In this puzzle, solvers may struggle particularly with the purple group, which features the phrase "___ MARY." Words like BLOODY, HAIL, PROUD, and VIRGIN can all seem plausible at first glance, leading to confusion. Players might get stuck trying to determine which of these words feels most natural or common in the context of the phrase, when in fact, the answer is more straightforward. For example, BLOODY MARY is a well-known term, while the other options are less familiar in combination with MARY, which can lead to indecision. Another potential pitfall lies in the blue group, where the terms FUZZ, NOISE, SNOW, and STATIC might all evoke thoughts of television issues, but the challenge is recognizing that they all relate specifically to analog TV interference. Solvers might mistakenly group them with unrelated terms if they don't focus on the theme of analog signals.

To effectively distinguish the real groups from plausible decoys, players should look for common themes or contexts that connect the words together. For instance, in the yellow group, all words relate to intensity of feelings, which can help solvers quickly identify that they belong together. In contrast, if they encounter a word that feels out of place or does not fit the emotional intensity theme, it can be a strong indicator that they are looking at a different category. Additionally, solvers should consider the relationships between words; if they can connect at least two words in a group through a shared context or experience, it is likely they belong together.

One useful heuristic for future puzzles is to identify key phrases or idioms that might be familiar and see if any of the words fit into those structures. For example, recognizing that "BLOODY MARY" is a common phrase can help solvers quickly identify the correct grouping. Another approach is to categorize words based on their emotional or thematic resonance before attempting to solve the puzzle, which can prevent mixing up words that may seem similar but belong to different groups.