On November 29, 2023, the New York Times released its daily Connections puzzle, presenting players with a challenging set of 16 words to categorize into four distinct groups. As participants engaged with the puzzle, they were tasked with identifying common themes among the words while navigating deceptive options designed to mislead.
Understanding the Connections Format
Connections is a daily puzzle game published by the New York Times, which has gained popularity alongside other games like Wordle. The objective is straightforward: players must group the 16 provided words into four categories of four words each. Each category shares a common theme, such as characters from a story or common phrases. For instance, words like “Hook”, “Nana”, “Peter”, and “Wendy” could represent characters from Peter Pan.
Players need to remain vigilant, as the game incorporates red herrings—words meant to distract from the true connections. To successfully complete the puzzle, players must identify all four groups without making more than three incorrect guesses. A fourth mistake ends the game, revealing the correct answers automatically.
Each group in the puzzle is color-coded based on the level of difficulty: Yellow for the easiest connections, Green for easy, Blue for medium, and Purple for the hardest. This system offers players a strategic advantage as they approach the challenge.
Hints for Today’s Puzzle
For those seeking assistance with the November 29 puzzle, several hints were provided to help uncover the themes. The hints for the four color groups were:
- Yellow: They’re part of your body.
- Green: “Fresh troops have arrived.”
- Blue: You may encounter this on a leisurely walk.
- Purple: As heard in the casino.
Additionally, players were given two extra clues: every group except yellow contains a word starting with “S”, and the words “statue” and “bust” belong to different groups. For those looking for further guidance, the following words were revealed as part of each group:
- Yellow: Torso
- Green: Substitute
- Blue: Pigeon
- Purple: Split
The Correct Connections Groups
For those who may have struggled with the puzzle, the correct groupings for the November 29 Connections are as follows:
- Yellow: Abdominal Area (Core, Midsection, Torso, Trunk)
- Green: Replacement (Backup, Cover, Relief, Substitute)
- Blue: Park Staples (Bench, Pigeon, Statue, Tree)
- Purple: Blackjack Terms (Bust, Hit, Split, Stand)
Attempting to categorize the words can be a rewarding challenge. Some players might have been tempted to associate words like “bust”, “relief”, “statue”, and “torso” under a theme of “types of sculpture,” only to realize their connections were not aligned with the intended themes. As players navigate through the puzzle, they often encounter various false leads that test their problem-solving abilities.
For those who successfully completed the puzzle, congratulations are in order. If you found it difficult, there’s no need for disappointment; a new Connections puzzle is made available every day at midnight, allowing players to return and refine their skills.
