This puzzle is part of the Monthly Topic Challenge #1: Restricted Title: xkcd 1xxx
Instructions for this modified connecting wall:
- In the connecting wall below, each item as written contains one letter too many. Once this spare letter is removed, the real word to be categorised is an anagram of the remaining letters.
- Appropriately categorise these anagrams into four groups of four, as per your standard connecting wall. The themes for each category are... well, you'll work it out soon enough... The four spare letters for each group can then be anagrammed into a real four-letter word. (In some cases, more than one anagram is possible - you will need to deduce the intended one when working through Step 3 below...)
- These four four-letter words are in turn linked by one final (contextually appropriate) five-letter word - what is it?
ABORTION | CHIANG MAI | DURIANS | ESPECIAL |
FEDERAL | IN THE CLEAR | MALISM | MOULDED |
OH DEAR | OINKED | ONRUSH | PETUNIAS |
PRETORIUS | SERAPH | SYNDICATE | TITIAN |