Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers into different categories. It can be difficult, so read on if you need Connections tips.
What are you going to do when you’re done? Why, play some more puns of course. I also have daily Strands Hints and Answers and Quordle Hints and Answers articles if you need help with those too, while Marc’s Wordle Today page covers the original viral pun.
SPOILER ALERT: Today’s NYT Connections information is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NEW Connections today (game #859) – word of the day
Today’s NEW Connections word is…
- EMPTY THUMB
- MAGNET
- CLICKS
- JACK
- POSTCARD
- HEAT INDEX
- WIND COOLING
- LASER POINTERS
- KEY RING
- A BIT OF CHICKEN
- THUMBLINE
- FIGURE
- SLIDES
- BEAUFORT SCALE
- PROJECTOR
- DEW POINT
NEW Connections today (game #859) – tip #1 – group tip
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Lecture aids
- GREEN: Purchases that trigger holiday memories
- BLUE: Mythical figures
- PURPLE: Meteorological conditions
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NEW Connections today (game #859) – tip #2 – group answer
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: USED DURING A PRESENTATION
- GREEN: GOODS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP
- BLUE: FOLK CHARACTERS
- PURPLE: WEATHER CONDITIONS
Okay, the answers are below, so DON’T SCROLL IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NEW Connections today (game #859) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections, game #859, are…
- YELLOW: USED DURING A PRESENTATION CLICKERS, LASER POINTERS, PROJECTOR, GLASS
- GREEN: GOODS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP FIGURE, KEY RING, MAGNET, POST CARD
- BLUE: FOLK CHARACTERS CHICKEN LITTLE, JACK, THUMBELINA, TOM THUMB
- PURPLE: WEATHER CONDITIONS BEAUFORT SCALE, DEWPOINT, HEAT INDEX, WIND CHILL
- My assessment: Easy
- My score: Perfect
It’s rare that I get the purple/hardest group before the end, but extremely rare that I get it first like I did today.
It was a case of a little bit of knowledge – knowing that the BEAUFORT SCALE measures wind strength – to get me going and logic got me over the line.
The other groups were less confused. Souvenirs were featured in the Strands recently, so GOODS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP popped up immediately. I find myself unable not to buy a souvenir if I travel anywhere – although I would draw the line at a fridge MAGNET.
I had hesitated over FOLK CHARACTERS at the start of the game, unsure if JACK was a member of the group and also thought that fingers and thumbs might be the link. Fortunately, I held back until the answer was obvious.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections Answers (Thursday, October 16, Game #858)
- YELLOW: FRUIT DESSERTS SHOEMAKER, SPORTS, SMRUML, PIE
- GREEN: CRABBY CROSS, KNITTED, TENDER, SOUR
- BLUE: FISH CHAR, FLUKE, GIRL, SKATE
- PURPLE: BANANA ____ BOAT, BREAD, SWALLOW, SPLIT
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games created by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four elements that share something in common, and each group has a different degree of difficulty: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough, and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you technically don’t need to solve the last one, as you’ll be able to answer it by a process of elimination. Also, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a bit more involved than something like Wordle, though, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to let you beat yourself up with tricks. For example, watch out for homophones and other puns that can hide the answers.
It can be played for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
