LinkedIn Pinpoint Answer for February 12, 2026
LINKEDIN PINPOINT CLUES
February 12, 2026
Spiral
Toe loop
Triple Axel
Deductions (after falls)
Kiss and cry (rink area)
Clue Meanings Explained
Spiral
In this context, a spiral is a classic move where a skater glides across the ice on one foot while maintaining a specific body position—usually with the free leg extended behind them above hip level. It’s all about demonstrating flexibility, balance, and edge control.
Toe loop
This is one of the most fundamental jumps in the sport. It’s a "toe-assisted" jump, meaning the skater uses the toe pick of their skate to help launch themselves into the air for the rotation, usually taking off from a back outside edge.
Triple Axel
Widely considered one of the most difficult and prestigious jumps, the Axel is the only jump that starts with a forward takeoff. Because it starts forward and ends backward, a "triple" actually requires three and a half full rotations in the air.
Deductions (after falls)
This refers to the technical scoring system where judges must subtract points from a skater's total score if they lose their balance and hit the ice. It’s the "penalty" side of the competitive math that determines who makes the podium.
Kiss and cry (rink area)
This is the charmingly descriptive name for the small seating area located just off the ice. It’s where skaters sit with their coaches to wait for their scores to be announced on the big screen, capturing the raw emotional highs (kisses) and lows (cries) of the performance.
Welcome to another deep dive into the daily LinkedIn Pinpoint puzzle. As an analyst who spends way too much time looking at word associations and categorical logic, I found today’s puzzle to be a perfect example of how a theme can pivot from "vague and general" to "highly specialized" in just a few clicks. Today’s set of clues took us on a journey through a very specific world of grace, athleticism, and high-stakes scoring. If you aren't a fan of the Winter Olympics, this one might have felt like a bit of a climb, but the logic holds up beautifully once the pieces fall into place.
The Solve: A Tale of Wrong Turns
When the first clue, Spiral, popped up, my mind went in a dozen different directions. "Spiral" is such a generic word. I immediately thought of geometry, or maybe football passing routes. I even considered sea shells or the structure of a galaxy. Because it was so broad, I didn't want to burn a guess right away, but I kept "patterns" in the back of my mind.
Then came Toe loop. This changed the game. "Toe" and "Loop" together felt very physical. My first instinct was actually ballet. I thought, "Is this about dance positions?" I almost typed in "Ballet moves," but I hesitated because a "loop" in dance isn't quite as standard as it is in skating. I held off, waiting for a bit more confirmation.
The third clue, Triple Axel, was the absolute "Aha!" moment. You can’t hear the word "Axel" in a competitive context without thinking of ice. This is the "anchor clue"—the one that is so specific to a single niche that it eliminates all other possibilities. At this point, I knew we were looking at figure skating, but I had to be careful about the exact phrasing.
When Deductions (after falls) appeared, it confirmed that we weren't just talking about "skating" in general, but the competitive, judged aspect of the sport. It shifted the focus from just "moves" to the broader ecosystem of the competition itself.
Finally, Kiss and cry was the icing on the cake. It’s such a unique, iconic term within that world. By the time I saw this, there was no doubt. I combined the technical moves (Spiral, Toe loop, Axel) with the logistical terms (Deductions, Kiss and cry) to arrive at the final answer: Terms in figure skating.
Lessons Learned From Today's Pinpoint Solution
Identify the "Anchor Clue": In almost every Pinpoint, there is one clue that is "exclusive" to the category. While "Spiral" could be anything, "Triple Axel" can only be one thing. Learning to wait for that exclusive term prevents wasted guesses on generic categories.
Look for the "Niche Vocabulary": Terms like "Kiss and cry" are what we call jargon. When a puzzle includes jargon, the answer is almost always the name of the industry or sport that uses those specific words.
Distinguish Between General and Specific: If the clues were just "Jump, Spin, Fall," the answer might be "Things done on ice." But because the clues were "Toe loop" and "Triple Axel," the answer had to be more formal and specific to the discipline of figure skating.
Pay Attention to Parentheticals: The hints in parentheses, like "(after falls)" and "(rink area)," are huge gifts. They provide context that helps you narrow down the "where" and "why" of the main word, which usually leads directly to the category.
Expert Q&A
Why is the "Kiss and cry" area called that?
It was coined because it is the most emotionally charged area of the arena. Skaters have just finished a high-pressure performance and are physically exhausted, and the cameras are zoomed in on their faces the moment they see their scores, leading to either celebratory kisses or tears of disappointment.