LinkedIn Pinpoint Answer for January 23, 2026
LINKEDIN PINPOINT CLUES
January 23, 2026
Nurse
Sand
Loan
Hammerhead
Great white
Clue Meanings Explained
Nurse
This usually refers to a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, often working alongside doctors in a hospital setting.
Sand
This is the loose, granular substance found on beaches, in riverbeds, and in deserts, resulting from the erosion of rocks.
Loan
A thing that is borrowed, especially a sum of money that is expected to be paid back with interest.
Hammerhead
This refers to the striking part of a hammer, or more specifically in biology, a creature with a head shaped like a mallet.
Great white
This is a term used to describe something massive and ivory-colored, almost exclusively associated with the ocean's most famous apex predator.
The Solve: A Tale of Wrong Turns
When I first saw the word "Nurse," my brain immediately went to the medical field. I was thinking about hospitals, stethoscopes, or perhaps "Healthcare Professionals." It’s a very common starting point because the most frequent use of that word is for the heroes in scrubs. I almost clicked a guess related to "Medicine," but I decided to wait for the second clue to be safe.
Then "Sand" popped up. This threw a massive wrench in my medical theory. "Nurse" and "Sand" together? I started thinking about things you might find at a beach. Maybe a "Nurse" on vacation? Or perhaps things that are "Granular"? It didn't quite click yet. I even considered if there was a specific type of plant or coastal job I was missing.
The real "aha!" moment happened with the third clue: "Loan." At first, it seems totally unrelated to the beach or hospitals. But then I did a mental double-take. "Loan shark." As soon as that phrase entered my mind, I looked back at the previous clues. "Nurse shark" is a very common species. "Sand shark" is another one. The puzzle wasn't about occupations or geography; it was a clever play on words using the term "shark" as the common denominator.
By the time "Hammerhead" appeared as the fourth clue, I was 100% certain. Hammerheads are iconic. Even if someone didn't know about nurse sharks or the metaphorical loan shark, "Hammerhead" is almost synonymous with the word "shark." It confirmed the pattern perfectly.
Finally, "Great white" was the victory lap. It’s the most famous shark in the world. At this point, the connection was undeniable. The puzzle designers did a great job starting with a word that has a very strong primary meaning (Nurse) to lead us astray, then used a metaphorical term (Loan) to bridge the gap to the literal animals.
Lessons Learned From Today's Pinpoint Solution
Beware of the "Primary Meaning" Trap: The first clue is often a word with multiple meanings. Don't commit to a category like "Medical" just because you see "Nurse." Always wait to see how the second or third clue shifts the context.
Look for Compound Words: In Pinpoint, the connection is often a word that follows or precedes all the clues. When you see "Loan," "Card," or "Pool," try adding common words to them (like "Shark," "Table," or "Ball") to see if they fit the other clues.
Context Shifts are Key: This puzzle moved from a profession to a material to a financial term. When clues seem this diverse, the answer is almost always a category that unites them through a hidden suffix or a specific classification.
Identify the "Anchor" Clue: Usually, clues 4 and 5 are the most "obvious" ones. If you are stuck on clue 2 or 3, sometimes it's better to reveal clue 4 to get that "Hammerhead" moment which clears up the entire board instantly.
Expert Q&A
Is a "Loan Shark" an actual animal like the others?
No, and that is the "trick" of this specific puzzle. While Nurse, Sand, Hammerhead, and Great White are all biological species of sharks, a "Loan Shark" is a metaphorical term for a person who lends money at extremely high interest rates. Pinpoint often mixes literal and figurative meanings to keep solvers on their toes.
Why was "Nurse" chosen as the first clue instead of "Great White"?
The game is designed to increase in clarity as you progress. Starting with "Great White" would make the puzzle too easy (Level 1 difficulty). By starting with "Nurse," the game forces you to think through multiple possibilities, making the eventual reveal much more satisfying.
Are Sand Sharks and Nurse Sharks the same thing?
No, they are different species. Nurse sharks are known for being bottom-dwellers and relatively sedentary, while Sand sharks (often called Sand Tiger sharks) are known for their ragged teeth and are more active swimmers. Both, however, fit the "Types of Sharks" category perfectly.
What is the best strategy when the first two clues seem to have nothing in common?
When Clue 1 and Clue 2 feel unrelated, stop looking for a direct synonym. Instead, start looking for a "bridge word" that can be attached to both. In this case, "Shark" was the bridge that turned a medical professional and beach sediment into a cohesive group.
Could "Types of Fish" have been a valid answer?
While sharks are technically fish, Pinpoint usually looks for the most specific common denominator. Since all five clues specifically lead to the word "Shark," "Types of Sharks" is the more precise and intended answer.