Issue #396 Mon 17 Jun
Connections hints — June 17, 2024
A steady, methodical grid today. The board presents a series of clear-cut linguistic associations that reward a careful eye for distinct usage.
yellow group 7 nudges
Yellow group
A handwritten label on a box, the thump of a heavy parcel on the porch, and the long wait for a tracking update.
Logistics and correspondence
Direct synonyms
Members are 4 letters each; first letters M, P, S.
DELIVER, AS A PACKAGE
One is MAIL.
MAIL · POST · SEND · SHIP
green group 7 nudges
Green group
A quick check in the rearview mirror, the swipe of a tube before a dinner reservation, and the sticky residue left on a coffee cup rim.
Cosmetics
Functional synonyms
Members are 4–5 letters; first letters B, G, L, S.
KINDS OF LIP MAKEUP
One is BALM.
BALM · GLOSS · LINER · STAIN
blue group 7 nudges
Blue group
You take the same route home and a single door is open that's never open, leaving you stuck in a tight place.
Difficult situations
Metaphorical synonyms
Members are 3–6 letters; first letters C, F, H, S.
PREDICAMENT
One is CORNER.
CORNER · FIX · HOLE · SPOT
violet group 7 nudges
Violet group
A thermometer under the tongue, a protractor on a drafting table, and the cold calculation of a jury's verdict.
Systems of measurement
Words sharing a common suffix context
Members are 5–11 letters; first letters A, C, E, T.
MEASURED IN DEGREES
One is ANGLE.
ANGLE · CRIME · EDUCATION · TEMPERATURE