Issue #357 Sat 18 May
Connections hints — May 18, 2024
Today's grid requires a steady hand to untangle several overlapping themes. The wordplay is straightforward, though a few traps are waiting for the impatient.
yellow group 7 nudges
Yellow group
A walk through the woods where you find a creature that seems to be wearing a mask of another.
Zoological nomenclature
Compound words formed by joining two distinct identifiers
Members are 7–10 letters; first letters B, C, H, T.
ANIMALS WHOSE NAMES ARE TWO ANIMALS
One is BULLDOG.
BULLDOG · CATFISH · HORSEFLY · TURTLEDOVE
green group 7 nudges
Green group
Tires gripping asphalt on a mountain pass where the road doubles back on itself.
Navigational geometry
Terms describing sudden directional shifts
Members are 3–10 letters; first letters D, H, S, Z.
SHARP TURNS
One is DOGLEG.
DOGLEG · HAIRPIN · SWITCHBACK · ZAG
blue group 7 nudges
Blue group
The living room rug is pushed aside, the bowl of scraps is passed, and someone has to play the narrator.
Social recreation
Commonly known tabletop and group activities
Members are 8–10 letters; first letters C, F, W.
CLASSIC PARTY GAMES
One is CATEGORIES.
CATEGORIES · CHARADES · FISHBOWL · WEREWOLF
violet group 7 nudges
Violet group
The rhythmic ticking of a mantle piece or the sudden snap of a metal trap in the dark.
Mechanical components
Items defined by the presence of a coiled tension device
Members are 5–10 letters; first letters C, M, T.
THINGS WITH SPRING/S
One is CLOCK.
CLOCK · MATTRESS · MOUSETRAP · TRAMPOLINE