The New York Times Connections puzzle is a challenging game where players are given 16 words and asked to group them into four categories that are somehow connected. It requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills to determine the connections between the words. The game editor sometimes uses words that can fit in more than one group, adding an element of difficulty to the puzzle. Similar to Wordle, which is more of a vocabulary test, Connections is a brainteaser that tests the player’s ability to think creatively and make connections between seemingly unrelated words.
To play Connections, players must mentally assign the 16 words to related groups of four and click on the four words they believe go together. The groups are color-coded, but players do not know which words belong in each group until they see the answers. The yellow group is the easiest, followed by green, blue, and finally the toughest group, purple. Players must carefully examine the words and think about related terms to determine the connections between them. Sometimes, the connection may have to do with just a part of the word, adding another layer of complexity to the puzzle.
Today’s Connections puzzle includes hints for each group, ranging from the easiest yellow group to the more challenging purple group. The yellow group hint is “Madison Avenue,” the green group hint is “Earliest,” the blue group hint is “Make a case for,” and the purple group hint is “The part of speech from Schoolhouse Rock’s Rufus Xavier Sarsparilla song, plus one letter.” These hints provide clues to help players identify the connections between the words in each group.
The answers for today’s Connections puzzle reveal the themes for each group. The yellow group theme is “Advertising format,” with the words banner, billboard, poster, and sign belonging to this category. The green group theme is “Inaugural,” with the words first, initial, maiden, and premier grouped together. The blue group theme is “Advocate for,” with the words back, champion, endorse, and support forming this category. Lastly, the purple group theme is “Pronoun plus E,” with the words here, theme, use, and wee making up this challenging group.
Overall, the New York Times Connections puzzle is a stimulating and engaging game that challenges players to think critically and make connections between words in order to solve the puzzle. With hints provided for each group, players can work through the puzzle systematically to identify the themes and group the words accordingly. It is a fun and educational game that exercises the brain and tests one’s problem-solving skills.
