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Connections #316 answers for April 22, 2024
The board contained MUSTY, WHISKERS, FUND, DARK, FUZZ, SHADOW, MATE, PAL, POT, DANK, SCRUFF, CHUM, COLD, BUD, KITTY, and POOL.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Slang for friend | BUD, CHUM, MATE, PAL |
| Green | Adjectives for a basement | COLD, DANK, DARK, MUSTY |
| Blue | Stubble | FUZZ, SCRUFF, SHADOW, WHISKERS |
| Purple | Collection of money | FUND, KITTY, POOL, POT |
The complete groupings are also listed by Try Hard Guides and Connections Hint.
Why the words fit
Yellow: Slang for friend
BUD, CHUM, MATE, and PAL are informal words for a friend or companion.
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- Unravel a Cold War conspiracy in Vienna Connection, a standalone spy thriller inspired by Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game.
- Step into the shoes of CIA agents as you investigate the mysterious murder of an American citizen in 1977 Vienna, uncovering secrets across Europe.
- Navigate a world of espionage by managing resources like informants and bribes while decoding secret messages, wiretaps, and classified reports.
- Outsmart enemy spy agencies in a tense, narrative-driven game where every choice shapes the outcome of your mission.
- Immerse yourself in a deep and strategic espionage experience, where deception, deduction, and covert operations are the keys to success.
Green: Adjectives for a basement
COLD, DANK, DARK, and MUSTY describe conditions or smells associated with a basement.
Blue: Stubble
FUZZ, SCRUFF, SHADOW, and WHISKERS point to facial hair. SHADOW means a five-o’clock shadow here, not a person’s name or a pet name.
Rank #2
Purple: Collection of money
FUND, KITTY, POOL, and POT can each mean a shared amount of money collected for a purpose. In this sense, a “kitty” is a common pot of pooled contributions, not a cat.
The board’s tempting overlap
Several of the facial-hair words can also sound like pet names, which makes FUZZ, SCRUFF, WHISKERS, and SHADOW an easy set to misread. A contemporaneous player discussion also shows that KITTY’s pooled-money meaning surprised at least one solver. The safer approach is to verify that all four words share the category’s intended meaning before submitting a promising partial match.
Rank #3
- Two teams race to identify their agents from a 5×5 grid, guided by a spymaster who knows each card’s identity
- Spymasters give one-word clues and a number to link multiple cards, encouraging creative thinking
- Teammates guess words matching the clue while avoiding the other team’s agents, bystanders, and the assassin
- Revealing the assassin ends the game instantly, adding high-stakes tension
- Teams may guess up to the clue number plus one, allowing strategic risks or revisiting old clues
A quick approach to this board
Start with the most direct relationship: BUD, CHUM, MATE, and PAL are clearly friend slang. Then look for the four basement descriptors. With those groups removed, compare the remaining words by sense rather than surface association: SHADOW completes the facial-hair set, and KITTY completes the money set. Try Hard Guides describes Connections as finding four words with a common thread, with up to four mistakes allowed; that gameplay description comes from the secondary guide, rather than an official rules page.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- VIBRANT COLOR GAME: Challenge friends and family to connect words with colors in the engaging Hues and Cues, featuring 480 colorful hues for limitless fun!
- FUN FOR ALL AGES: Perfect for family game nights, parties, or casual play, this game brings players of all ages together with simple rules and exciting gameplay.
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- CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE: Use just one or two word clues to guide others to the right hue, sparking creative thinking and fostering fun team interaction.
- QUICK TO LEARN: Hues and Cues offers fast-paced action with easy rules, making it enjoyable for both casual players, and gaming enthusiasts.
Rank #4
- EXPLORE THE ISLAND OF CATAN: Settle the uninhabited island of Catan by gathering resources, building infrastructure, and nurturing trade relationships.
- STRATEGY AND COMPETITION: Compete with 2-3 opponents to expand your settlements and cities while managing resources and avoiding the robber.
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