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Today's puzzle has clever wordplay based on anagrams, with words like GROAN and VOILA hiding musical instruments within.
Greek numerical prefixes are essential, creating a common theme amongst MONORAIL and TETRACYCLINE.
More obvious categories like "instruct" and "means" give the puzzle a balanced flow, allowing for easily accessible entries before diving into the more difficult blue and purple groups.
It’s the middle of the week, meaning a brand new NYT Connections puzzle has landed. Today’s grid feels like it wants to test both logic and imagination, and the color groups reveal some surprising connections.
NYT Connections today presents a mix of clues that feel grounded at first glance but veer into unexpected territory. It’s one of those puzzles that might look straightforward initially but slowly reveals its trickier layers as one works through the board. Whether approaching with confidence or cautious curiosity, the themes provide plenty of room to play around.
The daily NYT Connections game offers 16 seemingly unrelated words. The goal? Sort them into four groups of four based on shared themes. Simple in theory, but the wordplay can catch anyone off guard.
Yellow — the easiest and most obvious category
Green — moderately challenging, often conceptual
Blue — more niche or layered
Purple — tricky and almost always relies on wordplay or lateral thinking.
Make up to four mistakes before the game ends. Shuffle the board as needed to get a fresh visual take on the clues.
MONORAIL, VOILA, ORGAN, TRIANGLE, GROAN, TRAIN, ABUT, VEHICLE, MEDIUM, BULGE, COACH, TETRACYCLINE, DIRECT, DIOXIDE, INSTRUMENT, GUIDE
This set mixes up language tricks, science, travel terms, and hidden surprises that might go unnoticed until the final moments.
Need a nudge before jumping into full spoilers? Here are today’s group clues:
Yellow group — offer some pointers
Green group — these help on the way to a destination
Blue group — start with Greek number prefixes
Purple group — rearranged the names of musical instruments
GUIDE
ORGAN
TRIANGLE
GROAN
Yellow group — Instruct: COACH, DIRECT, GUIDE, TRAIN
Green group — Means: INSTRUMENT, MEDIUM, ORGAN, VEHICLE
Blue group — Starting with Greek numerical prefixes: DIOXIDE, MONORAIL, TETRACYCLINE, TRIANGLE
Purple group — Anagrams of musical instruments: ABUT (TUBA), BULGE (BUGLE), GROAN (ORGAN), VOILA (VIOLA)
The yellow group starts things off smoothly. All four words – GUIDE, COACH, TRAIN, and DIRECT – align clearly under the idea of guidance or instruction. These terms are often used in teaching, sports, or navigation, which makes this set fairly accessible.
The green group takes a more interpretive route. Words like MEDIUM, VEHICLE, INSTRUMENT, and ORGAN serve as ways to achieve or deliver something. Think of a medium for communication, a vehicle for transport, or an organ as a biological instrument. They all serve as channels or conduits, making "means" an apt label.
The blue group might trick a few players. MONORAIL, DIOXIDE, TETRACYCLINE, and TRIANGLE each begin with Greek-derived number prefixes: mono- (one), di- (two), tetra (four), and tri (three). The theme is less obvious without familiarity with etymology, but satisfying to unlock.
The purple group delivers today’s signature twist. Each word is an anagram of a musical instrument. ABUT rearranges into TUBA, BULGE becomes BUGLE, GROAN turns into ORGAN, and VOILA forms VIOLA. These aren’t just clever connections; they require seeing through the letters themselves.
Today’s NYT Connections answers are full of wordplay surprises and semantic stretches. The instructive yellow set gives an easy entry point. Green and blue tests interpretive and linguistic awareness, while purple challenges solvers to rearrange their thinking.
As always, the NYT Connections hints today offer just enough breadcrumb trails to push closer to a win. For anyone still building a streak or looking for that daily "aha" moment, the mix of categories today makes it a fun, thoughtful ride.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s challenge, and check back daily for new rundowns of the latest NYT Connections answers.
