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The 16 words below may be separated into 4 groups.
Additionally, there is a word absent from the wall which can be placed in all four of those groups.
GUN JAY KILL LOCK
LODGE MAZE MIDNIGHT MORE
PINT PRION RUNE RUNNER
SHRIVEL TIME TOOL WOLF

Can you identify the four groups?
What new word can be placed in all four of those groups?

Hint 1:

One of the four groups needs a new head

Hint 2:

One of the groups has a common suffix

Hint 3:

One of the groups likes running in movie theaters

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  • $\begingroup$ This is another tricky one...! I'm very confident I have the intended group (and its other members) for PRION, but the others are proving hard to pin down... $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Apr 20, 2022 at 10:28
  • $\begingroup$ Hints every day! Even though you'll probably have broken this wall down soon enough :) $\endgroup$
    – Auribouros
    Apr 20, 2022 at 11:17
  • $\begingroup$ Not an answer but this comes to mind rot13(xavtug) $\endgroup$
    – Riddler
    Apr 22, 2022 at 1:14

2 Answers 2

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I believe (despite a few red herrings in the list!) that the wall could be resolved as follows:

Group 1: A Periodic Table element anagrammed, plus a letter
LODGE = (GOLD+E)*
PINT = (TIN+P)*
PRION = (IRON+P)*
SHRIVEL = (SILVER+H)*

Group 2: Movies when suffixed with 'Runner'
The MAZE Runner
MIDNIGHT Runner
RUNNER Runner
TIME Runner

Group 3: First letter can be changed to 'G'
JAY → GAY
KILL → GILL
MORE → GORE
WOLF → GOLF

Group 4: Another term when suffixed with 'SMITH'
GUNsmith, LOCKsmith, RUNEsmith, TOOLsmith

Note some of the red herrings here: There is a Kevin Costner film called The GUNrunner, and MAZE can become GAZE when the initial letter is changed to a 'G'.

This means the missing word which could fit all 4 categories is:

BLADE
(LEAD+B)*
BLADE Runner
BLADE → GLADE
BLADEsmith

This also fits the title, since a good knight needs a decent blade (sword)!

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  • $\begingroup$ You did get the correct answer (Congrats!), as for the grouping, here's something to help: Gur sbhegu tebhc'f fhssvk vf nobhg perngvat $\endgroup$
    – Auribouros
    Apr 22, 2022 at 9:15
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    $\begingroup$ @Auribouros Ah, then I know what it is! I originally considered that but didn't think RUNE fitted. Will amend... $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Apr 22, 2022 at 9:17
  • $\begingroup$ @Auribouros I actually had this final answer too when I had only solved the one category, although another that might have fitted quite pleasingly was rot13(QENTBA, orvat (NETBA+Q)*)! $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Apr 22, 2022 at 9:23
  • $\begingroup$ A bit nitpicky for sure, but V hfrq genafvgvba zrgnyf nf nantenzf, your answer is great though! $\endgroup$
    – Auribouros
    Apr 22, 2022 at 9:37
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Tentative ...

Group 1:

words that can have an S added to them (not at the end) to form a new word.

PRION, MORE, KILL, TOOL (prison, morse, skill, stool).

Group 2:

words that fit together with a mode of transport to form a new word.

JAY, GUN, RUNNER, LOCK (jaywalking, railgun, roadrunner, airlock).

Group 3:

words that go together with HALF.

Half a PINT, half past MIDNIGHT, half TIME, half WOLF (werewolf?)

Remaining words, but I can't figure out the pattern for Group 4:

LODGE, MAZE, RUNE, SHRIVEL

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    $\begingroup$ Fnqyl gung'f n pbzcyrgr ohfg, n tbbq rssbeg gubhtu! $\endgroup$
    – Auribouros
    Apr 19, 2022 at 12:55
  • $\begingroup$ Maybe it’s KILL, JAY, GUN, and LOCK? With kill being “roadkill”. $\endgroup$
    – user79541
    Apr 19, 2022 at 21:30

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