Happy Friday, puzzlers! Today we're doing a "What Connects These?" round — five sets of clues, each hiding a common thread. Figure out what links the items in each group. Good luck!
Big Apple, Big Easy, Windy City, Mile High City
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Monopoly, Clue, Sorry!, Life
Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme
Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta
Bonus challenge: Can you name the one-word category that ties ALL FIVE lists together conceptually? (Hint: think about what each list itself represents.)
Answers
Nicknames for major U.S. cities (New York, New Orleans, Chicago, Denver)
The four innermost/rocky planets of our solar system
Classic Hasbro board games
Common herbs used in cooking (often found in an Italian herb blend)
Big Tech companies (all trillion-dollar-plus corporations)
Bonus: Each is a "Top 4/5" grouping — a short, definitive list of well-known things in a shared category. (Any thoughtful answer describing "categorized groups of familiar items" counts as a win!)
How many did you get? Share your score with a friend and see if they can beat you tomorrow.