purple group · The short answer
STARTING WITH ABBREVIATED MATH FUNCTIONS
Each puzzle word passes the same exact test. The four mappings show how the answer works.
The phrase begins with COS, the common abbreviation for the trigonometric function cosine.
The opening LOG is the standard short form for logarithm before the ordinary word CABIN.
The first three letters are SIN, a common abbreviation for the trigonometric function sine.
The phrase opens with TAN, the common abbreviation for the trigonometric function tangent.
Why this group was difficult
- The rule is at the beginning of each entry
The full phrases point toward food, buildings, places, or skin, while the shared feature is only their opening. - The phrases have unrelated surface meanings
COS LETTUCE, LOG CABIN, SIN CITY and TAN LINE do not form one ordinary subject area as complete phrases. - LOG is less obviously a function abbreviation
COS, SIN and TAN look like a set of trigonometric abbreviations, while LOG belongs to logarithms.
How to spot this pattern next time
Inspect the first few letters of stubborn phrases before assigning them by their complete surface meanings.
Once COS, SIN and TAN appear together, test LOG as another mathematical abbreviation rather than searching for a shared noun.
Four useful facts behind the group
- Each full board entry is judged by its opening letters.
- COS, SIN and TAN are common abbreviations for trigonometric functions.
- LOG is used as an abbreviation for logarithm in mathematical notation.
- The rest of each phrase supplies ordinary words after the mathematical opening.
Questions players ask
The details people search after seeing the group
What do COS LETTUCE, LOG CABIN, SIN CITY and TAN LINE have in common?
They begin with COS, LOG, SIN and TAN, abbreviated mathematical functions.
Why is LOG included with COS, SIN and TAN?
LOG is a standard abbreviation for logarithm, another mathematical function.
Do the complete phrases share a subject?
No. The connection is based on their openings, not on the meanings of the full phrases.
How can I spot a group like this?
Compare the first syllables or letters of unusual phrases when their complete meanings seem deliberately unrelated.