This spoiler-aware guide covers the Monday, July 22, 2024, NYT Connections puzzle, game #407. Start with the four hints, then open the spoiler section when you want the category labels and complete answer set.
Hints for Connections #407
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. The groups are color-coded by difficulty, and the game allows up to four incorrect guesses. The puzzle is available through NYT Games on desktop or mobile, as described by the TechRadar guide for this puzzle.
Yellow hint
Don’t stray outside it if you want to excel.
Green hint
Played for sound.
Blue hint
Diversion tools.
Purple hint
What you eat followed by a blank.
The 16 words
PYRAMID, HORN, CONE, CHAIN, FIGHT, FLAG, FIELD, FLARE, SPHERE, PROCESSOR, RECORDER, BARRIER, TRIANGLE, DOMAIN, FIDDLE, AREA.
Spoiler warning: answers below
Stop here if you still want to solve the grid yourself.
#1 Best Overall
| Color | Category | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | REALM OF EXPERTISE | AREA, DOMAIN, FIELD, SPHERE |
| Green | MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS | FIDDLE, HORN, RECORDER, TRIANGLE |
| Blue | USED TO REDIRECT TRAFFIC | BARRIER, CONE, FLAG, FLARE |
| Purple | FOOD ___ | CHAIN, FIGHT, PROCESSOR, PYRAMID |
Why the grid is tricky
SPHERE, CONE and PYRAMID look like a tempting set of three-dimensional shapes, but they are deliberately split across three groups. SPHERE belongs with AREA, DOMAIN and FIELD; CONE is a traffic-redirection tool; and PYRAMID completes phrases beginning with “food.”
TechRadar Global Editor in Chief Marc McLaren described the yellow and green groups as straightforward while noting that the apparent shape connection among SPHERE, PYRAMID and CONE confused him for a while. That is his reaction to this puzzle, not a general difficulty rating.
Quick Recap
Best Value
How to use the hints without spoiling the puzzle
- Read only the four color hints and scan for a group of four.
- Test a proposed group against every remaining word rather than locking onto a visual pattern such as geometric solids.
- Use the category labels in the answer table only if the hints are not enough.
- Reveal the complete word sets when you need to check a final guess or understand a mistake.
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