The Thursday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #921, serving up a grid that blends creative materials with psychological concepts and social roles. This midweek puzzle challenges players to distinguish between literal craft supplies and metaphorical constructs, with several words pulling double duty across different domains.
Those with experience in arts and crafts or theater might find today's puzzle more approachable, while others will need to navigate the subtle distinctions between physical objects and abstract ideas.
Today's Grid at a Glance
Today's 16 words present an intriguing mix of concrete objects and abstract concepts:
HERO, BUTTERFLY, FELT, FANCY
GLITTER, FANTASY, STAR, MEDIA
DAYDREAM, WORKER, PRINCIPAL, POMPOM
SECURITY, LEAD, PIPE CLEANER, ILLUSION
This collection spans from childhood craft supplies to psychological states, with several words that could easily cross between multiple categories. The presence of both physical materials and metaphorical constructs creates a puzzle that rewards careful consideration of each word's possible contexts.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about mental escapes and imaginative flights - these four words all describe forms of wishful thinking or mental diversion from reality.
Green Category Clue: Consider who takes center stage in stories, performances, or organizations - these words all refer to primary figures or leading roles.
Blue Category Hint: Remember elementary school art projects - these are all materials you might find in a craft kit or classroom supply closet.
Purple Category Teaser: These words all complete the phrase "Social ___" to describe different types of social phenomena or roles within society.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Bit of Wishful Thinking): DAYDREAM, FANCY, FANTASY, ILLUSION
This category collects four forms of mental escape or imaginative diversion from reality. A "daydream" represents a pleasant mental distraction, while "fancy" can mean a whimsical notion or capricious liking. "Fantasy" denotes imaginative fiction or wishful thinking, and "illusion" refers to a deceptive appearance or false belief.
The tricky word here is "fancy," which players might initially associate with elegance or sophistication rather than whimsical thought. Similarly, "illusion" could be misdirected toward magic tricks rather than psychological constructs.
Together, these words capture the spectrum of mental states that involve departure from reality, whether through harmless imagination or potentially deceptive perceptions.
Green (Protagonist): HERO, LEAD, PRINCIPAL, STAR
These four words all refer to primary or leading figures in various contexts. A "hero" is the central character in a story who typically overcomes challenges, while "lead" denotes the main role in a performance or production.
"Principal" can refer to the chief actor in a play or the head of a school, and "star" indicates a featured performer or celestial body. The potential misdirection comes from "principal," which might be incorrectly grouped with educational terms rather than theatrical ones.
"Star" could also be misassociated with celestial bodies or celebrity culture. This category demonstrates how Connections often requires recognizing secondary meanings - here, understanding that "principal" can refer to a leading performer rather than just a school administrator.
Blue (Component of an Arts and Crafts Project): FELT, GLITTER, PIPE CLEANER, POMPOM
This straightforward category collects four common craft materials. "Felt" is a non-woven textile often used for simple sewing projects, while "glitter" adds sparkle to various art creations.
"Pipe cleaner" refers to the fuzzy wire used for crafting, and "pompom" denotes the decorative ball of yarn or fabric. The main challenge here is that "felt" could be misinterpreted as the past tense of "feel," creating a potential red herring with psychological terms. Similarly, "pipe cleaner" might be misassociated with household cleaning rather than craft supplies.
This category rewards practical knowledge of elementary school art projects and DIY crafts, offering a welcome concrete grouping amid more abstract categories.
Purple (Social ___): BUTTERFLY, MEDIA, SECURITY, WORKER
The trickiest category requires completing the phrase "Social ___" with each word. A "social butterfly" describes someone who moves easily through social situations, while "social media" refers to digital platforms for interaction.
"Social security" denotes government programs for economic support, and "social worker" indicates a professional providing community services. The clever misdirection comes from "butterfly," which might be grouped with insects or paired with "pipe cleaner" in a craft context.
"Security" could be misassociated with safety or protection rather than government programs. This category exemplifies Connections' penchant for requiring players to think in phrases rather than individual words, recognizing how common compound terms complete familiar expressions.
The Verdict
Today's puzzle #921 presents a moderate challenge with clear difficulty progression from yellow to purple. The yellow category offers the most accessible grouping for most players, while the purple category requires specific phrase recognition that might elude those unfamiliar with common social terminology.
Reset and Repeat
With puzzle #921 solved, players can reflect on their performance and prepare for tomorrow's challenge. The daily reset occurs at midnight, bringing fresh words and new thematic connections to unravel.
