Understanding some of the terms in today’s Connections puzzle can be a bit challenging without visual cues. I noticed that many phrases seem to align with certain patterns when I considered their shapes or functions. With some helpful hints to get you started, you can identify the categories the puzzle is targeting, leading you to the correct answers.
Just like how visuals assist in solving Vertex puzzles in other NYT games, today’s Connections puzzle is easier to tackle when you imagine how the words appear. Focusing solely on definitions can mislead you or confuse how concepts intertwine. With only four incorrect guesses allowed, it’s crucial to take your time and explore various interpretations.
Today’s Category Hints for Connections
May 5 #694
If I were to sum up the theme for today’s puzzle, I would describe it as focused on action and form relating to the words used. Some categories were easier to identify when I visualized the shape and function of different words. For instance, thinking about the word BATON’s shape helped me recognize its connection to other terms in the puzzle.
Here are a few clues to help you determine the categories for today’s puzzle:
- One category involves items associated with flying.
- Another category features elements linked to the antagonist of Bram Stoker’s famous novel.
- There’s a category focusing on expressions for slowing down after rapid growth.
- Finally, one category pertains to objects with rounded shapes and no sharp edges.
Yellow Answers: Explained
|
GLIDE |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
COAST |
CRUISE |
DRIFT |
FLOAT |
I initially found this section of the puzzle tricky. However, I started with COAST and CRUISE to form this category. I originally thought this category centered around items found at the beach, but when I visualized how a CRUISE could FLOAT and DRIFT along the COAST, I gained enough insight to solve that part of the puzzle.
Green Answers: Explained
|
ASSOCIATED WITH COUNT DRACULA |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
BAT |
CAPE |
CASTLE |
FANG |
Reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula reveals iconic themes of vampires, such as Dracula transforming into a BAT, residing in a CASTLE, and using his FANGs to feast on the innocent. My love for classic horror helped me spot this pattern quickly. Additionally, my enjoyment of the Castlevania games highlighted the significance of Dracula’s CASTLE.
Blue Answers: Explained
|
STOP CHANGING |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
FLATTEN |
LEVEL |
PLATEAU |
SETTLE |
A significant connection I made for today’s puzzle came from associating PLATEAU with its meaning of leveling out or ceasing to change. This realization helped me recognize how SETTLE fits, representing calmness or stabilization. FLATTEN felt like a random guess, but its meanings also fit the theme of this category.
Purple Answers: Explained
|
THINGS THAT ARE LONG AND CYLINDRICAL |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
BATON |
CIGAR |
HOAGIE |
TORPEDO |
I found this part of the puzzle easier, mainly because I could see how the words were shaped. A CIGAR and a TORPEDO share similar shapes alongside a CIGAR or a HOAGIE. Although you can’t hold a TORPEDO, imagining the others made this section simpler to solve.
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