The latest New York Times Connections puzzle (#890) is designed to test players’ pattern recognition skills. This daily word association game challenges participants to group sixteen words into four categories based on a shared theme. Here’s a detailed breakdown of today’s puzzle, including hints and solutions, along with some strategies for success.
Decoding the Categories
The puzzle consists of four color-coded categories: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (most challenging). The difficulty increases as the color darkens. Players can use hints or dive directly into the answers if they’re stuck. The game also includes a performance tracker for those who want to analyze their solving speed and accuracy.
Today’s Solutions
Here are the solutions for each category:
Yellow: The theme is affirmation. The four words are absolutely, of course, okey-doke, and sure thing. These all represent enthusiastic agreement or confirmation.
Green: The theme is prohibition. The four answers are off-limits, proscribed, taboo, and verboten. These terms signify something that is forbidden or not allowed.
Blue: The theme is basketball shots. The four answers are alley-oop, fadeaway, finger roll, and slam dunk. All four are well-known moves in the sport.
Purple: The theme is words that begin with synonyms for “scram!” The four answers are go-getter, leavening, Scattergories, and shoo-in. This category is designed to be the most deceptive, with words that sound similar but don’t immediately align with a common theme.
Tips for Solving Connections
To improve your success rate, consider these strategies:
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Read Aloud: Saying the words out loud can help you identify subtle connections based on phrasing. The puzzle creators often use words that appear in similar expressions.
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Avoid Obvious Choices: The puzzle designers intentionally avoid straightforward groupings. Don’t assume the first connection you see is correct.
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Break Down Compounds: If a word is made up of multiple parts, analyze each component for potential links to other terms.
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Shuffle Words: If you’re stuck, use the shuffle feature to rearrange the words and gain a fresh perspective. This can help reveal hidden patterns.
The New York Times Connections game remains a popular daily challenge, testing players’ vocabulary, pattern recognition, and problem-solving abilities. By employing these strategies and understanding the puzzle’s design, you can increase your chances of success.
