Permanent answer & walkthrough (Pinpoint Today archive)
Pinpoint Answer Today asks: what links Window, Pipe, Dry, Street, and Vacuum — and what story do they share? Follow the spoiler-safe hints one by one, then reveal the final connection and see how each clue fits together.
Window Pipe Dry Street — What connects Window, Pipe, Dry, Street?
LinkedIn Pinpoint #578 Answer:
Detailed breakdown continues just below - keep scrolling
Today's Pinpoint puzzle threads together five everyday words that sound like the start of chores or errands: Window, Pipe, Dry, Street, and Vacuum. Seen one by one, they tempt you toward themes like household cleaning, plumbing, or general "life admin," yet none of those buckets cleanly fits all five. The real connection hides in what comes after each word, when a single everyday noun snaps them into phrases you hear all the time.
Household chores
Window and Vacuum both feel at home in a chores theme, so it is natural to assume the board is about things you do around the house. Pipe cleaner and Street cleaner, however, are objects or vehicles, not chores you perform, and Dry cleaner is a service, so the idea breaks quickly.
Plumbing or construction
Pipe points hard toward plumbing, and Street could push you toward outdoor or construction work. Dry and Vacuum do not belong in that toolbox at all, and Window reads more like glass or a view than infrastructure. Because three of the clues never sit comfortably in a plumbing or construction frame, this theme can't be the final answer.
Cleaning tools
Vacuum cleaner is an obvious tool, and pipe cleaners are used in crafts and cleaning, so it is tempting to bundle everything under equipment. Dry cleaner is a service and Street cleaner is a vehicle, not handheld tools, so the set refuses to be "all cleaning tools." Only the shared word cleaner covers every clue.
| Word | Origin | In Context (Usage) | Meaning & Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window | — | “Window cleaner” | A spray used to wash glass surfaces, matching the connector. |
| Pipe | — | “Pipe cleaner” | Craft wire once used to clean pipes, now common in art projects, still using the "cleaner" phrase. |
| Dry | — | “Dry cleaner” | A service that cleans garments with solvents instead of water. |
| Street | — | “Street cleaner” | A vehicle that sweeps debris off roads, keeping the same connector. |
| Vacuum | — | “Vacuum cleaner” | A suction appliance for floors and carpets, the most common "cleaner" phrase. |
Test one suffix across all clues
When several clues sound like they could start common phrases, pick one simple word—like cleaner, time, or card—and try it after each clue. If it forms five fluent combinations, you have likely found the suffix-based connector.
Drop partial themes quickly
If a hypothesis drops even one clue—like household chores or cleaning tools—switch to a simpler connector that covers all five.
Say potential phrases out loud
Testing how each clue sounds when combined with a potential connector helps you spot which combinations feel natural and which feel forced.
Treat services and vehicles as hints, not outliers
When clues include services (like dry cleaner) or vehicles (like street cleaner), don't dismiss them as exceptions. They often point to a broader pattern that includes all clue types.
They are all words that come before "cleaner" in everyday phrases: window cleaner, pipe cleaner, dry cleaner, street cleaner, and vacuum cleaner. Each clue becomes a natural expression once you add the same word after it.
Vacuum cleaner is a tool, but dry cleaner is a service and street cleaner is a vehicle. Because not every clue is a tool, the stronger connector is the shared word "cleaner" that follows each clue, not the loose idea of tools.
Household chores feel close because you might associate window cleaner and vacuum cleaner with chores. However, pipe cleaner and street cleaner are not chores you perform, so that theme misses multiple clues and can't be accepted as the final connector.
When several clues sound like they could start common phrases, pick one simple word—like cleaner, time, or card—and try it after each clue. If it forms five fluent combinations, you have likely found the suffix-based connector.
