In search of the Connections solutions for Tuesday, January 14, 2025? This will be your go-to source! Here, tips, strategies, and clues will be provided, culminating in the answers for all four categories. Complex terms will be deciphered, and the relationships between the words will be explored. Warning: Spoilers for January 14, NYT Connections #583 are present below! Proceed if you wish to uncover hints (followed by the solutions) for today’s Connections game.

For a seamless way to return to our daily Connections hints, consider bookmarking this page. Previous hints are also available for review should you wish to revisit past puzzles.

In the following section, hints will be provided to steer you towards discovering today’s Connections answers. As you scroll, take only the clues you need!

Credit: Connections/NYT

Thematic Hints for Today’s Puzzle

Here are hints to the categories without revealing any answers:

• Yellow Category – No repairs are necessary.

• Green Category – A measure of time typically associated with work or education.

• Blue Category – Essential tools for photographers.

• Purple Category – Creatures that possess wings and a beak with an additional feature at the end.

SPOILER ALERT: Answers Ahead!

The subsequent section divulges answer keys. Only proceed if you’re okay with potential spoilage (the complete solution is outlined below).

Understanding the Challenging Aspects

Today’s puzzle does not incorporate any pop culture elements or categories.

The term RUNNING here signifies functioning as intended, not related to jogging.

In this context, PERIOD could mean “a PERIOD of time” or refer to “fourth PERIOD.”

Beware of clever spelling tricks in today’s purple category: disregard the last letters of the words to locate the correct ones.

Categories Breakdown for Today’s Puzzle

• Yellow: OPERATING

• Green: TERM

• Blue: CAMERA ACCESSORIES

• Purple: AVIAN TERMS WITH ADDITIONAL LETTER

WARNING: THE SOLUTIONS ARE LISTED BELOW

If ready to discover the solutions for today’s Connections puzzle, continue reading below.

Yellow Group Answers

The simplest category today revolves around the theme of OPERATING, consisting of these words: ACTIVE, FUNCTIONAL, RUNNING, WORKING.

Green Group Answers

The second most straightforward group is centered on the theme of TERM, including the words: MEETING, PERIOD, SESSION, SITTING.

Blue Group Answers

Considered the second most challenging, this set aligns with CAMERA ACCESSORIES, with the words: BODY, FLASH, LENS, STRAP.

Purple Group Answers

The most difficult grouping features the theme of AVIAN TERMS WITH ADDITIONAL LETTER, encompassing: CROWD, GULLY, PUFFING, SWANK.

Analyzing the Solutions

Initially, the word SWANK led to thoughts of actress Hilary Swank, though it may more aptly refer to the term fancy, complementing FLASH. However, identifying two more suitable words remained a challenge. Further contemplation links WORKING and FUNCTIONAL, potentially pairing with SITTING and ACTIVE, referencing the individual currently filling a role. Yet, such a pairing felt somewhat unusual.

The term GULLY pertains to a ravine or ditch, evoking the image of the film FernGully. This might relate to RUNNING, particularly in the context of “RUNNING water?”

Ultimately, a solution emerged: a certain category of birds adds a letter at the end. PUFFING (puffin), SWANK (swan), GULLY (gull), and CROWD (crow) effectively correspond.

Furthermore, STRAP, LENS, BODY, and FLASH all signify components of a camera.

Lastly, PERIOD, SESSION, MEETING, and SITTING share a connection to formal gatherings, with RUNNING, ACTIVE, FUNCTIONAL, and WORKING encompassing the remaining words.

Connections
Puzzle #583




        

Guide on Playing Connections

A comprehensive Connections gameplay guide exists, but here’s a quick summary of the rules:

Locate the Connections game either on the New York Times website or through their Games app (formerly recognized as the Crossword app). The gameplay involves a board with 16 tiles, each displaying a word or phrase. Your task is to identify a group of four tiles that share a commonality. Often these are all variations of a type (e.g., RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW constitute various precipitation), but wordplay may sometimes be involved (e.g., BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH can be categorized as types of lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).

Select four terms and click the Submit button. If correct, the category and its corresponding color will be revealed (starting from yellow as the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple). In the event of an incorrect guess, you will get an opportunity to try again.

Your objective is to pinpoint all four groups accurately. Should you make four incorrect guesses, the game concludes and the answers will be disclosed.

Strategies to Excel in Connections

To succeed in Connections, one must realize the inherent trickiness of the groupings. Be prepared for overlapping categories. For instance, during one past puzzle, BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL initially seemed to all be breakfast items. However, BACON turned out to be linked to painters alongside CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG belonged to a separate collection involving items typically received by the dozen (alongside JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). Thus, refrain from clicking “submit” until you confirm that your selection contains only those four specific items.

If you find yourself stuck, consider examining words that appear to lack connections to the others. If all that stands out when you spot WHISTLER is the painting titled “Whistler’s Mother,” it might lead you closer to a solution. One time, when resolving that conundrum, research led to discovering whether Close was indeed a painter, noticing its distinct categorization as well.

Lastly, another effective strategy when encountering difficulties is to seek helpful hints, which is precisely why these tips are shared daily. Return tomorrow for another fresh puzzle!