The Saturday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #958, serving up a grid that rewards fashion knowledge, sports expertise, and lateral thinking. Today's challenge particularly favors boxing enthusiasts and those who can spot sneaky clothing terminology.
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 #958:
ROBE | CONE | CROWN | HALTER
PEA | SCOOP | BOAT | CUP
GLOBE | GLOVES | CREW | MOUTHGUARD
TITLE | SHORTS | LEOPARD | AWARD
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories spanning fashion, sports, and wordplay.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about what a professional fighter wears in the ring.
Green Category Clue: These are all things you can win in competitive events.
Blue Category Hint: Fashion terminology for different styles of necklines.
Purple Category Teaser: Complete the phrase "SNOW ___" with each of these words.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Gear for a boxer): GLOVES, MOUTHGUARD, ROBE, SHORTS
These four items constitute essential equipment for a professional boxer. The robe and shorts form the fighter's attire, while gloves and mouthguard provide crucial protection during bouts.
Green (Championship): AWARD, CROWN, CUP, TITLE
All four words represent prizes or honors awarded to champions in various competitions. From sports trophies to royal coronations, these terms signify victory and achievement across different domains.
Blue (Kinds of necklines): BOAT, CREW, HALTER, SCOOP
These are specific fashion terms describing different styles of necklines on clothing. Boat necklines are wide and horizontal, crew necks are round and close-fitting, halter necks tie behind the neck, and scoop necks feature a deep U-shape.
Purple (SNOW ___): CONE, GLOBE, LEOPARD, PEA
Each word completes the phrase "SNOW ___" to form common expressions. Snow cone (frozen dessert), snow globe (decorative item), snow leopard (mountain cat), and snow pea (edible pod vegetable) all follow this pattern.
The Verdict
Puzzle #958 registers as moderate difficulty with a clever linguistic twist. Yellow falls quickly for anyone familiar with boxing equipment, while green requires recognizing championship terminology.
Blue separates fashion enthusiasts from casual observers with its specific neckline vocabulary. Purple, predictably, is the streak-ender - that "SNOW ___" pattern won't reveal itself without serious lateral thinking about common phrases.
The real trap lies in words like "CREW" and "BOAT" that could easily mislead solvers toward nautical themes, while "CUP" and "CROWN" might suggest drinking vessels or royalty rather than championship prizes. "LEOPARD" stands out as particularly deceptive, potentially leading players toward animal categories rather than the "snow leopard" phrase completion.
Reset and Repeat
Tomorrow's puzzle drops at midnight in your timezone. Until then, reflect on today's performance: did you spot the boxing gear immediately, or did the neckline terminology trip you up?
The beauty lies not in perfection but in training your brain to spot these hidden patterns across fashion, sports, and language.
For now, puzzle #958 is solved. See you at midnight for round #959.
