The Monday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #1247, serving up a grid that rewards a little wardrobe knowledge and a close look at everyday objects. Familiar expressions also invite a second reading, especially when their everyday meanings pull your attention elsewhere.
What Makes Connections Tick
For newcomers, NYT Connections presents 16 words that must be sorted into four thematic groups of four. The twist? You're limited to four mistakes, and the color-coded difficulty system (yellow being easiest, purple being trickiest) means surface-level connections often mislead.
Since its June 2023 launch, Connections has carved out its niche in the Times' puzzle ecosystem, standing alongside Wordle and the crossword as a daily ritual for millions of players worldwide. The game's genius lies in its red herrings, words that could fit multiple categories but belong in only one.
Today's Grid at a Glance
Here are the 16 words staring back at you in puzzle #1247:
STEAK KNIFE | CARD SHARK | CON JOB | BOOTCUT
NAVY SEAL | SHELL GAME | MINT LEAF | GAMMA RAY
TAPE DISPENSER | LOW-RISE | FUN SPONGE | RIP-OFF
SKINNY | FLIMFLAM | GRAPEFRUIT SPOON | DISTRESSED
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about situations where trusting the other person could prove costly.
Green Category Clue: Picture the language you scan while shopping for something to wear.
Blue Category Hint: Look beyond what each object does and inspect its physical details.
Purple Category Teaser: Give parts of the expressions a chance to mean something on their own.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Deceitful Scheme): CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF, SHELL GAME
CON JOB, FLIMFLAM, RIP-OFF, and SHELL GAME belong under DECEITFUL SCHEME. CARD SHARK is a tempting neighbor because it evokes gambling and potential cheating, but it names a person rather than a scheme.
Green (Jeans Descriptors): BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, SKINNY
BOOTCUT, DISTRESSED, LOW-RISE, and SKINNY all describe jeans. The useful distinction is that these labels cover different features, including leg shape, waist placement, and a deliberately worn finish.
Blue (Things With Serrated Edges): GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, STEAK KNIFE, TAPE DISPENSER
GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, STEAK KNIFE, and TAPE DISPENSER connect through serrated edges, from a leaf's toothed margin to a dispenser's cutting strip. The food associations in GRAPEFRUIT SPOON, MINT LEAF, and STEAK KNIFE offer a tempting partial connection, but the shared edge brings in the fourth item.
Purple (Ending In Sea Creatures): CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY, NAVY SEAL
CARD SHARK, FUN SPONGE, GAMMA RAY, and NAVY SEAL end in SHARK, SPONGE, RAY, and SEAL, respectively. Those final words name sea creatures, so the connection emerges when you separate each ending from its full expression.
The Verdict
Green offers the cleanest starting point, with four recognizable clothing labels. Yellow is approachable too, provided CARD SHARK does not draw you away from the distinction between a person and a dishonest operation.
Blue is the toughest conceptual jump because MINT LEAF and TAPE DISPENSER demand a visual comparison across very different objects. Purple is the streak-deciding check: reading the complete expressions for meaning can conceal the animals sitting at their ends.
Reset and Repeat
Today's useful habit is to change the scale of your inspection, from an object's edge to the last word of an expression. Bring that flexibility back tomorrow for a fresh grid and another chance to spot the detail that makes everything click.
For now, puzzle #1247 is solved. See you at midnight for the next round.