Today's Connections has four hidden groups of four. Start with a gentle nudge and only open more if you need it.
Happy solving! A few tidy clues are ready to help you nudge the board.
Hint 1: One word from each group
Each of these words belongs to a different group.
- Yellow (easiest): EYE
- Green: HITCH
- Blue: BELT
- Purple (hardest): CANNON
Hint 2: A nudge for each group
A gentle push toward each theme, easiest to hardest.
- Trust the subtle signal when choosing what feels right.
- These all help hold things together in a secure way.
- Think shiny postgame hardware that the victors proudly wear.
- They all begin with the same extra piece waiting to be attached.
Hint 3: Yellow (easiest) group theme
The yellow group is Discernment.
Hint 4: Green group theme
The green group is Fasten.
Hint 5: Blue group theme
The blue group is Sports Championship Prizes.
Hint 6: Purple (hardest) group theme
The purple group is Loose ___.
Show all four answers
Discernment
EYE, FLAIR, SENSE, TASTE
Fasten
HITCH, LASH, TETHER, TIE
Sports Championship Prizes
BELT, CUP, JACKET, RING
Loose ___
CANNON, CHANGE, ENDS, LIPS
About this puzzle
- Edited by Wyna Liu
- Groups are listed from easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple).
Connections deep dive
More about today's puzzle. Everything in this section can include the answer.
Why each word belongs in its group, with a short dictionary meaning where one exists.
Yellow (easiest): Discernment
- EYE: An organ through which animals see (“perceive surroundings via light”).
- FLAIR: A natural or innate talent or aptitude.
- SENSE: Any of the manners by which living beings perceive the physical world: for humans sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste.
- TASTE: One of the sensations produced by the tongue in response to certain chemicals; the quality of giving this sensation.
Green: Fasten
- HITCH: (informal) A problem, delay or source of difficulty.
- LASH: The thong or braided cord of a whip, with which the blow is given.
- TETHER: A rope, cable etc. that holds something in place whilst allowing some movement.
- TIE: A knot; a fastening.
Blue: Sports Championship Prizes
- BELT: (clothing) A band worn around the waist to hold clothing to one's body (usually pants), hold weapons (such as a gun o...
- CUP: A concave vessel for drinking, usually made of opaque material (as opposed to a glass) and with a handle.
- JACKET: A piece of clothing worn on the upper body outside a shirt or blouse, often waist length to thigh length.
- RING: (physical) A solid object in the shape of a circle.
Purple (hardest): Loose ___
- CANNON: A complete assembly, consisting of an artillery tube and a breech mechanism, firing mechanism or base cap, which is a...
- CHANGE: (intransitive) To become something different.
- ENDS: (slang) Money.
- LIPS: (MLE) To kiss (passionately), to smooch.
Play today's Connections at The New York Times
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