Issue #270 Sat 2 Mar
Connections hints — March 2, 2024
Today's grid asks for a steady hand. You will find two groups that reward reading the definitions aloud and two that rely on identifying common symbolic roles.
yellow group 7 nudges
Yellow group
A man in a trench coat waiting on a park bench, checking his watch every sixty seconds.
Espionage and covert operations
Synonyms for a specific type of professional role
Members are 4–7 letters; first letters A, M, S.
INTELLIGENCE OPERATIVE
One is AGENT.
AGENT · ASSET · MOLE · SLEEPER
green group 7 nudges
Green group
Scansion marks scribbled in the margins of a dog-eared textbook.
Literary analysis
Component parts of a structural system
Members are 4–5 letters; first letters F, L, M, V.
UNITS IN POETRY
One is FOOT.
FOOT · LINE · METER · VERSE
blue group 7 nudges
Blue group
The way a friend avoids a direct answer by talking around the edges of a problem.
Verbal communication styles
Synonyms for providing information without stating it plainly
Members are 5–8 letters; first letters C, I, S.
EXPRESS INDIRECTLY
One is COUCH.
COUCH · IMPLY · INTIMATE · SUGGEST
violet group 7 nudges
Violet group
A handwritten note on a lab report or a shorthand tally on a whiteboard.
Scientific and common notation
Multiple definitions for a single character
Members are 4–9 letters; first letters K, O, P, T.
WHAT “K” MIGHT MEAN
One is KELVIN.
KELVIN · OKAY · POTASSIUM · THOUSAND