If you are afraid you are about to miss out on today’s Connections puzzle, don’t take the chance that you might. Instead, we have everything you need to have a successful puzzling experience. This one has some tricky choices, although some of the categories are easier than expected. This can also end up tricking you, as sometimes, if something looks too easy, you might think it is a trap. Today, use the following hints to help you navigate the murky waters of this word puzzle.
If you want something a little different to wash Connections down, you can turn to the NYT Spelling Bee puzzle instead. It is much like the other daily puzzles from the NYT in that it has a consistent format but can vary greatly day-to-day. You will have to construct words using the letters in the honeycombs, always including the letter in the center honeycomb. This can turn into a fun competition with your friends as to who gets the highest score.
Today’s Connections Category Hints
OCTOBER 18 #494
If you just want a couple of hints to get you through today’s puzzle, you have come to the right place. There is a fair amount of variety in the puzzle, with lots of different kinds of words with many meanings. To succeed with this one, pay attention to what words mean the same thing and which ones do not seem to have synonyms in the puzzle. This will help you distinguish about half the puzzle, and you can then use the following hints to solve the rest.
- One category is about things that do not perform well.
- One category is about an open door.
- One category is about currency.
- One category is about four words that follow a different word in a phrase – the word they share is both a place and a company.
Related
Wordle History: Archive Of All Past Words Used
Wordle is a simple daily word game that has taken the internet by storm. With only 6 chances to get the right answer, players may need a little help.
When you have finished scanning the puzzle with these clues in mind, you might find you still need a little more help. To finish solving the puzzle, check out the category names below.
 |
CLUNKER |
 |
OPPORTUNITY |
 |
NON-CASH WAY TO PAY |
 |
AMAZON ___ |
Today’s Connections Answers
OCTOBER 18 #494
Yellow Answers: Revealed & Explained
|
CLUNKER |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
BUST |
DUD |
FLOP |
MISS |
In an ironic twist, I saw FLOP first and immediately started searching the puzzle for other words that could come after “flip” but came up empty-handed. I am a little too trained for the missing word categories at this point. However, once I eliminated that as a possibility, I looked around and saw BUST, leading me to figure out what the category likely was. I found MISS quickly, but it took me a moment to spot DUD as it was a short word buried in the middle for me.
Green Answers: Revealed & Explained
|
OPPORTUNITY |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
CHANCE |
SHOT |
TIME |
TURN |
If you are looking to make the most of an opportunity, you are probably taking a CHANCE on it. Or you can shoot your SHOT or take your TURN. There are plenty of words for seizing an opportunity and running with it, but I actually thought it was a completely different category. At first, I believed they were all words used in a sports game, so adding CHANCE in was a little odd to me. However, there were not many options, and I was relieved to see I was right and laughed at how wrong I was.
Related
NYT Mini Crossword: 8 Strategies To Solve It Fast
This tricky little five by five crossword isn’t always as easy as it looks; here are a couple easy tips and tricks to beat your friends’ times!
Blue Answers: Revealed & Explained
|
NON-CASH WAY TO PAY |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
CARD |
CHARGE |
CREDIT |
PLASTIC |
This was the last category I solved today, mainly because I was unsure what one of the words would be. I thought CHARGE was more closely related to the previous category if it was a sports’ themed category. However, I did think that CREDIT, CARD, and PLASTIC were all likely in the same category. I likely would have solved this one earlier if I had not managed to get the last category much earlier than I usually do.
Purple Answers: Revealed & Explained
|
AMAZON ___ |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
KINDLE |
PRIME |
RAINFOREST |
RIVER |
I actually managed to solve this category second, but I was fairly prepared to look for it after thinking that FLOP was half of “flip.” I managed to get the right category correct, and with that still on my mind, I saw RAINFOREST and PRIME and realized what they were. I found KINDLE next, and while searching for the last word, I debated whether CREDIT was involved before realizing that it had to be RIVER. I am sure Amazon will have many more branded words, but this is enough for now.
Other Games Like Connections
If you want to finish your puzzling day with something new, I suggest checking out one of the puzzles in the table below. Primel is the most unique, and Crosswordle is the most enjoyable.
- Released
- June 12, 2023
- Developer(s)
- The New York Times Company
- Publisher(s)
- The New York Times Company
- ESRB
- e
- Platform(s)
- Web Browser , Mobile