In this puzzle, solvers often find themselves stuck when trying to categorize words that have overlapping meanings or associations. For example, the words "BOND" and "WED" both pertain to joining or uniting, which might confuse players who are trying to identify a distinct category. Similarly, the words "DAY" and "POLE" in the purple category can trip up solvers since they might initially think of other phrases like "day flower" or "day pole," which don’t exist. Such confusion arises when players attempt to force associations that don’t fit the intended categories, leading to misgrouping of words.

To distinguish the real groups from plausible decoys, solvers should focus on the specific characteristics that define each category. For instance, in the yellow group, all words relate to beginnings, so solvers should look for terms that unequivocally suggest the inception of something. In contrast, when examining the blue category, recognizing that all items are specific abbreviations from the '80s related to television can help solidify the grouping. Players should also be mindful of the context and the era each term originates from, as this can provide clarity in distinguishing the correct associations.

A useful heuristic for solvers to apply in future puzzles is to first identify clear, non-ambiguous words in each category before attempting to categorize the more complex terms. For example, it might be easier to start with the clear TV-related abbreviations like "MTV" and "VHS" before tackling the more abstract terms. Another strategy is to create a mental or written list of potential categories and their defining features, which can help streamline the grouping process and minimize confusion with overlapping terms.