting the same prefix.
A Reasoning Path for Pinpoint #871
Step 1: Start by treating “Sandy Desert” and “Salt Lake” as truncated proper names rather than generic features; search for a shared missing opener that makes each a standard geographic term.
Step 2: Test the emerging prefix against clue 3, “Rift Valley,” and keep only the option that yields a widely recognized named region without changing the clue’s core wording.
Step 3: Confirm with clues 4 and 5: “Barrier Reef” should lock into a famous full name, and “Britain: England+Scotland+Wales” should match the same prefix as a conventional political-geographic label.
Clue Evidence Table
| Clue | Connection evidence | Reveal order |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy Desert | Clue 1, “Sandy Desert,” matches the proper name Great Sandy Desert when preceded by the word “Great,” fitting the theme of prefixed place names. | Clue 1 of 5 |
| Salt Lake | Clue 2, “Salt Lake,” becomes Great Salt Lake with the same “Great” prefix, showing the pattern applies across different types of landforms. | Clue 2 of 5 |
| Rift Valley | Clue 3, “Rift Valley,” aligns with Great Rift Valley once “Great” is added, reinforcing that the missing word is a consistent name-forming prefix. | Clue 3 of 5 |
| Barrier Reef | Clue 4, “Barrier Reef,” resolves cleanly to Great Barrier Reef by inserting “Great,” a globally known geographic feature that follows the same structure. | Clue 4 of 5 |
| Britain: England+Scotland+Wales | Clue 5, “Britain: England+Scotland+Wales,” indicates Great Britain, confirming the intended shared prefix and anchoring the set as place names rather than mere descriptions. | Clue 5 of 5 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the opening clues for LinkedIn Pinpoint #871?
The opening clues are Sandy Desert and Salt Lake. The puzzle contains five clues in total.
How can I test a possible connection for Sandy Desert and Salt Lake?
Consider literal meanings, familiar phrases, and shared categories. Test your proposed rule against each remaining clue; reject it if a clue needs a different rule to fit.
Can I reveal clues before the answer in Pinpoint #871?
Yes. Select a covered clue to reveal clues up to that point. The Reveal answer button is separate, so revealing a clue does not reveal the category in the puzzle card. The explanation section below contains spoilers.
