blue group · The short answer
KINDS OF BOARDS
Each puzzle word passes the same exact test. The four mappings show how the answer works.
An ADVISORY BOARD is a group that offers guidance or recommendations without necessarily holding governing authority.
A CHESS BOARD is the checkered playing surface on which a game of chess is conducted.
An IRONING BOARD is the narrow padded surface commonly used while pressing wrinkles from fabric.
A MESSAGE BOARD is a physical or digital place where people post notices, comments or discussions.
Why this group was difficult
- The resulting objects serve unrelated purposes
The completed phrases refer to a consulting body, a game surface, a household surface and a communication space. - ADVISORY and MESSAGE invite an information theme
Both words concern communication, making them look compatible with CONTENT before the shared follower is tested. - CHESS gives the clearest route but can be overlooked
CHESS strongly invites BOARD, yet a solver focused on standalone meanings may not try applying that follower elsewhere.
How to spot this pattern next time
When one entry strongly suggests a familiar compound, add its partner to other candidates and require every resulting phrase to be independently established.
Do not require the completed compounds to name objects with the same function; a shared final word can connect otherwise unrelated phrases.
Four useful facts behind the group
- BOARD follows every entry, so this is a shared-follower compound group.
- An ADVISORY BOARD primarily provides counsel, recommendations or subject expertise.
- A CHESS BOARD has alternating squares used to organize the movement of chess pieces.
- MESSAGE BOARD can refer to a notice surface or an online discussion area.
Questions players ask
The details people search after seeing the group
What word follows ADVISORY, CHESS, IRONING and MESSAGE?
BOARD follows all four, producing ADVISORY BOARD, CHESS BOARD, IRONING BOARD and MESSAGE BOARD.
Why is ADVISORY included among kinds of boards?
An ADVISORY BOARD is a recognized body of people assembled to provide guidance, recommendations or expertise.
Is MESSAGE BOARD limited to an online forum?
No. The phrase can describe either a physical place for posted notices or a digital area for discussions and messages.
How can shared-follower groups be spotted?
Start with a highly constrained word such as CHESS, identify its likely partner, and test that same partner after other entries.