36 answer guides
Word Connections & Shared Phrases
Pinpoint puzzles built around a word that comes before, after, or completes every clue. Each guide labels its editing status and explains the clue connections.
How to test this connection
Write the same connector before and after each clue. Keep its position consistent. A phrase can be idiomatic, but it must be a normal expression, not a phrase invented to rescue the guess.
A common wrong turn
Do not classify the set by one clue's subject. A breadcrumb trail is about the shared word trail, not food; a paper trail need not be a walking route.
A worked comparison
In #750, false trail, paper trail, nature trail, campaign trail and breadcrumb trail use one noun across different meanings. The variety is evidence for a word connection.
Read the example and its clue evidence →Words that come after “mixed”
Media · Bag · Blessing · Metaphor · Messages (contradictory ideas)
Read evidence →Words that come before “source”
Power · Open · Reliable · Anonymous · Go straight to the
Read evidence →Words that come after “go” in common sayings
Nuts · Bananas · Cold turkey · Viral · The extra mile
Read evidence →Words that come before “coffee”
Robusta · Arabica · Cold brew · Instant · Decaf
Read evidence →Words that come before “drop”
Rain · Tear · Name · Mic · Drag and
Read evidence →Words that come after “perfect”
Ten · Timing · Stranger · Storm · Example (no way to show better)
Read evidence →Words that come before “age”
Iron · Golden · Middle · Voting · Coming of
Read evidence →Words that come before “car”
Race · Cable · Muscle · Rental · Plug-in hybrid
Read evidence →Things associated with tracks
Trains · Music albums · Adjustable ceiling lights · Olympic stadiums for running · Mud after animals walk in it
Read evidence →Words that come before “way”
Make · Wrong · Right of · Milky · Look the other
Read evidence →Words that come after “safety”!
First · Pin · Net · Valve · In numbers
Read evidence →Words that come before “price”
Fair · Asking · Market · Sale · Name your
Read evidence →Different meanings of “bug”
Cold · Annoy · Listening device · Software glitch · Insect
Read evidence →Words that come after “front”
Runner · Line · Desk · Teeth · Row seat
Read evidence →Words that come before "boat"
Life · Show · Row · Tug · Whatever floats your
Read evidence →Words that come after "hair"
Spray · Style · Dryer · Raising · Follicle
Read evidence →Words that come before "cream"
Ice · Cold · Whipped · Shaving · Cookies and
Read evidence →Different meanings of "clip"
A rapid pace · Hit at an angle · Small metal fastener for paper · Cut with scissors · Short segment of a film
Read evidence →Words that come after "united"
Front · Kingdom · Nations · States (🎆 Happy 250th! 🎇) · We stand, divided we fall
Read evidence →Words that come before "court"
Supreme · Food · Tennis · Contempt of · The ball is in your
Read evidence →Words that come after "save" (in common sayings)
Face · Your breath · The day · Someone's skin · For a rainy day
Read evidence →Words that come before "field"
Wheat · Force · Magnetic · Track and · Level playing
Read evidence →Words That Come After "Green"
Tea · Salad · Revolution · Light · With envy
Read evidence →Words that come before "spot"
Bright · Blind · Sweet · Hits the · X marks the
Read evidence →Different meanings of "run"
Streak · Operate · Campaign (for office) · Scoring unit (cricket+baseball) · Move swiftly on foot
Read evidence →Words that come before "order"
Natural · Standing · Purchase · Pecking · Out of
Read evidence →Words that come before "class"
First · Weight · Fitness · Business · World- (the very best)
Read evidence →Words that come before "station"
Space · Power · Police · TV · Bus
Read evidence →Words that come before "flag"
White · Pirate · National · Checkered · Capture the
Read evidence →Words that come before "back"
Paper · Cut · Feed · Flash · Hump (🐋)
Read evidence →Words that come after "door"
Way · Mat · Bell · Jamb · Knob
Read evidence →Words that come before 'pool'
Car · Dating · Jury · Gene · Swimming
Read evidence →Words that come before "control"
Motor · Damage · Quality · Remote · Air traffic
Read evidence →Types of trail
False · Paper · Nature · Campaign · Breadcrumb (from Hansel & Gretel)
Read evidence →Words that come before "cut"
Clear · Short · Tax · Director's · Hair
Read evidence →Words that come after "uni"
Corn · Form · Cycle · Verse · Lateral
Read evidence →