The New York Times’ daily Connections puzzle continues to challenge players with its unique word association categories. Today’s edition, #946, proved particularly tricky, with one group featuring the obscure antibiotic Ceftazidime. Here’s a breakdown of the clues and solutions for those who need a helping hand.
Зміст
Puzzle Overview
The Connections puzzle presents 16 words that belong to four different categories. The goal is to identify these categories and group the words accordingly. The difficulty varies, with the groups ranked by color: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (most difficult).
The NYT also offers a scoring bot for registered users, tracking performance metrics like win rate and streaks – catering to those who enjoy data-driven puzzle solving.
Hints for Each Category
The New York Times provides tiered hints for each category:
- Yellow: Relates to home furnishings.
- Green: Think about skill proficiency.
- Blue: Centers around agreements or commitments.
- Purple: The connection lies in the ending letters of U.S. currency terms.
Today’s Connections Solutions
Here’s how the puzzle breaks down:
- Yellow (Living Room Furniture): Armchair, bookcase, console, footstool.
- Green (Experience Levels): Expert, intermediate, novice, proficient.
- Blue (Promise): Agreement, compact, handshake, understanding.
- Purple (Ending in U.S. Coins): Ceftazidime, headquarter, Moneypenny, pumpernickel.
Trends in Difficulty
Past puzzles have shown recurring patterns in difficulty. Some of the most challenging editions include:
- Puzzle #5: Featured vague categories like “things you can set” (mood, record, table, volleyball).
- Puzzle #4: Tested players with abstract connections like “one in a dozen” (egg, juror, month, rose).
- Puzzle #3: Required thinking outside the box for “streets on screen” (Elm, Fear, Jump, Sesame).
Conclusion
The daily NYT Connections puzzle provides a quick, mental challenge that tests vocabulary and pattern recognition. The inclusion of obscure words like Ceftazidime highlights the puzzle’s occasional unpredictability, making it a satisfying – if sometimes frustrating – daily routine for many players.
