Pattern: Puzzle words that are each homophones

Steps to take:

Step 1: Examine the list of puzzle words to brainstorm potential homophones.

Step 2: Narrow down the list to only include puzzle words that are homophones.

Step 3: From the list of puzzle words that are homophones, try to arrive at a group of four puzzle words that each have a common connection. This is a New York Times puzzle, so unique, subtle connections are more likely to be correct than simple and obvious connections. 

Examples from prior puzzles:

Puzzle words that are each homophones of names of animals: DEAR HAIR HOARSE WAIL
Puzzle words that are each homophones of Greek Letters: MOO NEW PIE ROW

If you can’t identify a group of four puzzle words, start over.

Example Input and Output:

Input:

Let's brainstorm a possible solution to this puzzle: ANGEL, PIRATE, SPELL, WAIL, WITCH, HIVE, COMB,  WAX, DEAR, HAIR, HONEY,  HOARSE, PERIOD, STRETCH, WHILE, CLOWN

Output:

Let’s examine the list of words provided to see which ones are homophones, then narrow down the list to actual homophones, and then see if any are homophones based on a similar connection:

**Step 1: Identify Homophones**

For each word in the list, let’s say the word aloud to find out if it is a homophone

Angel - No homophone comes to mind

Pirate - No homophone comes to mind

Spell - No homophone comes to mind

Wail - Possible homophone “whale” like the sea animal

Witch - Possible homophone “which”

Hive - Possible homophone “I’ve”

Comb - Maybe a homphone of “come”

Wax - No homophone comes to mind

Dear - Possible homophone “deer”

Hair - Possible homophone “hare” or “here” or “hear”

Honey - No homophone comes to mind

Hoarse - Possible homophone “horse”

Period - No homophone comes to mind

Stretch - No homophone comes to mind

While - Possible homophone “wile” or “wild”

Clown - No homophone comes to mind

**Step 2: Narrow down list**

Wail - Possible homophone “whale” like the sea animal

Hive - Possible homophone “I’ve”

Comb - Maybe a homphone of “come”

Dear - Possible homophone “deer”

Hair - Possible homophone “hare” or “here” or “hear”

Hoarse - Possible homophone “horse”

While - Possible homophone “wile” or “wild”

**Step 3: Extract connection from list**

There does appear to be a common set of homophones here. The connection is “animal homophones” and the words are:

WAIL, DEAR, HAIR, HOARSE

— end of example input and output —
