The Monday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #954, serving up a grid that rewards architectural knowledge and entomological expertise. Today's challenge particularly favors bridge enthusiasts and those who can spot sneaky wordplay patterns.
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 #954:
CRAVEN | TOWER | BROOKLYN | BUMBLE
CARPENTER | LACE | NEEDLE | TWIST
HONEY | WANTON | WIND | RIALTO
DESIREE | GOLDEN GATE | WEAVE | KILLER
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about actions that involve crossing threads or fibers.
Green Category Clue: Consider different types of buzzing insects you might find in nature.
Blue Category Hint: Look for famous structures that span bodies of water.
Purple Category Teaser: Each word begins with a synonym for "desire" or "crave."
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
---
---
---
---
Yellow (Intertwine): LACE, TWIST, WEAVE, WIND
These four words all describe methods of intertwining or combining materials.
Lace involves crossing threads, twist refers to winding together, weave creates fabric by interlacing, and wind means to coil or wrap around something.
Green (Kinds of Bees): BUMBLE, CARPENTER, HONEY, KILLER
Each term identifies a specific type of bee species.
Bumble bees are the fuzzy pollinators, carpenter bees bore into wood, honey bees produce the sweet substance, and killer bees are the aggressive Africanized variety.
Blue (Famous Bridges): BROOKLYN, GOLDEN GATE, RIALTO, TOWER
These are all iconic bridges from around the world.
Brooklyn Bridge spans New York's East River, Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco to Marin County, Rialto Bridge crosses Venice's Grand Canal, and Tower Bridge is London's famous bascule and suspension structure.
Purple (Starting with Synonyms for "Hanker For"): CRAVEN, DESIREE, NEEDLE, WANTON
This clever category requires recognizing that each word begins with a synonym for "desire" or "crave."
Craven starts with "crave," Desiree begins with "desire," needle starts with "need," and wanton begins with "want."
The Verdict
Puzzle #954 registers as moderate difficulty with a sting in the tail.
Yellow falls quickly for anyone who recognizes synonym clusters, while green requires thinking about your evening routine.
Blue separates the civics buffs from the casual observers.
Purple, predictably, is the streak-ender, that nautical homophone trick won't reveal itself without serious lateral thinking.
The real trap lies in words like "needle" and "wanton" that could easily fit into other categories - needle might suggest sewing with lace and weave, while wanton could be misconstrued as a type of behavior rather than a word beginning with "want."
Similarly, "tower" might initially seem like it belongs with architectural terms rather than specifically as a bridge name.
Reset and Repeat
Tomorrow's puzzle drops at midnight in your timezone.
Until then, reflect on today's performance: did you spot the bee types immediately, or did the bridge category trip you up?
The beauty lies not in perfection but in training your brain to spot these hidden patterns.
For now, puzzle #954 is solved.
See you at midnight for round #955.
