Issue #468 Sat 24 Aug
Connections hints — August 24, 2024
Today's grid asks for a steady hand, balancing a few straightforward sets against a pair of traps designed to pull your focus elsewhere. Expect to spend a moment parsing the linguistic patterns before the final connections click into place.
yellow group 7 nudges
Yellow group
The office breakroom after the boss leaves, or the hum of a crowd right before the main act takes the stage.
Communication and social dynamics
Synonyms for unverified information
Members are 4–11 letters; first letters R, S, T, W.
HEARSAY
One is RUMBLING.
RUMBLING · SPECULATION · TALK · WHISPERS
green group 7 nudges
Green group
Walking across creaky floorboards in the middle of the night to reach the kitchen for a glass of water.
Physical movement and locomotion
Synonyms for quiet motion
Members are 4–6 letters; first letters C, S, T.
MOVE STEALTHILY
One is CREEP.
CREEP · SLIP · STEAL · TIPTOE
blue group 7 nudges
Blue group
Standing at a kiosk in an airport terminal, clutching a clipboard and looking for the keys to a midsize sedan.
Commercial services and logistics
Proper nouns sharing a commercial industry
Members are 6–10 letters; first letters B, E, N, T.
CAR RENTAL COMPANIES
One is BUDGET.
BUDGET · ENTERPRISE · NATIONAL · THRIFTY
violet group 7 nudges
Violet group
Looking at a periodic table and realizing the final letters of a word spell out something quite elemental.
Linguistic and scientific wordplay
Suffix-based word construction
Members are 5–7 letters; first letters E, J, L, P.
ENDING WITH CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
One is ENVIRON.
ENVIRON · JARGON · LATIN · PLEAD