How to play · Common Ground
Common Ground: a free word grouping puzzle
Common Ground is a grouping puzzle. You get sixteen words, and they belong in four groups of four. Each group shares a connection: a category, a shared trait or some wordplay. Find all four groups to finish.
Play a Common Ground puzzleFree. No account. No timer.
How to play
Tap four words you think belong together, then tap Check group. If you are right, the four words are set aside together under the name of their group. If not, the words stay on the board and you can try another combination. When three of your four words belong together, the puzzle says “One word away.” Shuffle rearranges the remaining words, Deselect clears your current choice, and Start over resets the board.
A worked example
Suppose the board includes EGG, SNAIL, TURTLE and NUT. All four have a shell, so they could make a group. But if BOLT, SCREW and WASHER are on the board too, NUT might belong with them instead, as things you find in a box of hardware. The trick is to look for a fourth shell before you commit NUT anywhere. If you spot OYSTER, then OYSTER joins the shells and NUT goes with the hardware. This is a worked example, not the answer to a particular daily puzzle.
Strategies for tricky boards
- Look for the narrowest group first. “Shades of blue” has fewer possible members than “things in a kitchen”, so it is easier to complete without mistakes.
- Watch for words that fit twice. Most boards include a word or two that seems to belong in more than one group. Hold them back until the other groups are clearer.
- Think beyond the obvious meaning. Some groups are about words rather than things: words that come before CAKE, or things that have a face. Try reading each word as part of a longer phrase.
- Use “One word away.” It tells you three of your four are right. Swap one word at a time, starting with the word you were least sure about.
- Shuffle when you are stuck. A new arrangement breaks up accidental patterns and helps fresh connections stand out.
Easy, Medium and Hard
In the Daily Five, Easy groups are concrete everyday categories, such as parts of a tree or units of time. Medium adds more specific categories. Hard includes wordplay groups, where the connection is about the words themselves rather than what they describe.
No lives to lose
A wrong guess costs nothing. There is no limit on attempts and no timer, so you can try combinations until the groups fall into place. Your found groups save in this browser.
When you get stuck
Stuck? Tap Hint on any puzzle. Every board has three free hints, and checking your work is always free. Boosts are bigger hints that you earn by finishing puzzles. Your progress saves in this browser, so you can stop and come back later.
Common questions
Does each word belong to only one group?
Yes. Some words look as if they fit two groups, but each word has exactly one home in the finished puzzle.
Does the order of the groups matter?
No. Find them in any order you like.
Is it free?
Yes. Every puzzle is free, with no subscription and no account. There’s no timer either, so take as long as you like.
Does my progress save?
Yes. Progress saves automatically in this browser on this device, with no account needed. Private browsing, or clearing your browser’s data, removes it. To keep a copy, open Help and choose Download a backup.