Tips and Clues for Tuesday, August 12

Stuck on today’s New York Times Connections puzzle (#793)? Don’t worry, you are definitely not alone! These puzzles can be surprisingly challenging, but I have got some handy hints and insights to help you breeze through Tuesday’s game. And yes, if you want the spoilers, I have got those ready for you too. No shame in getting a little assist!

If you’re new to NYT Connections, here’s a quick rundown of how it works, along with some tips that might save you from frustration. Plus, I will toss in today’s Wordle hints if you’re interested.

What exactly is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections isn’t your typical word game. It’s a brain teaser where you’re presented with a 4×4 grid containing 16 words. Your task? To find four groups of four words that share a common connection. These groups are color-coded: yellow, green, blue, and purple. The yellow group is usually the easiest to figure out, while purple tends to be the toughest.

Tips to Conquer NYT Connections

Though I’m fairly new to this game, here are some strategies that have worked for me:

1. Pay Attention to Feedback: When you get something wrong, watch the message at the top. One away means you’re close  just one word off. That’s a cue to rethink which word might fit better elsewhere.
2. Shuffle to Refresh Your View: Don’t hesitate to shuffle the board multiple times. Seeing the words in different arrangements can spark new ideas.
3. Start with the Easy Groups: The yellow group tends to be the most obvious since those words usually share clear commonalities, like being synonyms. Just watch out for trick words that might fit more than one category.
4. Take Breaks if Needed: If you hit a wall, stepping away and coming back later with fresh eyes can make all the difference.

Clues for Today’s Puzzle

If you’re struggling to form the groups, here are some hints based on my playthrough:

• Yellow Group: These words share a number in common.
• Green Group: Think long places with lanes like tracks.
• Blue Group: What you might find in the Big Apple.
• Purple Group: Items or places that aren’t completely solid.

Here’s a word from each group to get you started:

• Yellow: Bowling Pins
• Green: Supermarket
• Blue: City Hall
• Purple: Golf Course

Official Group Themes for Puzzle #793

If you want a stronger hint, here are the official group names. Stop reading if you want to solve it on your own!

• Yellow Group: Groups of ten
• Green Group: Places with lanes
• Blue Group: Landmarks in downtown NYC
• Purple Group: Things with holes

Spoiler Alert

Ready to check your work? Here’s how the groups break down:

• Yellow (Groups of ten): bowling pins, commandments, decade, fingers
• Green (Places with lanes): bowling alley, highway, supermarket, swimming pool
• Blue (NYC landmarks): Bowling Green, Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, Wall Street
• Purple (Things with holes): bowling ball, colander, golf course, sponge

My Experience Today

I found the purple group surprisingly easy today. I actually thought green would be simpler, but the blue group really tripped me up. Still, knowing that Wall Street and the Brooklyn Bridge are NYC landmarks helped me piece that section together.

Thanks for hanging out and reading! How did you do with today’s Connections puzzle? Share your results and tips in the comments below.