LinkedIn Pinpoint #537 opens with Waffle, Tire, Branding. At first glance they feel unrelated, but pairing each one with “Words that come before “iron” — all the clues can directly precede “iron” to create meaningful compound words.” reveals a consistent pattern. When a clue instantly snaps into a common phrase, write that idea down before chasing more exotic theories.
Once clues such as “Branding”, “Curling” fall into place, check the expressions against dictionaries or everyday usage. If the combined phrase sounds natural, keeps the base word intact, and appears in print or reputable references, it belongs to the solution set. Any construction that demands tense shifts, awkward hyphenation, or rare idioms is usually a decoy.