LinkedIn Pinpoint #491 Answer — September 3, 2025

🎯 Pinpoint 491 Answer & Full Analysis — September 3, 2025

This Pinpoint puzzle was off to the races from the very first clue! It was another clever take on the "words that come before X" category, this time with the connecting word being 'race.' The puzzle was a great mix of literal competitions, like a horse race, and more metaphorical or historical contests, like the rat race and the Space Race. It required thinking about the word 'race' in many different contexts.

🧩 Step-by-Step Solving Process

When I saw Horse, the term 'horse race' was an immediate and obvious connection. This set a strong initial theory that the theme was words that come before 'race.'

Then came Rat. This was a fantastic clue because it confirmed the theme while also expanding its meaning. The 'rat race' is a famous idiom, showing that the puzzle wasn't just about literal, physical races.

Presidential fit the pattern perfectly. A 'presidential race' is the common term for a political campaign for the presidency. This added a political dimension to the theme.

Drag was another great fit, this time from the world of motorsports. A 'drag race' is a specific type of car race focused on acceleration.

Finally, Space appeared, locking in the theme with a historical touch. The 'Space Race' was the 20th-century competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. With all five clues fitting perfectly, the answer was clear.

🏆 Answer: Pinpoint 491

Words that come before 'race'

📋 Words & How They Fit

Word	Phrase	Meaning & Usage
Horse	Horse race	A sport in which horses gallop at speed, with jockeys on their backs.
Rat	Rat race	An endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit of wealth or power.
Presidential	Presidential race	A campaign for the office of president.
Drag	Drag race	A competition between two vehicles over a short distance, usually a quarter-mile.
Space	Space Race	The 20th-century competition between the US and the Soviet Union for spaceflight supremacy.

💡 Lessons Learned From Pinpoint 491

• Themes can include idiomatic expressions: The inclusion of 'rat race' shows that you need to think beyond literal meanings.
• Historical events can be clues: The 'Space Race' is a major historical event, demonstrating the breadth of knowledge Pinpoint can draw from.
• The connecting word can be a type of competition: 'Race' is a versatile word, and the puzzle explored that versatility.
• The clues can be very diverse: This puzzle spanned animals, idioms, politics, motorsports, and history, all connected by one simple word.

❓ FAQ

Q1: What is the origin of the term "rat race"? A: The term is believed to have originated in the 1930s. It likens the endless, competitive pursuit of wealth and status in modern life to the image of lab rats running in a maze or on a wheel, expending a lot of effort but ultimately going nowhere.

Q2: What was the Space Race? A: The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, lasting from roughly 1957 to 1975. It involved parallel efforts by both countries to explore outer space with artificial satellites, to send humans into space, and to land a person on the Moon.

Q3: What is a drag race? A: A drag race is a type of motor racing in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be the first to cross a finish line from a standing start over a measured distance, most commonly a quarter-mile.