The Friday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #978, serving up a grid that rewards brand recognition and linguistic dexterity. Today's challenge particularly favors those with a sharp ear for homophones and an eye for synonyms, with a mix of straightforward categories and one genuinely clever twist.
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 #978:
WAYNE | PARLIAMENT | STANDARD | LESSON
KENT | SYNC | SHEER | COLORS
STARK | CAMEL | BANNER | UTTER
RESEED | PURE | FLAG | SALEM
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: These four words all intensify adjectives, describing something complete or absolute.
Green Category Clue: Think about what flies above a ship or military unit.
Blue Category Hint: These are names you'd find in a convenience store tobacco section.
Purple Category Teaser: Listen carefully, these words sound like different methods of reduction.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
---
---
---
---
---
Yellow (Downright): PURE, SHEER, STARK, UTTER
These four words function as intensifiers meaning "complete" or "absolute."
"Pure luck," "sheer coincidence," "stark contrast," and "utter nonsense" all use these words to emphasize totality.
Green (Pennant): BANNER, COLORS, FLAG, STANDARD
All four terms refer to types of flags or symbols representing groups, nations, or causes.
"Standard" might initially seem like an outlier, but in heraldic terms, it's a type of flag or banner.
Blue (Cigarette Brands): CAMEL, KENT, PARLIAMENT, SALEM
These are all established cigarette brand names that have been on the market for decades.
The trap here is "Parliament" and "Salem," which could easily be mistaken for government or historical references.
Purple (Homophones of Ways to Get Smaller): LESSON, RESEED, SYNC, WAYNE
This is the puzzle's cleverest category, requiring players to think phonetically.
"Lesson" sounds like "lessen," "reseed" like "recede," "sync" like "shrink," and "Wayne" like "wane", all verbs describing reduction.
The Verdict
Puzzle #978 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 brand-aware from the casual observers.
Purple, predictably, is the streak-ender, that homophone trick won't reveal itself without serious lateral thinking.
The real trap lies in "Parliament" and "Salem," which could easily pull solvers toward government or historical categories.
"Standard" also presents a double threat, potentially fitting with both flag terminology and the intensifier group.
Reset and Repeat
Tomorrow's puzzle drops at midnight in your timezone.
Until then, reflect on today's performance: did you spot the cigarette brands immediately, or did the homophone category catch you off guard?
The beauty lies not in perfection but in training your brain to spot these hidden patterns.
For now, puzzle #978 is solved.
See you at midnight for round #979.
