The Friday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #985, serving up a grid that rewards board game knowledge and lunar mythology. Today's challenge particularly favors trivia buffs and those who can spot sneaky homophone connections.
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 #985:
MAGIC WAND | ECLIPSE | TOP HAT | DONKEY
TIDE | PLAYING CARD | WEREWOLF | BOOT
SILVER BULLET | IRON | CHEESE | GREEN CHEESE
SOCKET | PANACEA | THIMBLE | EASY ANSWER
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about solutions that promise immediate results.
Green Category Clue: Look for connections to celestial bodies and their effects.
Blue Category Hint: Consider classic board game components.
Purple Category Teaser: Focus on different meanings of a common name.
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Quick Fix): EASY ANSWER, MAGIC WAND, PANACEA, SILVER BULLET
These four terms all represent solutions that promise immediate, often magical or effortless resolution to problems.
The "silver bullet" metaphor for a simple cure-all pairs perfectly with "panacea" (a universal remedy), while "magic wand" and "easy answer" complete the set of quick-fix solutions.
Green (Associated With the Moon): ECLIPSE, GREEN CHEESE, TIDE, WEREWOLF
This category connects various lunar associations.
"Green cheese" references the old myth that the moon is made of cheese, while "tide" connects to the moon's gravitational pull on Earth's oceans. "Eclipse" is a direct lunar phenomenon, and "werewolf" mythology ties to the full moon's transformative power.
Blue (Original Monopoly Tokens): BOOT, IRON, THIMBLE, TOP HAT
These four items were among the original playing pieces in the classic board game Monopoly.
Before the game modernized its tokens with cars, dogs, and cats, these were standard pieces that players would move around the board to buy properties and collect rent.
Purple (What "Jack" Might Refer To): CHEESE, DONKEY, PLAYING CARD, SOCKET
This clever category plays on the multiple meanings of "Jack."
"Jack" can refer to a playing card (the Jack), a donkey (jackass), a type of cheese (Monterey Jack), and an electrical socket (jack plug). The homophone trick makes this the puzzle's most challenging connection.
The Verdict
Puzzle #985 registers as moderate difficulty with a sting in the tail.
Yellow falls quickly for anyone who recognizes synonym clusters, while green requires thinking about celestial connections.
Blue separates the board game enthusiasts from the casual players.
Purple, predictably, is the streak-ender, that homophone trick won't reveal itself without serious lateral thinking.
The real trap lies in words like "silver bullet" and "magic wand," which could easily mislead solvers into thinking about fantasy or supernatural categories rather than quick fixes.
Similarly, "green cheese" might initially seem like it belongs with regular "cheese," but its lunar connection is the key distinction.
Reset and Repeat
Tomorrow's puzzle drops at midnight in your timezone.
Until then, reflect on today's performance: did you spot the Monopoly tokens or get tripped up by the "Jack" homophones?
The beauty lies not in perfection but in training your brain to spot these hidden patterns.
For now, puzzle #985 is solved.
See you at midnight for round #986.
