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Below, you’ll find subtle hints for today’s Connections answers. Further down, the themes and complete answers will be revealed. Take your time scrolling and extract only the hints you require!

Credit: Connections/NYT

Hints for Today’s Connections Themes

Here are some spoiler-free hints for the groupings in today’s puzzle:

• Yellow category – Above the waist, below the chest.

• Green category – Preferences between New York-style and Chicago deep-dish.

• Blue category – Your fridge space and guest count will determine this.

• Purple category – Renowned figures in sports.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

We’re about to disclose some answers. If you want to avoid complete spoilers, proceed with caution. The full solution is located further down.

Clarification on Tricky Terms

Note that SIX-PACK does not signify well-defined abdominal muscles.

TROUT can also refer to a surname.

CORE and MANTLE aren’t referencing Earth’s layers.

A GROWLER is a large jug commonly refilled at a brewery.

Categories in Today’s Connections

• Yellow: CENTRAL SECTION OF THE BODY

• Green: COMPONENTS OF A PIZZA

• Blue: UNITS OF BEER

• Purple: BASEBALL LEGENDS

Heads-Up: Solutions Below

Ready to uncover today’s Connections answers? Here they are:

Yellow Words

The yellow category is straightforward, revolving around the central section of the body: CORE, MIDRIFF, TORSO, TRUNK.

Green Words

The green category is focused on components of a pizza: CHEESE, CRUST, SAUCE, TOPPINGS.

Blue Words

For the blue category, the theme is units of beer: CASE, FORTY, GROWLER, SIX-PACK.

Purple Words

The purple category is the most challenging, representing baseball greats: BONDS, MANTLE, TROUT, YOUNG.

Solving Today’s Puzzle

Initially, overlapping categories were evident: a group related to beer quantities (CASE, FORTY, SIX-PACK, GROWLER) and another tied to torso regions (CORE, TRUNK, TORSO, MIDRIFF). SIX-PACK was assumed to belong to the beer category, simplifying my solution.

Next, I identified the torso terms: CORE, TRUNK, TORSO, MIDRIFF.

The pizza components are clear: CRUST, SAUCE, CHEESE, and TOPPINGS.

This left the baseball greats category: YOUNG, BONDS, MANTLE, and TROUT. Ultimately, these were identified as Barry BONDS, Mickey MANTLE, Mike TROUT, and Michael YOUNG.

Connections
Puzzle #676
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Playing Connections

A full guide for playing Connections is available, but here’s a quick reminder of the rules:

Access the Connections game either on the New York Times website or via their Games app. The game board shows 16 tiles with words or phrases. Your task is to identify a group of four related tiles. They often belong to the same category but can also involve wordplay.

Select four items and click the Submit button. If your choice is correct, the category and color will be shown. (Yellow is the simplest, followed by green, blue, and purple.) An incorrect guess gives you another chance to try.

Victory is achieved by identifying all four groups. However, if four incorrect guesses occur before finishing, the game concludes, revealing the answers.

Strategies to Win Connections

Winning at Connections hinges on recognizing that the groupings can be quite nuanced. Be prepared for overlapping categories, where a word may fit into multiple themes. For instance, one puzzle included breakfast items but also players in a different context.

If you find yourself stuck, focus on terms that don’t seem to align with others. For example, a term might share a reference that leads you closer to the correct grouping. Additionally, reading various hints, like those provided daily, can enhance your chances. Return tomorrow for the next round of puzzles!