Issue #411 Sun 7 Jul
Connections hints — July 7, 2024
Today's grid offers a measured progression, balancing straightforward definitions with a handful of lateral associations. Expect to spend a moment parsing the more colloquial entries before the board clears.
yellow group 7 nudges
Yellow group
Steam rising from a morning kettle, a puddle turning to glass on the driveway, or the ice cubes forgotten on the counter.
Physical Science
Direct synonyms
Members are 4–8 letters; first letters C, F, M, V.
CHANGE STATES OF MATTER
One is CONDENSE.
CONDENSE · FREEZE · MELT · VAPORIZE
green group 7 nudges
Green group
You take the same route home and a single door is open that's never open, requiring a change of plans.
Functional Equivalents
Synonyms for a secondary option
Members are 3–9 letters; first letters A, B, C, S.
REPLACEMENT
One is ALTERNATE.
ALTERNATE · BACKUP · COVER · SUB
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Blue group
The quiet shorthand used in a newsroom or a precinct to describe someone by their uniform or their habits.
Occupational Slang
Informal labels for roles
Members are 4–6 letters; first letters C, H, S.
SLANGY NAMES FOR PROFESSIONS
One is COPPER.
COPPER · HACK · SHRINK · SUIT
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Violet group
Whatever you set the night before is what gets you up — for better or worse.
Music Discography
Shared proper nouns
Members are 4–7 letters; first letters F, H, S.
MARIAH CAREY NUMBER ONE HITS
One is FANTASY.
FANTASY · HERO · HONEY · SOMEDAY