The Citadel

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

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.

Connections
Puzzle #877

Connections
Puzzle #877

Connections
Puzzle #877







Skill 81/99
Uniqueness 1 in a Million

GBO Possum wrote: Tue Nov 04, 2025 5:28 pm 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.

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

Connections
Puzzle #878





Never had any idea about blue.

Connections
Puzzle #879

Connections
Puzzle #879





Done in like 60 seconds.

Connections
Puzzle #879





Skill 95/99
Uniqueness 1 in 23

Done in like 60 minutes

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

Connections
Puzzle #880





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

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

Connections
Puzzle #881





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

Connections
Puzzle #881

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

Connections
Puzzle #882

Mikey wrote: Sun Nov 09, 2025 5:13 am 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

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