Connections NYT

[Mikey]

Maybe I was wrong about the herrings. Having two categories with near identical requirements was kinda mean, Wyna. How do you guess the purple one?

As for today's puzzle... I had to remind myself of the difference between generic and specific terms to get purple. Bleeeahh.

Connections
Puzzle #876

[Danoff]

Connections
Puzzle #876





I had a hard time sussing out which one was purple. I had all of them solved before entering anything. I didn't spend a whole lot of time trying to ID purple so I just picked what I thought was the hardest... turned out to be the easiest color.

[Mikey]

Connections
Puzzle #877

[Danoff]

Connections
Puzzle #877

[GBO Possum]

Connections
Puzzle #877







Skill 81/99
Uniqueness 1 in a Million

[Danoff]

Uniqueness 1 in a Million

One of the techniques that I use is to run down the typical tricky categories. I look for blank word, and word blank. And I also look for interior words, like words that can be made by dropping or adding letters. And I look for rhyming words, and words that could be names. I basically make sure I consider those kinds of categories every time. It makes it far easier to see some of the purple or blues. If you can find a common meaning among 3 sets of 4, you can almost stop thinking of common meanings and just switch to looking for the tricky categories I mentioned.

That's how I figured out the stupid zodiac things from the other day. I looked for partial words. Also, I just know that she has re-used zodiac signs and constellations way too much. Rolled my eyes at that one.

[Mikey]

I'm not sure what my skill or uniqueness stats are. As a non-NYT subscriber I don't have access to the Connections bot or analysis. (Incidentally, thanks for all the article gift links on the other site and here, GBO Possum; they're greatly appreciated.)

Today's grid tried its best to lead us down a blind alley but fortunately blue was in my wheelhouse.

Connections
Puzzle #878

[Danoff]

Connections
Puzzle #878





Never had any idea about blue.

[Mikey]

Connections
Puzzle #879

[Danoff]

Connections
Puzzle #879





Done in like 60 seconds.

[GBO Possum]

Connections
Puzzle #879





Skill 95/99
Uniqueness 1 in 23

Done in like 60 minutes

[Mikey]

Purple was a tiny bit tougher for this non-US player without solving the other categories offline beforehand. I got three but one only made sense to me after the puzzle was complete.

Connections
Puzzle #880

[Danoff]

Connections
Puzzle #880





There was an ambiguity in this one that almost threw me off. Had to solve it all first.

[GBO Possum]

Without any offline planning, something clicked din my head and the purple one just jumped out at me

Then I had a brain fart, followed by an easy run home

The bot rates this as a difficulty level of 1 (out of 5).

Connections
Puzzle #880






Skill 92/99
Uniqueness 1 in 506

[Mikey]

Connections
Puzzle #881





Fortunately one of the purples was a dead giveaway as to the category.

[Danoff]

Connections
Puzzle #881

[Mikey]

Lacklustre effort from my end today. Purple was a complete no-hoper for me and I should've tried solving green before yellow to eliminate the one which was in both groups.

Connections
Puzzle #882

[Danoff]

Connections
Puzzle #882

[GBO Possum]

Lacklustre effort from my end today. Purple was a complete no-hoper for me and I should've tried solving green before yellow to eliminate the one which was in both groups.

Connections
Puzzle #882

Blue jumped out for me almost instantly and I finished up relegating yellow to last place even though I had no idea of purple

Connections
Puzzle #882





Skill 96/99
Uniqueness 1 in 313

[Mikey]

Like GBO Possum I had to do blue first today since I never did purple at school. The other three fell into place shortly afterwards and fortunately Wyna's weak attempt at a red herring was easily seen through.

Connections
Puzzle #883