green group · The short answer
PRESUME
Each puzzle word passes the same exact test. The four mappings show how the answer works.
In a sentence such as “I figure they have left,” FIGURE expresses what the speaker takes to be true.
In “I gather the meeting ended,” GATHER means reaching an understanding from indications or reports.
In “I imagine it is difficult,” IMAGINE presents something the speaker believes is probably the case.
SUPPOSE directly expresses accepting something as likely or true without asserting complete certainty.
Why this group was difficult
- Concrete meanings compete with the needed verbs
FIGURE can be a numeral or shape, while GATHER can mean physically bringing people or objects together. - The shared sense depends on sentence context
IMAGINE may suggest mental pictures and SUPPOSE may introduce a hypothetical, so the PRESUME sense is clearest inside ordinary statements. - THESIS creates a plausible idea-based distraction
THESIS can evoke beliefs and propositions, but it does not share the required verb sense with the four official answers.
How to spot this pattern next time
Place each candidate in a frame such as “I ___ that this is correct.” The four official entries can all convey an assumption or inference there.
When a noun such as THESIS seems thematically close, check whether it performs the same grammatical job and carries the same precise sense as the verbs.
Four useful facts behind the group
- FIGURE can state a conclusion as well as name a numeral or form.
- GATHER can describe an inference drawn from signs, reports or context.
- IMAGINE can express a likely belief without referring to a visual image.
- SUPPOSE can introduce either a tentative belief or a hypothetical condition.
Questions players ask
The details people search after seeing the group
How does FIGURE mean PRESUME in Connections 1217?
As a verb, FIGURE can mean concluding or taking something to be the case, as in “I figure it will work.”
Why is GATHER part of the PRESUME group?
GATHER can mean inferring or understanding something from the available evidence, reports or surrounding context.
What is the difference between IMAGINE and SUPPOSE here?
Both can present something as believed or likely; the category requires only their shared PRESUME sense, not perfect interchangeability.