Today’s NYT Connections Answers Explained

Connections – Yellow Group

🟨 clandestine (CLOAK-AND-DAGGER, COVERT, HUSH-HUSH, TOP SECRET)

These all refer to acting in secret without anyone noticing. Like the traitors do in The Traitors.

Connections – Green Group

🟩 British potato dishes (BUBBLE AND SQUEAK, CHIPS, JACKET POTATO, MASH)

Cook some potatoes, mix in some cabbage (yuck) and fry it, and you’ve got BUBBLE AND SQUEAK.

Cut potatoes into length-wise strips and deep fry them, and you’ve got CHIPS. These are known as French fries in other countries. Proper CHIPS are the thicker ones that accompany fish, such as those ordered from a fish and CHIPS shop:

A JACKET POTATO is a baked potato.

MASH is otherwise known as mashed potatoes. When it’s done right, MASH is the best dish in the world. I’d be happy with a big plate of buttery, well-seasoned MASH for dinner. Mmm.

Connections – Blue Group

🟦 heraldic achievements (COAT OF ARMS, CREST, HELMET, SHIELD)

A COAT OF ARMS is a symbol that was traditionally worn on a SHIELD or outer clothing to help signify which side someone was on in a battle. A person might be given their own COAT OF ARMS as a reward for excellent service to a kingdom. The emblem is often later linked to a particular family, alliance or profession:

A CREST is an emblem that a knight, for instance, placed on top of their HELMET. As seen above, a CREST and HELMET are sometimes depicted atop a COAT OF ARMS.

Connections – Purple Group

🟪 ending in modal auxiliary terms (CAPE MAY, FREE WILL, GRAPE MUST, TIN CAN)

These refer to:

• CAPE MAY > may
• FREE WILL > will
• GRAPE MUST > must
• TIN CAN > can

CAPE MAY is the name of a city and a peninsula in New Jersey. GRAPE MUST is freshly pressed grape juice (including skins, stems and seeds) that’s often turned into wine.

Connections – Red Herrings

I didn’t see any red herrings today. If you did, you know what to do. :)

Edit: Gosh, I’m kicking myself for missing these. CLOAK-AND-DAGGER, JACKET POTATO, COAT OF ARMS and CAPE MAY all start with items of clothing. That is a red herring right there. (Cheers, Maxim!)

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I’ll be back with another set of NYT Connections hints and answers tomorrow, as well as another edition of this one, all going well. You’ll be able to find both of those on my Forbes author page when the time comes (following me there helps me out too!). As for the weekend editions of my NYT Connections hints and answers column, I’m currently doing that via my newsletter, Pastimes.