LinkedIn Pinpoint Answer for January 19, 2026
LINKEDIN PINPOINT CLUES
January 19, 2026
And
Or
But
Yet
So
Clue Meanings Explained
And
This is a word we use when we want to add things together or connect two similar ideas in a single sentence.
Or
This word is all about options; it’s used to present a choice between two or more different possibilities.
But
We use this word to show a contrast or a conflict between two ideas, usually highlighting something unexpected.
Yet
Very similar to "but," this word introduces a surprising contrast or shows that something is true despite what was said before.
So
This word indicates a result or a consequence, linking an action to its effect or the reason why something happened.
Today’s LinkedIn Pinpoint was a classic linguistics challenge that really tests your middle-school grammar memory. While the words themselves are some of the shortest in the English language, the category they belong to has a very specific, technical name. Let’s break down exactly how these clues fit together and why this puzzle might have tripped a few people up.
The Solve: A Tale of Wrong Turns
When the first clue "And" popped up, I'll admit I was a bit stumped. "And" is such a common word that it could lead almost anywhere. My first thought was maybe the category was "Connective Words" or even something as simple as "Three-Letter Words." It was too vague to make a solid guess, so I held off on submitting an answer right away.
Then came "Or." Now I had two words that both function as links. At this point, my brain went straight to computer science or logic. I thought the answer might be "Logic Gates" or "Boolean Operators," because "AND" and "OR" are the foundation of how computers make decisions. I almost typed in "Logic," but I decided to wait for the third clue just to be safe.
The third clue was "But," and that immediately killed the logic gate theory. "But" isn't a standard Boolean operator in the same way the others are. This shifted my focus entirely toward grammar. I knew these were parts of speech, but simply guessing "Conjunctions" felt a bit too broad for a world-class puzzle like Pinpoint. I needed to be more specific.
When "Yet" appeared as the fourth clue, the lightbulb finally went off. I remembered the famous acronym from English class: FANBOYS. It stands for For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. These are the seven specific words that make up a very particular group in the world of linguistics.
By the time "So" arrived as the final clue, it was a total confirmation. All five clues were pulled directly from that FANBOYS list. The official, technical term for these specific words is "Coordinating Conjunctions." They are the heavy lifters that join two independent clauses together, and once you see the pattern, it’s impossible to unsee.
Lessons Learned From Today's Pinpoint Solution
Remember your Mnemonics: Acronyms like FANBOYS are powerful tools. If you see a string of small, functional words, try to see if they fit into a famous list or mnemonic you learned in school.
Don't settle for the broad category: If the clues are "And" and "But," the answer likely isn't just "Words." Pinpoint usually looks for the specific grammatical or technical classification, so always aim for the most precise term you can think of.
Context is everything: Small words are often "function words." When you see them, stop looking at what the words *mean* and start looking at what the words *do* in a sentence. Their function is the key to the category.
Watch out for "Red Herrings" in logic: As I found with "And" and "Or," clues can often look like they belong to math or science before a third or fourth clue pulls them back into the realm of language and arts.
Expert Q&A
Why are these called "coordinating" conjunctions specifically?
They are called "coordinating" because they link elements of equal grammatical rank. For example, they can connect two nouns, two verbs, or two independent sentences, "coordinating" them so they work together without one being more important than the other.
What happened to the other two words in the FANBOYS list?
Pinpoint only uses five clues per puzzle. In this case, "For" and "Nor" were left out, likely because "For" can also be a preposition and "Nor" is a bit less common in daily conversation, making the puzzle slightly more balanced with the five chosen.
Can these words ever belong to a different category?
Yes, English is tricky! For instance, "So" can be an adverb (as in "I am so tired"), and "Yet" can also function as an adverb. However, when grouped together like this, their primary shared identity is their role as conjunctions.
Is "Coordinating Conjunctions" different from "Subordinating Conjunctions"?
Absolutely. Subordinating conjunctions (like "because," "although," or "since") join a dependent clause to an independent one. Coordinating conjunctions are the "equals" joiners, which is why the FANBOYS list is so unique and easy to categorize.
Why is this puzzle considered a "classic" Pinpoint style?
It uses very simple, everyday words to hide a technical term. It rewards players who can look past the simplicity of the clues to find the academic structure underneath, which is a hallmark of high-level word games.