Issue #796 Sat 5 Jul
Connections hints — July 5, 2025
A steady grid that relies on clear definitions today. The puzzle separates cleanly into four distinct corners, requiring a patient eye to see how the words align.
yellow group 7 nudges
Yellow group
A back-alley handshake, a suspicious invoice, or the sudden realization that the person across the table is playing a different game entirely.
Criminal enterprises
Synonyms
Members are 5–6 letters; first letters H, R, S.
CON GAME
One is HUSTLE.
HUSTLE · RACKET · SCHEME · STING
green group 7 nudges
Green group
A wooden spoon against the side of a ceramic bowl, the rhythm of a morning spent preparing a meal.
Culinary techniques
Synonyms
Members are 4–5 letters; first letters B, F, S.
COMBINE, AS BAKING INGREDIENTS
One is BEAT.
BEAT · BLEND · FOLD · STIR
blue group 7 nudges
Blue group
Staring at a locked gate, the quiet ache of a distance that cannot be closed, or the way a memory persists long after the person has left.
Emotional states
Synonyms
Members are 4 letters each; first letters B, I, L, P.
YEARN
One is BURN.
BURN · ITCH · LONG · PINE
violet group 7 nudges
Violet group
A scrap of paper pinned to the fridge, a digital reminder that pings at noon, or the mental tally of tasks waiting for the weekend.
Types of enumerations
Compound words and phrases
Members are 5–7 letters; first letters B, L, S, T.
KINDS OF LISTS
One is BUCKET.
BUCKET · LAUNDRY · SHORT · TO-DO