The New York Times daily Connections puzzle continues to challenge players with its word-association categories. Today’s iteration (#883) features a particularly tricky purple grouping, testing even seasoned puzzle enthusiasts. If you’re seeking assistance, here’s a breakdown of hints and the complete solutions.
Puzzle Overview & Difficulty
The Connections game presents players with 16 words, which must be categorized into four groups of four. Each category has a unifying theme, though some are more straightforward than others. Today’s puzzle has been reported as notably difficult, especially the purple category. The game is also now accompanied by a scoring bot for registered players, tracking performance metrics such as completion rates and perfect scores.
Hints for Each Category
Here’s a tiered breakdown of hints, progressing from easier to more challenging:
- Yellow: Related to musical expression.
- Green: Involves financial obligations.
- Blue: Drawn from a well-known historical phrase.
- Purple: Requires knowledge of an ancient language.
Complete Solutions
Here are the answers to today’s Connections puzzle:
-
Yellow Group: Percussion Instruments
- Bell
- Drum
- Rattle
- Triangle
-
Green Group: Satisfy as Debts
- Clear
- Pay
- Settle
- Square
-
Blue Group: Caesar’s Famous Quote
- Came
- Conquered
- I
- Saw
-
Purple Group: Latin Prepositions
- Ab
- Pro
- Sine
- Sub
Challenging Past Puzzles
Previous Connections puzzles have also tested players’ lateral thinking. Notable examples include:
- Puzzle #5: Grouped “things you can set” (mood, record, table, volleyball).
- Puzzle #4: Combined “one in a dozen” (egg, juror, month, rose).
- Puzzle #3: Connected “streets on screen” (Elm, Fear, Jump, Sesame).
- Puzzle #2: Unified “power ___” (nap, plant, Ranger, trip).
- Puzzle #1: Linked “things that can run” (candidate, faucet, mascara, nose).
The difficulty of these puzzles highlights the game’s design, which often relies on obscure connections or multiple meanings of words.
The New York Times Connections puzzle continues to provide a daily mental challenge, with its themes ranging from common knowledge to esoteric trivia. The game’s increasing complexity suggests the developers are intentionally raising the bar for players, encouraging more engagement with the puzzle’s mechanics.
