In this puzzle, solvers often get stuck when trying to differentiate between groups that may share superficial similarities. For instance, the words 'BRAD' and 'PIN' could easily mislead players as they might think of them in the context of crafting or DIY projects, which can lead them to consider them as part of a different grouping. Additionally, the terms 'TAP' and 'WELL' might cause confusion because both can relate to water sources, but one is more associated with plumbing while the other refers to a natural water source. This type of overlap can create uncertainty and delay in identifying the correct categories.

To distinguish the real groups from plausible decoys, solvers should look for strong thematic connections among the words. For example, in the yellow category, all terms are directly related to sources of drinking water, while in the green category, the words are actions associated with playing football. Recognizing these clear relationships can help eliminate distractions from words that may seem related but do not belong in the same group. Players should also pay attention to specific terminologies that define a category well, such as the names of characters from a specific franchise like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which can help solidify the grouping based on cultural references.

One heuristic that can be useful for future puzzles is to first identify the most distinctive or unique word in each grouping. For example, knowing that 'RAP' is distinctly a character's name from a specific series can help anchor the other related terms in that category. Another takeaway is to categorize words based on their functional relationships; for instance, grouping actions together or identifying items by their use case can streamline the process of forming correct clusters.