LinkedIn Pinpoint #558: New York City, Beehives, Playing cards, Chess sets, LinkedIn Games

Q: What connects New York City, Beehives, Playing cards, Chess sets, LinkedIn Games in Pinpoint #558?

For LinkedIn Pinpoint #558, The connector is “Things that contain ‘Queens'”. For example, New York City contains the borough of Queens, and a deck of playing cards contains the Queen card. This viewpoint comes directly from our walkthrough notes.

Q: Why isn't the answer 'Things with distinct groups'?

For LinkedIn Pinpoint #558, While some clues fit, like NYC with its boroughs or a card deck with its suits, it doesn’t work for all five. Chess sets and LinkedIn Games do not fit this description, so a valid connector must apply to every clue on the board. This viewpoint comes directly from our walkthrough notes.

Q: Would 'Rooks' also be a valid connector for this puzzle?

For LinkedIn Pinpoint #558, No, because while a chess set has a rook and NYC has a neighborhood (The Roxy) that sounds similar, the other clues like beehives and playing cards do not have a direct connection to the word ‘Rook’. This viewpoint comes directly from our walkthrough notes.

Q: How can I solve similar word-based puzzles faster?

For LinkedIn Pinpoint #558, If you have a theory that seems to fit the first 2-3 clues, immediately test it against the remaining ones. If it breaks, pivot to a word-search approach, looking for common prefixes, suffixes, or a small shared word within the clue text itself. This viewpoint comes directly from our walkthrough notes.

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LinkedIn Pinpoint #558 Answer:

Detailed breakdown continues just below - keep scrolling

Pinpoint #558 Walkthrough & Analysis

Puzzle Overview

Today’s LinkedIn Pinpoint #558 starts with a few heavy hitters: New York City and Beehives. My mind immediately jumped to ‘Things with boroughs’ or perhaps ‘famous five-pointed structures,’ a plausible but quickly fading theory. The puzzle then throws Playing cards and Chess sets into the mix, which completely derails any geographical or architectural ideas. It’s clear the connection is something far more specific, hiding in plain sight within the words themselves.

How the Solution Emerged

My first instinct when I saw ‘New York City’ and ‘Beehives’ was that the connector was a geographical or structural category. I was convinced the answer was something like ‘Things with boroughs’ since NYC has them and beehives have brood chambers, which are a type of compartment. It felt like a solid start. Then ‘Playing cards’ appeared. I thought, ‘Okay, a deck has suits, so that fits the idea of sub-divisions.’ I was still leaning into my initial theory.

But then ‘Chess sets’ came up, and the theory completely fell apart. Chess has pieces, not compartments. My brain stuttered. I tried to force it, thinking maybe it was about ‘Things with distinct groups,’ but it felt incredibly loose. That’s when I stopped thinking about abstract categories and actually looked at the words. *New York City… Queen… Beehives… Queen Bee… Playing cards… Queen of Hearts…* It all clicked at once. I hadn’t even considered a simple word-in-common pattern because the first two clues felt so grand.

Once I saw it, I knew the answer had to be ‘Things that contain ‘Queens’.’ The final clue, ‘LinkedIn Games,’ was just a perfect confirmation, knowing the creator’s name. Here’s the full breakdown:

New York City → Contains the borough of Queens, one of the five boroughs of NYC.

Beehives → Contain the Queen Bee, the sole egg-laying female in the colony.

Playing cards → Contain the Queen card, typically ranking below the King.

Chess sets → Contain the Queen piece, the most powerful piece on the board.

LinkedIn Games → Created by the Queens, NY-based team at LinkedIn.

The ‘click’ moment wasn’t about complex logic, but about shifting my focus from what the things *are* to what their names *contain*. It was a great reminder that sometimes the simplest connection is the right one, hiding right in front of you.

How Each Clue Connects to "Things that contain 'Queens'"

Detailed breakdown of each clue word, example phrase, and explanation
Clue Word	Example Phrase	Connection Explained
New York City	“Queens Borough”	Queens is one of the five boroughs of New York City, signifying its geographical and administrative importance.
Beehives	“Beehives contain queen bees”	In a beehive, the queen bee is the central reproductive figure, essential for the colony's survival and structure.
Playing cards	“Queen of Hearts”	The Queen of Hearts is one of the four queens in a standard deck of playing cards, representing a specific suit.
Chess sets	“Queen's Gambit”	The Queen's Gambit is a popular chess opening that involves the strategic use of the queen piece, emphasizing its importance in chess sets.
LinkedIn Games	“Queens Gambit”	The Queens Gambit is a popular chess opening, and the game of chess is often associated with LinkedIn Games, highlighting strategic thinking and competition.

The Correct Connections

Once the answer was revealed, everything made perfect sense. Here's how each clue connects:

New York City (Queens Borough): Queens is one of the five boroughs of New York City, signifying its geographical and administrative importance.
Beehives (Beehives contain queen bees): In a beehive, the queen bee is the central reproductive figure, essential for the colony's survival and structure.
Playing cards (Queen of Hearts): The Queen of Hearts is one of the four queens in a standard deck of playing cards, representing a specific suit.
Chess sets (Queen's Gambit): The Queen's Gambit is a popular chess opening that involves the strategic use of the queen piece, emphasizing its importance in chess sets.
LinkedIn Games (Queens Gambit): The Queens Gambit is a popular chess opening, and the game of chess is often associated with LinkedIn Games, highlighting strategic thinking and competition.

Lessons Learned from Pinpoint #558

1
Don't overthink the first clues
The first clues, like ‘New York City’ and ‘Beehives,’ can lead you down complex, abstract paths about structure or geography. This puzzle teaches you to hold that initial theory lightly and be ready to abandon it when a simpler pattern emerges.
2
Search for a literal word in common
If your category-based theory is failing, perform a quick mental scan of the clue words. Look for a short, common word like ‘King,’ ‘Bar,’ or in this case, ‘Queens’ that appears as a component. The connector is often this simple, hiding in the words themselves.
3
Let the outliers guide you
Pay attention to clues that seem to break your pattern. The clue ‘Chess sets’ was the key for me; it made me realize my ‘distinct groups’ theory was flawed and forced me to re-examine the clues from a completely different, more literal angle.

FAQ

What connects New York City, Beehives, Playing cards, Chess sets, LinkedIn Games in Pinpoint #558?

The connector is “Things that contain ‘Queens'”. For example, New York City contains the borough of Queens, and a deck of playing cards contains the Queen card.

Why isn't the answer 'Things with distinct groups'?

While some clues fit, like NYC with its boroughs or a card deck with its suits, it doesn’t work for all five. Chess sets and LinkedIn Games do not fit this description, so a valid connector must apply to every clue on the board.

Would 'Rooks' also be a valid connector for this puzzle?

No, because while a chess set has a rook and NYC has a neighborhood (The Roxy) that sounds similar, the other clues like beehives and playing cards do not have a direct connection to the word ‘Rook’.

How can I solve similar word-based puzzles faster?

If you have a theory that seems to fit the first 2-3 clues, immediately test it against the remaining ones. If it breaks, pivot to a word-search approach, looking for common prefixes, suffixes, or a small shared word within the clue text itself.