The Thursday edition of NYT Connections arrives with puzzle #991, serving up a grid that rewards comedy writers and those who can spot color-based connections. Today's challenge particularly favors stand-up enthusiasts and anyone who can navigate multiple layers of wordplay.
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 #991:
SHAMROCK | DRUMROLL | PUNCHLINE | MILESTONE
PRETTY | WATERSHED | GRASSHOPPER | LANDMARK
CHECK | TIMING | ATTENTION | STATUE OF LIBERTY
SETUP | WASABI | CALLBACK | CROSSROADS
A seemingly random collection that somehow connects into four perfect categories.
Strategic Hints (No Spoilers Yet)
Yellow Category Nudge: Think about significant moments or turning points in life or history.
Green Category Clue: Look for things that are literally or figuratively green.
Blue Category Hint: Consider what makes a joke work from start to finish.
Purple Category Teaser: These words complete a common two-word phrase that ends with "please."
The Full Solutions
Last chance to solve independently: answers below
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Yellow (Pivotal Point): CROSSROADS, LANDMARK, MILESTONE, WATERSHED
These four words all represent significant turning points or moments of decision. A watershed marks a dividing line, a milestone measures progress, a crossroads presents choices, and a landmark serves as a reference point.
Green (Green Things): GRASSHOPPER, SHAMROCK, STATUE OF LIBERTY, WASABI
This category connects items that are literally or famously green. Grasshoppers are green insects, shamrocks are green clovers, the Statue of Liberty has a green patina, and wasabi is a green Japanese horseradish.
Blue (Elements of Joke-Telling): CALLBACK, PUNCHLINE, SETUP, TIMING
These are essential components of comedy and joke structure. The setup establishes the premise, the punchline delivers the humor, timing controls the delivery, and a callback references earlier material.
Purple ("___ Please"): ATTENTION, CHECK, DRUMROLL, PRETTY
Each word completes the phrase "___ please" in common usage. "Attention please" announces important information, "check please" requests a bill, "drumroll please" builds anticipation, and "pretty please" adds emphasis to a request.
The Verdict
Puzzle #991 registers as moderate difficulty with clever thematic layering. Yellow falls quickly for anyone who recognizes pivotal moments, while green requires thinking about color associations beyond the obvious.
Blue separates comedy enthusiasts from casual observers. Purple, predictably, is the streak-ender, that "___ please" pattern won't reveal itself without recognizing the common phrase structure.
The real trap lies in words like "STATUE OF LIBERTY" and "WASABI" tempting solvers toward tourist attractions or Japanese cuisine categories, while "DRUMROLL" and "PUNCHLINE" could mislead toward performance arts instead of their actual comedy and phrase-based groupings.
Reset and Repeat
Tomorrow's puzzle drops at midnight in your timezone. Until then, reflect on today's performance: did you spot the comedy structure or get tripped up by the green things?
The beauty lies not in perfection but in training your brain to spot these hidden patterns.
For now, puzzle #991 is solved. See you at midnight for round #992.
