I need to find a group of four words from the available list that belong to the same category. Let’s examine the words for potential themes or connections. Available words: FOLEY, BAD, SHAME, RACE, TSK, COBRA, BARREL, AKEEM, ZIP, TUT TUT, DOLITTLE, CAKE, FLY, KONG, TUT, DONKEY First, I notice some proper names: AKEEM, DOLITTLE, KONG. "DOLITTLE" likely refers to Doctor Dolittle. "KONG" could be King Kong. "AKEEM" might refer to Prince Akeem from Coming to America. These are all character names from movies. "DONKEY" could also be a character (from Shrek). So perhaps a category of fictional characters? Let's hold that thought. Another angle: "TSK" and "TUT TUT" and "TUT" — these all seem like expressions of disapproval. "TSK" and "TUT" are essentially the same sound. "TUT TUT" is a reduplication of that. So maybe those three go together, but I need a fourth. "SHAME" could also express disapproval or be used in a scolding context ("For shame!"). So possible category: expressions of disapproval — TSK, TUT, TUT TUT, SHAME. That seems plausible. Another idea: "COBRA", "KONG", "DONKEY", "BAD", "RACE", "FLY", "CAKE", "BARREL", "ZIP" — could any of these be types of something? "FLY", "ZIP", "COBRA", "KONG" — not obviously. Looking at "DOLITTLE", "AKEEM", "KONG", "DONKEY" — all could be surnames or names of famous characters: • Dr. Dolittle • Prince Akeem • King Kong • Donkey (from Shrek) But "Donkey" is not a proper name per se, it's the character’s name though. Still, this group feels a bit shaky because "Donkey" is a common noun used as a name, while others are proper names. Another angle: "BAD", "CAKE", "FLY", "ZIP", "RACE" — these can all precede or follow another word to make common phrases: • "Bad" + [word]: bad egg, bad apple, etc. • "Fly": fly swatter, fly trap, but also “fly” as in cool (“That’s fly!”) • “Zip” as in “zip code”, “zip lock”, or “nothing” (“zilch, zero, zip”) • “Cake”: “piece of cake”, “cupcake”, etc. Not obvious. Now looking at "BARREL", "CAKE", "FLY", "COBRA", "RACE", "KONG", "DOLITTLE", "AKEEM", "DONKEY" — any animal connections? • Cobra = snake • Donkey = animal • King Kong = gorilla • Doctor Dolittle = talks to animals • Fly = insect • Race? No. • Barrel? No. Wait — maybe famous animal characters or famous animals in media? • Donkey (Shrek) • King Kong (gorilla) • Cobra might refer to "Cobra Kai" or just the snake, but less likely a character • Doctor Dolittle is a human, but associated with animals. Alternatively, think about famous two-word phrases or titles: • "Coming to America" → Akeem • "Dr. Dolittle" • "King Kong" • "Donkey Kong" — wait! That’s it! Donkey Kong is a famous video game character. So: • DONKEY • KONG But those are two parts of one name. However, in the word list they are separate: DONKEY and KONG are listed independently. Wait, but maybe the category is “Words that can follow or precede ‘King’”? No, only KONG fits that. Another angle: "TSK", "TUT", "TUT TUT", and maybe "SHAME" as mentioned earlier — all are sounds or words used to express mild rebuke or disapproval. That still feels strong. "TSK" and "TUT" are phonetic representations of the same clicking sound of disapproval. "TUT TUT" is just a repeated form. "SHAME" is often used in scolding: "Shame on you!" So that’s a possible group: TSK, TUT, TUT TUT, SHAME. But note: the available words include both "TUT" and "TUT TUT" — are those considered distinct words? Yes, as per the list. So they can both be used. Now check if any of those have been used — no guesses yet, so all are available. Another possibility: "FOLEY", "DOLITTLE", "AKEEM", "KONG" — all surnames? Foley is a surname (also refers to "Foley artist" in film sound). Dolittle is a surname. Akeem and Kong are first and last? Not consistent. Wait: "BAD", "RACE", "FLY", "CAKE" — these can all precede or follow the word “horse”? • Racehorse • Workhorse? No. • "Dark horse"? Not matching. • "Cake" doesn't go with horse. • "Fly": horsefly — yes! • "Cobra", "Barrel": barrel racer (horse), but weak. Alternatively, "BARREL", "CAKE", "COBRA", "FLY" — types of “roll”? Barrel roll, cake roll, cobra roll (roller coaster), fly roll? Not convincing. Think about homophones or puns? Maybe not. Another idea: "ZIP", "FLY", "COBRA", "RACE" — all can be types of fast things? Zip = fast, fly = fast, race = fast, cobra = fast car (Shelby Cobra)? Maybe, but tenuous. Back to the disapproval group: TSK, TUT, TUT TUT, SHAME. Are all four in the list? Yes: • TSK • TUT • TUT TUT • SHAME That seems like a solid thematic group: all used to express disapproval or reproach. I think this is the strongest candidate so far. Alternative check: Is there a movie character group? • AKEEM (Coming to America) • DOLITTLE (Dr. Dolittle) • KONG (King Kong) • DONKEY (Shrek) All are famous characters whose names are in the list. That also seems plausible. Which is more likely in a Connections puzzle? Both are valid, but character names are often used. However, "Donkey" is a common noun, while others are proper names. Also, in Connections puzzles, they usually avoid splitting a compound name like "Donkey Kong" into two separate words unless the category is something else. But note: "DONKEY" and "KONG" appear separately, which might be a red herring. If the category were “Parts of famous two-word names”, that might include Donkey/Kong, but also maybe others? Not really. Also, "Foley" could refer to "Foley sound effects", "Dolittle" to the doctor, "Akeem" to the prince — but again, not a clean category. The disapproval sounds are more cohesive linguistically. Also, note that "TUT" and "TSK" are essentially the same sound — in British English, “tut” is common; in American English, “tsk” is more common. “Tut tut” is the reduplicated form. “Shame” is a verbal expression of the same sentiment. Therefore, I will go with: TSK, TUT, TUT TUT, SHAME. Wait — but "TUT" and "TUT TUT" might be considered too similar, and sometimes Connections avoids including both a word and its reduplication unless that’s the point. But given they are both in the list, it's likely intentional. Alternatively, maybe the category is "Sounds of disapproval", and "SHAME" doesn’t quite fit as a sound — it’s a word, not a sound. Hmm. That’s a fair point. “Tsk”, “tut”, “tut tut” are all vocal sounds. “Shame” is a lexical word. So maybe that doesn’t belong. If I remove SHAME, what’s the fourth? Are there only three sound words? Available disapproval sounds: TSK, TUT, TUT TUT — that’s three. Need a fourth. Is “BAD” used as an exclamation? Not really. “RACE”? No. So maybe that group is incomplete. Alternative idea: "COBRA", "DOLITTLE", "KONG", "DONKEY" — all can follow or precede animal names? • King Kong (ape) • Donkey (animal) • Cobra (snake) • Doctor Dolittle (talks to animals) Still messy. Wait! Think of famous "first names" or "titles + name": • Dr. Dolittle • King Kong • Prince Akeem • Donkey (from Shrek — just "Donkey") Again, inconsistent. Another angle: "BARREL", "CAKE", "FLY", "COBRA" — all can precede the word “paper”? • White paper types? No. • “Barrel” as in “barrel roll” — no. Think of famous Kongs: Donkey Kong, King Kong — so maybe video game or movie monsters? But then “Cobra” could be from G.I. Joe (Cobra Commander), “Donkey” from Donkey Kong, “Kong” from King Kong — still stretching. Wait, look at: DOLITTLE, AKEEM, FOLEY, AKEEM — are these all people with first names that are also words? • Eddie Murphy played both Prince Akeem and Donkey (and also Dr. Dolittle)! That’s a connection. Eddie Murphy played: • Prince Akeem in Coming to America • Donkey in Shrek • Dr. Dolittle in Dr. Dolittle And "FOLEY"? Robert Foley? Not Eddie Murphy. But wait — is "FOLEY" also an Eddie Murphy role? Not that I know of. But three of them are Eddie Murphy characters: AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY. Who’s the fourth? KONG? No, King Kong wasn’t played by Eddie Murphy. Unless... this is a stretch. But Connections puzzles sometimes use actor-character links. However, without a fourth Eddie Murphy character, this fails. Unless "BAD" refers to "Eddie Murphy: Delirious" or "Raw", but "BAD" isn't a character. So maybe not. Another path: "ZIP", "FLY", "BARREL", "RACE" — all can describe speed or fast movement. • Zip = fast • Fly = fast • Race = fast • Barrel? As in "barrel down the road" = move fast That’s possible. But is “barrel” commonly used that way? Yes: “The car barrelled down the street.” So maybe. But again, less clean than other options. Now consider: "CAKE", "FLY", "BAD", "RACE" — all can precede or follow “horse”? • Racehorse • Workhorse? No. • “Horsefly” (but it’s "fly", not "horsefly" in the list) • “Cake” – “horse cake”? No. No. Look at "FOLEY". In film, a Foley artist creates sound effects. "TSK", "TUT", etc. are sounds — maybe a sound category? • Foley (sound effects) • TSK (sound) • TUT (sound) • FLY (buzzing sound?) — weak. Not strong. Wait — what words can precede “paper”? • White paper, but no. Another idea: "COBRA", "KONG", "DONKEY", "AKEEM" — all can follow or precede “King”? • King Cobra • King Kong • King Akeem? No. • King Donkey? No. Only two. But “King Cobra” and “King Kong” both start with “King”. Is there a third? “King Cake” (Mardi Gras) — CAKE is in the list! And “King” + “BAD” = “King Bad”? No. “King FLY”? No. But “King Cake” is a thing. So: • King Cobra • King Kong • King Cake That’s three. Need a fourth. “King TUT” — King Tutankhamun! And “TUT” is in the list! Oh! This is promising. King-related terms: • KING COBRA • KING KONG • KING CAKE • KING TUT (short for Tutankhamun) And the words in the list are: COBRA, KONG, CAKE, TUT Yes! All four are in the available words. That’s a classic Connections-style category: things that can follow “King” to form a well-known phrase or name. Let’s verify: • King Cobra: a type of snake • King Kong: famous movie character • King Cake: traditional Mardi Gras dessert • King Tut: nickname for the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun All are commonly referred to with “King” as a prefix. This is a very solid category, and all four words are present in the list: COBRA, KONG, CAKE, TUT. This feels much stronger than the disapproval group, especially since "SHAME" doesn't quite fit as a sound, and this group is clean and common in puzzle contexts. Therefore, my guess will be: COBRA, KONG, CAKE, TUT.

Great! The first group (COBRA, KONG, CAKE, TUT) was correct, and they’ve been removed from the available words. Now, the remaining words are: FOLEY, BAD, SHAME, RACE, TSK, BARREL, AKEEM, ZIP, TUT TUT, DOLITTLE, FLY, DONKEY I need to find another set of four related words. Let’s scan for new patterns. First, notice “TUT TUT” is still there — along with “TSK” and “SHAME”. Earlier I considered these as expressions of disapproval. Now that “TUT” is gone (used in the “King” group), we have “TUT TUT”, “TSK”, and “SHAME”. That’s three. Is there a fourth? What about “BAD”? As in “Bad!” — used to express disapproval? Possibly (“Bad dog!”), but weaker. Alternatively, maybe the disapproval group is now incomplete. Next, look at character names again: • AKEEM (Prince Akeem from Coming to America) • DOLITTLE (Dr. Dolittle) • DONKEY (from Shrek) • FOLEY? Not obviously a character. Wait — Eddie Murphy played all three: Akeem, Donkey, and Dr. Dolittle. Is there a fourth Eddie Murphy character in the list? “FOLEY” — not that I know of. “BAD” — there’s the movie Eddie Murphy: Raw, but not “Bad” as a character. However, “BAD” could refer to “Mr. Bad” or something? Unlikely. But maybe the category is “Famous literary or film characters whose names are common words or odd names” — still messy. Another angle: “FLY”, “ZIP”, “BARREL”, “RACE” — all can describe speed or fast movement: • Fly = move quickly • Zip = move quickly • Race = move quickly • Barrel = as in “barrel down the highway” This seems plausible. Let’s check if all are available: yes — FLY, ZIP, BARREL, RACE are all still there. Are these commonly grouped? In word games, yes — “Words meaning to move quickly”. Another possibility: “BAD”, “FLY”, “ZIP”, “RACE” — all can precede or follow “car”? • Race car • Zip car? (Zipcar is a brand, but maybe too niche) • Fly car? No. • Bad car? Not really. Not strong. Now consider “DOLITTLE”, “FOLEY”, “AKEEM”, “DONKEY” — all proper names. Could the category be “Famous surnames or unique character names”? But again, inconsistent. Wait — “DOLITTLE” and “FOLEY” are both surnames associated with professions or notable roles: • Dr. Dolittle: fictional veterinarian • Foley: as in Foley catheter (medical), or Foley artist (sound effects in film) But not clearly connected. Another idea: “SHAME”, “BAD”, “TSK”, “TUT TUT” — back to disapproval. Even without “TUT”, maybe these four go together as expressions of reprimand or social disapproval. • “Tsk” and “Tut tut” are sounds • “Shame” as in “Shame on you!” • “Bad” as in “Bad!” (like scolding a pet) This is actually used in English — people say “Bad!” to scold, just like “Shame!” So maybe this is the intended group. Available: SHAME, BAD, TSK, TUT TUT — all present. This feels cohesive in the context of social disapproval expressions. Compare that to the speed group: FLY, ZIP, BARREL, RACE. Which is more likely? In NYT Connections, both types appear, but the disapproval group matches a known category type (vocal or verbal expressions of disapproval), and we already saw that “TUT” was part of the King group, so the remaining disapproval terms may form their own group. Also, “TUT TUT” and “TSK” are very closely related — nearly synonymous. “Shame” and “Bad” are lexical scolds. This seems strong. Another cross-check: is “BARREL” used elsewhere? What about “BARREL”, “CAKE” — but CAKE is already used. “DONKEY”, “RACE” — donkey race? Not notable. “DOLITTLE”, “AKEEM”, “DONKEY”, “FOLEY” — all names of people (real or fictional) that are also unusual words. But again, “Foley” is a real surname, while others are fictional characters. Wait — all four (AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, FOLEY) are names of characters played by famous actors? • Akeem: Eddie Murphy • Dolittle: Eddie Murphy (and also Rex Harrison) • Donkey: Eddie Murphy • Foley: Hmm. There’s “Sergeant Foley” in An Officer and a Gentleman? Or “Foley” as in wrestler Mick Foley? But that feels like a stretch without a consistent actor or source. Now consider homophones or puns: “FLY”, “ZIP”, “BAD”, “RACE” — all can precede “paper” in types of paper? No. Back to disapproval: I think SHAME, BAD, TSK, TUT TUT is solid. Let’s confirm usage: • “Tsk” = sound of disapproval • “Tut tut” = same • “Shame!” = exclamation of disapproval • “Bad!” = exclamation when scolding (e.g., “Bad dog!”) Yes — all used to express mild reprimand. Therefore, I’ll go with that group.

Great! The second group (SHAME, BAD, TSK, TUT TUT) was correct and removed. Remaining words: FOLEY, BARREL, AKEEM, ZIP, DOLITTLE, FLY, DONKEY, RACE Now I need to find another group of four connected words. Let’s list them clearly: • FOLEY • BARREL • AKEEM • ZIP • DOLITTLE • FLY • DONKEY • RACE First, consider character names again: • AKEEM (Prince Akeem from Coming to America) • DOLITTLE (Dr. Dolittle) • DONKEY (from Shrek) • FOLEY? Not obviously a character. But wait — all three (AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY) are famously voiced or played by Eddie Murphy. Is there a fourth Eddie Murphy character here? “FOLEY” – not that I know of. “RACE” – no. “FLY” – no. But maybe the category isn’t Eddie Murphy, but rather “Fictional characters with unusual or single-word names”. Still, FOLEY doesn’t fit. Another angle: “FLY”, “ZIP”, “RACE”, “BARREL” — all can describe fast movement: • Fly = move swiftly • Zip = move quickly • Race = move at high speed • Barrel = as in “barrel down the road” (move quickly and recklessly) All four are present and unused. This seems strong. Check if these are commonly grouped: Yes, in puzzles, these are often clued as “verbs meaning to move quickly”. Alternative possibility: “BARREL”, “FLY”, “ZIP”, “RACE” – all can be types of “___ coat” or something? No. Or consider “ZIP”, “FLY”, “BARREL” as parts of clothing? • Zip = zipper • Fly = on pants • Barrel? No. Not that. Now consider “FOLEY”, “DOLITTLE”, “AKEEM”, “DONKEY” – all proper names, and notably, all are names that are also common English words or unusual standalone names. But more compellingly, they all appear in movie titles: • Coming to America → Akeem • Dr. Dolittle → Dolittle • Shrek → Donkey • Foley – there’s a film Foley? Not really well-known. However, “Foley” is also a surname associated with “Foley artist” (sound effects in film), which might connect to sound, but others don’t fit. Wait — another thought: All four (AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY, FOLEY) are surnames or names that are also homophones or puns? Not clearly. Now look at the speed group again: FLY, ZIP, RACE, BARREL. This feels clean and consistent. All are verbs (or used as verbs) meaning to move rapidly. Examples: • The car raced down the street. • He zipped through the hallway. • She flew across the room. • They barrelled into the room. Yes, all valid. Given that, and no strong alternative emerging, I’ll go with FLY, ZIP, RACE, BARREL. That leaves FOLEY, AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY for the final group — which would likely be the Eddie Murphy character group. That actually makes sense now! Because once I remove the speed words, the remaining four are all Eddie Murphy roles: • Prince Akeem (Coming to America) • Dr. Dolittle (Dr. Dolittle) • Donkey (Shrek) • And… wait, is FOLEY an Eddie Murphy role? Hold on — actually, no. But maybe I’m wrong about FOLEY. Wait, perhaps FOLEY isn’t part of that group. Did I miscount? Remaining after speed group would be: FOLEY, AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY But if FOLEY doesn’t fit, maybe the speed group is wrong. Alternative: What if the last group is “Famous people with two-syllable names that are also common words”? Unlikely. Wait — another idea: “DONKEY”, “FLY”, “DOLITTLE”, “BARREL” — all appear in famous phrases: • “Donkey Kong” (but KONG is already used) • “Fly me to the moon” • “Dr. Dolittle” • “Barrel of monkeys” Not cohesive. Back to Eddie Murphy: he played Akeem, Donkey, and Dolittle. Who’s the fourth? Is it possible that “FOLEY” is a red herring, and the actual fourth is something else? Wait — maybe “RACE” refers to “Eddie” as in “Eddie the race car”? No. Alternatively, maybe FOLEY isn’t an Eddie Murphy character, but the category is simply “Fictional characters whose names are not typical human first names”: • Donkey (an animal name) • Dolittle (a surname meaning “do little”) • Akeem (a real name, but unusual in Western context) • Foley (surname, but also a real word) Still shaky. But consider: In the final four, if I assume FOLEY belongs with the others, maybe the category is “Last names of famous film characters or real people that are also English words”. But let’s flip it: maybe the speed group is correct, and FOLEY actually belongs to a different group. Wait — is there another connection? Look at: FOLEY, DOLITTLE, AKEEM, DONKEY All of these are names that are also the titles of films: • Dr. Dolittle • Coming to America (but the title isn’t “Akeem”) • Shrek (not “Donkey”) • No film titled Foley or Akeem Not consistent. Another possibility: All four are names that start with consonants and have two syllables? Weak. Wait — perhaps FOLEY is part of a different group I haven’t seen. What does “FOLEY” mean? In film production, a Foley artist creates everyday sound effects (footsteps, rustling clothes, etc.). “FLY”, “ZIP”, “RACE”, “BARREL” — all can produce sounds: • Fly buzzes • Zip sound of a zipper • Race (roar of engines) • Barrel (rolling sound) But FOLEY is the person who creates sounds, not the sound itself. So not consistent. Given the time, and the strength of the speed group, I think FLY, ZIP, RACE, BARREL is the best next guess. The remaining four (FOLEY, AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY) will likely form the last group, possibly as “Eddie Murphy characters” — and perhaps “FOLEY” is a mistake in my knowledge. Wait — quick fact check: Did Eddie Murphy play a character named Foley? Not that I recall. But maybe the puzzle considers “Foley” as part of a different category. Alternatively, maybe “AKEEM” is not about Eddie Murphy, but about royalty: Prince Akeem, King Kong (already used), etc. But Kong is gone. Another thought: “DONKEY”, “DOLITTLE”, “FOLEY”, “AKEEM” — all have double letters? • Donkey – no double • Dolittle – double ‘t’ and ‘l’ • Foley – no double • Akeem – double ‘e’ Not consistent. Perhaps I should consider that the last group is “Names that are also words you might find in a dictionary with unusual meanings” — but again, not strong. Given that, and since the speed group is linguistically solid, I’ll go with that. If the last group is indeed Eddie Murphy characters, maybe “FOLEY” is an outlier, but more likely, I’m missing something. Wait — is “FOLEY” a character in a famous story? There’s “Foley” in Major League (the announcer), but not played by Eddie Murphy. Alternatively, maybe the category is “Surnames that are also verbs or nouns”: Dolittle (do little), Foley (a type of sound), etc. But I think I should trust the speed group. Final decision: FLY, ZIP, RACE, BARREL.

Excellent! The third group (FLY, ZIP, RACE, BARREL) was correct. That leaves exactly four words remaining: FOLEY, AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY These must form the final group. Now I need to identify the connection among them. All four are proper nouns, and as previously considered, they are all names of famous fictional characters played by Eddie Murphy: • AKEEM: Prince Akeem from Coming to America (1988) and its sequel. • DOLITTLE: Dr. Dolittle from the Dr. Dolittle film series (1998 onward). • DONKEY: The talking Donkey from the Shrek franchise (2001 onward). • FOLEY: Wait—is this an Eddie Murphy character? At first glance, "Foley" doesn't seem to fit. But let's dig deeper. Eddie Murphy did not play a character named "Foley" in a major film. However, consider this: Charles Foley is not an Eddie Murphy role—but perhaps the puzzle isn't about Eddie Murphy at all. Alternative angle: All four names are unusual or humorous character names that are also common English words or phrases: • "Donkey" is an animal. • "Dolittle" sounds like "do little"—a play on words. • "Akeem" is a real name but stylized (and somewhat exotic to Western audiences). • "Foley" is a real surname, but also refers to Foley artists in film sound—but that seems out of place. Wait! Another possibility: All four are names of characters whose names are also the titles of their respective films or franchises: • Coming to America → not titled "Akeem" • Dr. Dolittle → yes • Shrek → not titled "Donkey" • No film titled Foley Still inconsistent. But consider: All four characters are known for their distinctive voices or talkative nature: • Donkey is famously loquacious. • Dr. Dolittle talks to animals. • Prince Akeem is eloquent and verbose in his romantic speeches. • Foley—as in Foley sound effects—relates to recorded voices and sounds. That’s a stretch. Wait—let’s reconsider Eddie Murphy more carefully. Is it possible that “FOLEY” is a red herring, or am I missing a role? Actually, Eddie Murphy played multiple characters in Coming to America, Shrek, Dr. Dolittle... and also in The Nutty Professor—but that’s “Sherman Klump,” not Foley. However, here’s a key insight: In the context of NYT Connections, a common category is “Characters voiced or portrayed by Eddie Murphy.” And while “Foley” doesn’t seem to fit, perhaps I’m mistaken about the word. Wait—look again at the original word list: Is it possible that “FOLEY” is not meant to be a person, but part of a phrase? Alternatively, perhaps “Foley” refers to “Foghorn Leghorn” or something? No. Hold on—what if the category is “Names that are also palindromes or have double letters”? • Akeem → double e • Dolittle → double t, double l • Donkey → no doubles • Foley → no doubles No. Another idea: All four appear in movie titles that won or were nominated for awards? Too vague. Wait—perhaps “Foley” is a misdirection, and the real connection is simpler: All four are names of famous characters whose names are also common English words or sound like phrases: • Donkey = animal • Dolittle = “do little” • Akeem = sounds like “a king” (but not quite) • Foley = sounds like “folly” Still weak. But here's a breakthrough: All four are names of characters played by Eddie Murphy in major Hollywood films—and while “Foley” doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps the puzzle includes “FOLEY” as a stand-in for a role I’m forgetting, or maybe it’s not about Eddie Murphy. Wait—let’s consider famous character surnames that are also real surnames. Not helpful. Alternatively, think of animation or live-action characters with single-word or two-part names. But then it hits me: “FOLEY” might not be a character—but what if the category is “Famous people/characters with names that are also types of ___”? Not working. Let’s try a different tack. Search for common phrases: • “Donkey Dolittle” — no • “Akeem Foley” — no Wait—what if the connection is “Names that begin with a consonant sound and have two syllables”? • Fo-ley (2) • A-keem (2) • Do-lit-tle (3) → no, that’s three. • Don-key (2) So Dolittle breaks that. But perhaps the real connection is “Famous film characters whose names are also the names of real people or common terms”, and the puzzle simply groups them as “Eddie Murphy roles”, accepting that “Foley” might be an outlier—or perhaps I’m wrong about Foley. Wait! Is it possible that “FOLEY” refers to “Buddy Foley” or another character? Still not Eddie Murphy. But here’s a final realization: In the original word list, all four remaining words—FOLEY, AKEEM, DOLITTLE, DONKEY—are names of characters played by Eddie Murphy, and “FOLEY” is actually a mistake in my reasoning. Upon double-checking, Eddie Murphy did NOT play a character named Foley. However, consider this: Maybe “FOLEY” is not about Eddie Murphy at all—maybe the category is “Famous literary or film characters with unusual names”, and that’s acceptable. But NYT Connections categories are usually tighter. Wait—another idea: All four are names that can follow “Doctor,” “Prince,” etc., but that’s inconsistent. Hold on—what if the category is simply “Famous characters whose names are also common English words or phrases”: • Donkey = common animal • Dolittle = sounds like “do little” (a phrase) • Akeem = variant of “Akeem” (Arabic for “wise”), but not a common English word • Foley = common surname, and “foley” as in “folly” (but spelled differently) Still not perfect. But given that these are the only four words left, and Connections always uses all 16 words in four groups of four, this must be the final group, and the intended category is almost certainly “Characters portrayed by Eddie Murphy.” Upon a quick mental search: While “Foley” isn’t an Eddie Murphy character, it’s possible that the puzzle considers “Foley” as a stand-in for another role, or perhaps I’m missing something. Wait! Eddie Murphy’s character in Beverly Hills Cop is Axel Foley! Yes! Axel Foley is the main character in Beverly Hills Cop, played by Eddie Murphy. So: • FOLEY → Axel Foley (Beverly Hills Cop) • AKEEM → Prince Akeem (Coming to America) • DOLITTLE → Dr. Dolittle (Dr. Dolittle) • DONKEY → Donkey (Shrek) All iconic Eddie Murphy roles! That’s the connection. So the final group is indeed all Eddie Murphy characters.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that share a common category or theme. Let’s examine the words for possible groupings. First, look at "BANSHEE" and "WAILER"—both refer to entities known for wailing or crying, especially in mythological or supernatural contexts. A banshee is a female spirit in Irish folklore whose wail foretells death, and "wailer" could refer to someone (or something) that wails—possibly also referencing "The Wailers," Bob Marley’s band, but more likely the literal meaning here. So maybe a "WAILERS" group? But only two words so far. Next, consider "BANK", "COAST", "SHORE", and "STRAND". These all can refer to edges of bodies of water: • Bank: river bank • Coast: ocean coastline • Shore: land next to a sea or lake • Strand: an old or literary term for a beach or shore (e.g., "stranded on a desert island") That seems like a strong possible category: "Edges of bodies of water" or simply "Shoreline synonyms". That gives us four: BANK, COAST, SHORE, STRAND. Let’s verify: • BANK: yes, riverbank. • COAST: coastal region. • SHORE: land adjacent to water. • STRAND: can mean a shore or beach; also used as a verb meaning to leave someone on a shore. This is a solid group. Other words like WOOD, LAMINATE, TILE, CARPET are flooring types—but only four of them? Let’s check: WOOD, LAMINATE, TILE, CARPET—yes! That’s another possible group: types of flooring. Now we have two strong candidate groups: 1. Flooring: WOOD, LAMINATE, TILE, CARPET 2. Shoreline: BANK, COAST, SHORE, STRAND Which is more precise? “Bank” can also mean a financial institution, which might make it ambiguous—but in the context of COAST/SHORE/STRAND, the geographical meaning is clear. Similarly, WOOD as flooring is common, as are the others. Both groups seem valid. But which is more likely in a Connections puzzle? Often, the categories are tight and unambiguous. Let’s check if all four flooring words are indeed standard categories: yes—carpet, tile, wood, and laminate are all common household flooring materials. Similarly, all four shoreline words are valid geographical terms for land next to water. Now, check for any overlap or words that might belong to both—doesn’t seem so. Now consider other words: HEARTBREAKER, CONNECTION, SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS—these might relate to "romantic attraction" or "chemistry metaphors": • Spark: romantic spark • Chemistry: romantic chemistry • Fireworks: used to describe intense romantic feelings • Heartbreaker: someone who breaks hearts • Connection: romantic or emotional connection That’s actually five words! So possibly a "Romantic/Emotional Terms" category. But that might be too broad or metaphorical. However, Connections often uses metaphorical categories. So now we have three potential groups. But I need to pick the strongest. Let’s assess likelihood: • Flooring: WOOD, LAMINATE, TILE, CARPET → Very concrete, common category. All are exclusively or primarily used as flooring types in this context. • Shoreline: BANK, COAST, SHORE, STRAND → Also strong, though “bank” is a bit ambiguous, and “strand” is less common as a noun (more often used as a verb). • Romantic terms: SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, HEARTBREAKER — CONNECTION might also fit, but that’s five words. Usually, only four belong. Given the puzzle structure, likely only one of these is correct. Now, check if “STRAND” is commonly used as a noun meaning shore. Yes, e.g., “a deserted strand”. It’s literary but valid. But let’s think about the word “BANSHEE” and “WAILER”. Are they a group? Maybe “WAILING WOMEN” or “MYTHICAL CRIERS”? But only two. “PIP” is odd—could be a seed, a spot on dice/cards, or a small fruit. Doesn’t seem to fit elsewhere. Now, between flooring and shoreline—which is more likely? In NYT Connections, both types appear, but flooring is a classic “things of a kind” category. Shoreline is more of a “synonyms” category. But both are valid. However, note that “CARPET” can also mean a thick covering (e.g., “carpet of flowers”), but in context with WOOD, TILE, LAMINATE, it’s clearly flooring. Similarly, “BANK” is the weakest in the shoreline group due to its financial meaning. Also, “STRAND” has other meanings: a string (as in DNA strand), or to abandon. Given that, the flooring group may be more cohesive. But wait—let’s double-check the available words: WOOD, LAMINATE, TILE, CARPET are all present. Yes. Alternatively, is “WOOD” part of something else? Like “HEARTBREAKER” (Heart of wood?)—no. Another angle: “SPARK”, “FIREWORKS”, “BANSHEE”, “WAILER”—no. I think the flooring category is very strong. But let’s also consider: in some puzzles, “BANK, COAST, SHORE, STRAND” has appeared before as a category called “Edges of Water” or “Land by Water”. However, I recall that in actual NYT Connections, “STRAND” as a noun is sometimes included in such groups. But to decide, let’s consider word usage frequency. “Strand” as a shore is less common today, while flooring terms are everyday. Also, “LAMINATE” is very specific to flooring/building materials. Given that, I’m leaning toward flooring. But wait—there’s also “PIECE” or “PART” words? “PIE” no, “PIP” maybe not. Another check: “CONNECTION”, “CHEMISTRY”, “SPARK”, “FIREWORKS”—these are all used to describe romantic or interpersonal dynamics. “Heartbreaker” fits too. That’s five, so likely only four are in the group. Which four? Maybe exclude “CONNECTION” because it's more general? Or exclude “HEARTBREAKER” because it’s a person, not a phenomenon? But “SPARK”, “CHEMISTRY”, “FIREWORKS”, and “HEARTBREAKER” all describe aspects of romantic relationships with metaphorical or literal intensity. However, “HEARTBREAKER” is a person, while the others are abstract concepts—so maybe not. Whereas flooring: all are materials. Similarly, shoreline: all are geographical features. So I think flooring is safest. Final decision: WOOD, LAMINATE, TILE, CARPET.

Great! The flooring category (WOOD, LAMINATE, TILE, CARPET) was correct and those words are now removed from the available pool. Remaining words: HEARTBREAKE‌R, CONNECTION, BANSHEE, SPARK, COAST, BANK, SHORE, STRAND, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, PIP, WAILER Now I need to find another group of four related words. Let’s look at the remaining words: • HEARTBREAKER • CONNECTION • SPARK • CHEMISTRY • FIREWORKS These all commonly describe romantic or interpersonal attraction/dynamics: • “Spark” = initial romantic attraction • “Chemistry” = mutual emotional/romantic connection • “Fireworks” = intense, dramatic romantic feelings • “Heartbreaker” = someone who causes romantic heartbreak • “Connection” = emotional bond That’s five words. Typically, only four belong to the category. Which one is the outlier? “Connection” is more generic—it can refer to any kind of link (internet, train, etc.), while the others are more vivid metaphors specifically for romantic intensity or relationships. But in Connections puzzles, “romantic metaphors” is a known category, and “CONNECTION” is sometimes included. Alternatively, maybe the group is SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, CONNECTION—all abstract terms for rapport. HEARTBREAKER is a person, not a feeling, so it might be excluded. But let’s hold that thought and look at other possible groups. Next, consider: BANSHEE, WAILER, PIP, and maybe others? • BANSHEE: mythological female spirit that wails • WAILER: one who wails; also, “The Wailers” (Bob Marley’s band), but likely the literal meaning here • PIP: can be a small seed or fruit, but also a short high-pitched sound (like a bird’s chirp)—not a wail • HEARTBREAKER: sometimes sings? Not relevant. Alternatively, “BANSHEE” and “WAILER” might go with “WAIL”, but “WAIL” isn’t a word here. Wait—another angle: “BANSHEE”, “WAILER”, “HEARTBREAKER”, and maybe “FIREWORKS”? No. Now look at: COAST, BANK, SHORE, STRAND These were not used yet. Earlier I considered them as “edges of water”: • COAST: land next to sea • BANK: side of a river • SHORE: land next to a large body of water • STRAND: a beach or shore (literary but valid) These four are all geographical terms for land adjacent to water. This is a classic Connections category (e.g., past puzzles have used “Shoreline Synonyms”). None of these have been used yet, and they form a clean group of four. So now I have two strong candidates: 1. Romantic terms: SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, CONNECTION (or HEARTBREAKER) 2. Water-adjacent land: COAST, BANK, SHORE, STRAND Which is more precise? “COAST, BANK, SHORE, STRAND” is a tight, unambiguous group in the geographical sense. The romantic group has five candidates, which introduces ambiguity. Also, “CONNECTION” might be too broad. In NYT Connections, the “land next to water” category has appeared before and is well-established. Therefore, I’ll go with COAST, BANK, SHORE, STRAND.

Excellent! The "edges of water" category (COAST, BANK, SHORE, STRAND) was correct and those words are now removed. Remaining words: HEARTBREAKER, CONNECTION, BANSHEE, SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, PIP, WAILER Now I need to find another group of four. Let’s examine the remaining words: • HEARTBREAKER • CONNECTION • SPARK • CHEMISTRY • FIREWORKS • BANSHEE • WAILER • PIP First, consider the romantic/interpersonal theme again: • SPARK • CHEMISTRY • FIREWORKS • CONNECTION These all describe types of emotional or romantic “clicking” or intensity. “Heartbreaker” is a person who causes heartbreak, which is related but slightly different—it’s more about the result than the connection itself. However, it’s still in the romantic domain. But we have exactly four strong candidates here: SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, CONNECTION. That fits perfectly. Alternatively, look at BANSHEE and WAILER—they both refer to entities known for loud, mournful cries: • BANSHEE: mythological Irish spirit whose wail foretells death • WAILER: one who wails; also possibly referencing “The Wailers,” but more likely the literal meaning here Is there a third or fourth? “HEARTBREAKER” might cry? No. “PIP” is a small sound, but not a wail. So only two. Now consider “PIP”—what could that connect to? • PIP can mean a small seed (as in apple seeds) • A spot on playing cards or dice (e.g., the dots on dominoes are pips) • A short high-pitched sound (like a bird’s call) • In British slang, “pip” can mean to defeat or to become ill, but that’s obscure Not seeing a group with PIP yet. So the strongest remaining group is likely the romantic/intangible connection metaphors: SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, CONNECTION All are commonly used to describe the feeling or presence of romantic or interpersonal attraction: • “They had instant chemistry.” • “There was a spark between them.” • “Their relationship is full of fireworks.” • “They felt a deep connection.” “Heartbreaker” is more about a person who ends relationships, not the connection itself, so it’s likely not in this group. Thus, I’ll go with SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, CONNECTION.

Great! The romantic/connection metaphors group (SPARK, CHEMISTRY, FIREWORKS, CONNECTION) was correct and removed. Remaining words: HEARTBREAKER, BANSHEE, PIP, WAILER Only four words left, so they must form the final group. Now I need to find the connection among: HEARTBREAKER, BANSHEE, PIP, WAILER At first glance: • BANSHEE and WAILER both involve wailing or crying. • HEARTBREAKER might evoke sadness or crying, but it’s a person who causes heartbreak. • PIP seems out of place—it’s a small seed, a dot on dice/cards, or a short sound. But wait—could these all be types of "female singers" or "famous musical acts"? • BANSHEE: There’s a band called Siouxsie and the Banshees. • WAILER: Bob Marley was a Wailer (The Wailers). • HEARTBREAKER: There’s a famous song “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar, Led Zeppelin, etc.—but is “Heartbreaker” a singer? Not directly. • PIP: Doesn’t fit that. Alternative idea: Could these be types of "criers" or "mourners"? • BANSHEE: wails to signal death • WAILER: one who wails • HEARTBREAKER: causes others to cry • PIP: doesn’t fit Another angle: Look at “PIE” sounds? No. Wait—consider famous female characters or archetypes: • BANSHEE: mythological female spirit • HEARTBREAKER: femme fatale archetype • WAILER: ambiguous • PIP: as in “Great Expectations”—male character, so no. Alternative thought: Maybe these are all words that can precede or follow a common word. Try compound words: • HEARTBREAKER → stands alone • BANSHEE → “banshee wail” • WAILER → “wailing wall” no • PIP → “pip-squeak”, “pip boy” Not helpful. Wait—another idea: In British slang or informal usage: • “PIP” can mean to feel unwell (“I’ve got the pip”), but that’s archaic. • “Banshee” and “Wailer” both scream loudly. But what about “HEARTBREAKER” and “PIE”? No. Hold on—could these all be types of "female vocalists" or specifically "famous female-fronted bands"? • Heartbreaker: could reference Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” or “Heartbreaker” songs—but weak. • Banshee: Siouxsie and the Banshees (female lead) • Wailer: Bob Marley and the Wailers—male • Pip: no Not consistent. Wait—maybe think phonetically or as homophones? • PIP, BANSHEE, WAILER, HEARTBREAKER—no clear sound link. Alternative approach: Reconsider “PIP”. In the context of birds: • A “pip” is a small fruit or seed, but also a bird’s chirp. • “Banshee” and “Wailer” are loud; “pip” is quiet—opposite? That seems unlikely. Wait—think of famous "cry" or "scream"-related entities: • Banshee: screams • Wailer: wails • Heartbreaker: makes people cry • Pip: as in “Pip’s squeak”—small cry? Still weak. Hold on—maybe these are all types of female mythological or archetypal figures? • Banshee: yes • Heartbreaker: modern archetype • Wailer: not really • Pip: no Not consistent. Wait—what if the category is “Words that can describe a type of singer or vocal performer”? • Wailer = someone known for wailing vocals (e.g., blues singers) • Banshee = high-pitched, wailing voice (colloquially: “she screamed like a banshee”) • Heartbreaker = a seductive singer (e.g., “heartbreaker” as stage persona) • Pip = as in “Pip from Great Expectations”—no Still stuck on PIP. Let’s look up common categories in Connections that include “PIP”. Ah! In card games or dice, “pip” refers to the dots on cards or dice. But what connects that to the others? Wait—another idea: Famous one-word female names or titles? • Banshee (myth) • Pip (nickname, but male in literature) • No. Wait—consider “famous last words” or “famous expressions”? Not likely. Hold on—maybe these are all types of “screamers” or “shriekers”, and “PIP” is the outlier? But there are only four words left—they must go together. Unless… is “PIP” a brand or a character? • Pip is a character in Great Expectations • Heartbreaker is a term • Banshee and Wailer are myth/slang Still unclear. Wait—think of famous music acts with these words in their name: • Siouxsie and the Banshees • Bob Marley and the Wailers • Pat Benatar – “Heartbreaker” • Pip Millett – a singer? Not well-known. • Pip is also a character, but not a band. But maybe the category is “Famous musical groups or song titles”? That feels forced. Alternative breakthrough: In Irish/British folklore and slang: • Banshee: wailing spirit • Wailer: could be Irish (The Wailers are Jamaican, though) Wait—what if the category is “Words that can precede or follow ‘cry’ or ‘wail’”? • Wail + er = wailer • Banshee wail • Heartbreaker’s victims cry • Pip = cry of a chick Still weak. Wait—consider “Types of people known for emotional vocal expressions”: • Banshee: supernatural wailer • Wailer: person who wails • Heartbreaker: causes emotional outbursts • Pip: ??? I’m overcomplicating. Let’s try a different tack: homophones or puns. • “Pip” sounds like “peep” • “Wailer” sounds like “whaler” (as in whale ship)—no. Wait—what if these are all code names or nicknames? Unlikely. Hold on—maybe the category is “Famous one-word woman-associated terms in pop culture”, but again, PIP doesn’t fit. Wait a minute—could “PIP” refer to “Pip” as in the small seed, and all these words can precede or follow “fruit”? • Heartbreaker fruit? No. • Banshee fruit? No. No. Let’s consider that maybe “PIP” is part of a group with “BANSHEE”, “WAILER”, and “HEARTBREAKER” as “Things that make loud or emotional noises”: • Banshee: screams • Wailer: wails • Heartbreaker: causes sobbing (indirectly) • Pip: a small, high-pitched sound (like a bird)—still a vocalization So all four are associated with distinctive vocal sounds: • Banshee: eerie wail • Wailer: mournful cry • Heartbreaker: not a sound itself, but perhaps in song—many songs titled “Heartbreaker” with powerful vocals • Pip: short, high-pitched sound But “Heartbreaker” is still the odd one out. Wait—what if the category is “Nicknames for singers or famous vocal personas”? • Aretha Franklin – “Queen of Soul,” not Heartbreaker • Janis Joplin – known for wailing vocals → Wailer? • Siouxsie – Banshee • Pat Benatar – “Heartbreaker” And “Pip”… still no. Alternative idea: Look at the final letters or word structure? Unlikely. Wait—maybe I’ve missed a simpler connection. Let’s list them again: • HEARTBREAKER • BANSHEE • PIP • WAILER What if the category is “Famous female characters or archetypes whose names start with consonants”? No. Wait—think of Disney or movie characters: • Banshee: from Coco or Hellboy • Pip: from Great Expectations or Planes (Pip the mouse) • Heartbreaker: Jessica Rabbit (“I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way”) – a heartbreaker • Wailer: not really Not consistent. Now consider: In British English, “pip” can mean to defeat someone (as in “pip someone at the post”), but that’s rare. Wait—another possibility: All can precede or follow the word “scream”? • Screaming Banshee • Screaming Wailer? No • Scream Heartbreaker? No No. Hold on—maybe these are all types of “female spirits or archetypes that evoke strong emotion”: • Banshee: fear/sorrow • Heartbreaker: desire/sorrow • Wailer: sorrow • Pip: innocence? (as in small bird sound) Still forced. Wait—what if “PIP” is actually part of a playing card or casino theme? But the others don’t fit. Let’s consider that maybe the category is “Words that are also names of famous bands or musical acts”: • The Banshees (Siouxsie and the Banshees) • The Wailers • Heartbreaker (song by multiple artists, but not a band name) • Pip? There’s a singer named Pip, but not famous. Not solid. Wait—I recall a past Connections puzzle where the category was “Types of cryers” or “Loud vocalizers”, and “pip” wasn’t included. But we have no choice—these four must go together. Let’s search for a different angle: All can be used to describe a type of person in slang: • Heartbreaker: a flirtatious person • Banshee: a shrieking woman (slang: “she’s a banshee”) • Wailer: someone who complains loudly • Pip: as in “full of pips” = energetic? Or “pip” as in “he’s a real pip” = a lively, appealing person (archaic slang) Ah! In early 20th-century slang, “a pip” meant an excellent or lively person—e.g., “He’s a real pip!” Similarly: • Heartbreaker: charismatic person • Banshee: used colloquially for a loud, shrieking woman • Wailer: someone who loudly complains or sings So maybe the category is “Slang terms for types of people”? But that’s vague. Wait—here's a better idea: All can precede the word “rock”? • Heartbreaker Rock? No. • Banshee Rock? No. No. Final idea: Could these all be “Famous one-word titles of songs”? • “Banshee” – by ... not top hit • “Wailer” – not really • “Heartbreaker” – yes • “Pip” – no Not likely. Wait—think of famous female-associated mythological or literary terms: • Banshee: Irish myth • Heartbreaker: modern mythos • Wailer: could reference the “Three Wailers” in Greek myth? No, that’s Fates or Sirens. • Pip: literary character Still no. I’m stuck, but since these are the last four words, they must connect. Let’s look up common categories including “BANSHEE” and “WAILER”. Ah! They are both types of “wailing women” in folklore or music, and “HEARTBREAKER” could be a “femme fatale”, and “PIP”… wait. Wait a minute—what if the category is “Words that can follow ‘party’”? No. Another breakthrough: In Irish and Jamaican music/culture: • Banshee: Irish • Wailer: Jamaican (Bob Marley) • Heartbreaker: American • Pip: British Not a category. Hold on—consider “All can be used to describe a type of singer known for emotional vocal style”: • Aretha Franklin: “Heartbreaker” performer • Siouxsie: Banshee-style vocals • Bob Marley: Wailer • Pip Millett: modern soul singer (but obscure) Maybe the category is “Famous musical acts with these words in their name”, and “Heartbreaker” is included as a famous song representing a persona. But I think I’m missing something simpler. Wait—what if the category is “Types of ‘cry’ or ‘shriek’ in literature and slang”, and “PIP” is actually “Pip” as in the sound, contrasting with loud wails—representing a spectrum of vocal sounds? But that’s abstract. Alternatively, maybe “PIP” is a red herring, but it can’t be—only four left. Wait! **“Pip” can also mean a disease in birds, but also—importantly—in British slang, “to pip” means to shoot or kill (from “pip” as in “pea”, small projectile). But no. Final thought: Perhaps these are all “Words that are also names of famous female-fronted musical acts or personas”: • Heartbreaker: Pat Benatar, Dolly Parton, etc. • Banshee: Siouxsie and the Banshees • Wailer: Though Bob Marley is male, “The Wailers” is a famous band • Pip: There’s a singer-songwriter named Pip, but not iconic. But maybe the intended category is “Famous groups or personas known for emotional or powerful vocals”. However, I recall now: In some puzzles, “BANSHEE”, “WAILER”, “HEARTBREAKER”, and “PIP” are all types of “screamers” or “criers”, but “PIP” still doesn’t fit. Wait! “Pip” as in “Pip-squeak” = small, weak sound, and the others are loud—so maybe the category is “Types of vocalizers, from loud to soft”? Unlikely. I think I’ve exhausted options. Given that BANSHEE and WAILER are clearly “wailers”, and HEARTBREAKER causes crying, maybe PIP is also associated with crying—like “pip” as in “peep”, a small cry. So the category might be “Sources of distinctive cries or vocal sounds”. Thus, I’ll go with the remaining four as a group.

I need to look for a group of four words from the available list that share a clear, specific connection. Let’s examine the words for potential themes. First, I notice several words beginning with “WOOD”: WOODCHUCK, WOODEN, WOOD, WOODSTOCK, WOODY. That’s five words. But not all “wood” words are necessarily in the same category—could be a red herring. However, “WOODY” and “WOODSTOCK” are both names from pop culture: Woody is from Toy Story, and Woodstock is Snoopy’s bird friend in Peanuts. Also, Guthrie might refer to Woody Guthrie, the folk singer. And “CHUCK” could pair with “WOODCHUCK,” but also “Woody Woodpecker” contains both “Woody” and “Chuck” (as in “chuck” sounds). Hmm. Wait—WOODY, GUTHRIE, WOODSTOCK, and WOODCHUCK all contain the word “WOOD” or are names starting with “Woody” or referencing “Wood.” But is there a better category? Let’s consider famous "WOOD" names: • Woody Guthrie (folk singer) • Woodstock (music festival or Peanuts character) • Woody (Toy Story character or Woody Allen?) • Woodchuck (animal, but also the tongue twister) Alternatively, maybe the category is “Words that can precede or follow ‘wood’”: woodchuck, wooden, wood, woodstock, woody. But that’s too broad. Another angle: “Stiff,” “Stilted,” “Awkward,” “Wooden” — these can all describe unnatural or awkward behavior or speech. For example: • A “wooden” performance • “Stiff” delivery • “Stilted” dialogue • “Awkward” interaction That seems promising! Let’s check: • WOODEN: yes, describes unnatural acting • STIFF: yes • STILTED: yes • AWKWARD: yes All four are synonyms for unnatural or socially uncomfortable demeanor or speech. That feels like a solid thematic group. Other words like “SCROOGE,” “FOGHORN,” “CLASSICS,” etc., don’t fit that group. So I’ll go with that.

Great! The first group (WOODEN, STIFF, STILTED, AWKWARD) was correct. These words all describe unnatural or awkward demeanor/speech. Now, I need to find another group of four related words from the remaining available words: Remaining words: WOODCHUCK, WOOD, GUTHRIE, FOGHORN, SCROOGE, THEREFORE, CLASSICS, CREATE, WOODSTOCK, WOODY, CHUCK, COULD Let’s examine possible connections. First, notice names that are famous first names + surnames or full names: • WOODY GUTHRIE (folk singer) • FOGHORN LEGHORN (cartoon rooster) — but only “FOGHORN” is present • SCROOGE (Ebenezer Scrooge) • WOODSTOCK (could be the festival or the Peanuts bird) • WOODCHUCK and CHUCK — “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck…” tongue twister Also, “WOODY” and “GUTHRIE” strongly suggest Woody Guthrie. “WOODSTOCK” might tie in as a music festival, and “CLASSICS” could relate to classic rock or classic literature? Not sure. Another angle: Famous “first names” or nicknames: • WOODY • CHUCK (as in Chuck Berry, Chuck Norris) • GUTHRIE (almost always paired with Woody) • FOGHORN (only used as “Foghorn Leghorn”) • SCROOGE (Ebenezer Scrooge) Wait—what if the category is “Famous characters or people with single-word identifiers”? Less likely. Alternatively, look at “WOODY,” “WOODCHUCK,” “WOODSTOCK,” “WOOD” — all start with “WOOD.” But “WOOD” itself is generic. However, in the context of famous names: • Woody (Toy Story or Woody Guthrie) • Woodstock (Peanuts or festival) • Woodchuck (tongue twister) • Woody Guthrie But that’s not a clean category. Another idea: “Words that can follow or precede ‘could’” — “COULD” is in the list. “COULD” + “CREATE” = “could create”; “COULD” + “THEREFORE” doesn’t fit. Unlikely. Look at: FOGHORN, SCROOGE, WOODY, GUTHRIE — all famous names, but from different domains. Wait—what about famous people with one-word stage names or commonly referred to by one word? Not quite. Consider cartoon characters: • Foghorn (Leghorn) • Woodstock (Peanuts) • Scrooge (McDuck) • Woody (Toy Story) That’s four! All are famous cartoon characters commonly referred to by a single name: • FOGHORN (Looney Tunes) • SCROOGE (Scrooge McDuck from Disney) • WOODY (Toy Story) • WOODSTOCK (Peanuts comic strip) Wait, that’s promising! Let’s verify: • FOGHORN: Yes, Foghorn Leghorn • SCROOGE: Scrooge McDuck • WOODY: Toy Story • WOODSTOCK: Snoopy’s friend All are well-known cartoon characters typically called by these single names. But note: “GUTHRIE” is a real person, not a cartoon. So if I include WOODSTOCK, FOGHORN, SCROOGE, WOODY — that works. Is WOODSTOCK primarily known as a cartoon character? Yes, in Peanuts. Also a music festival, but in the context of other cartoon names, this fits. Alternatively, maybe the category is “Famous ‘first names’ that are also words” — but that’s vague. Another possibility: “Words that are names and also common words” — Woody, Chuck, Wood, etc. Wait — look at: WOODY, CHUCK, GUTHRIE, WOODCHUCK. From the tongue twister: “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” And also Woody Guthrie. But “COULD” and “CREATE” are also in the list. Wait! Let's look at the tongue twister: “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” Words from that sentence present in the list: • WOODCHUCK • CHUCK • WOOD • COULD That’s four words! And they all appear in the famous tongue twister. Let’s verify: • WOODCHUCK: yes • CHUCK: yes (“chuck wood”) • WOOD: yes • COULD: yes (“if a woodchuck could…”) That’s a perfect match! And it’s a well-known phrase. This seems stronger than the cartoon theory because it’s a direct phrase connection, and all four words are in the list. Also, note that “CREATE” and “THEREFORE” and “CLASSICS” remain, but this group is tight. So the next guess should be: WOODCHUCK, CHUCK, WOOD, COULD

Excellent! The second group—WOODCHUCK, CHUCK, WOOD, COULD—was correct, based on the famous tongue twister: “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” Now, the remaining available words are: GUTHRIE, FOGHORN, SCROOGE, THEREFORE, CLASSICS, CREATE, WOODSTOCK, WOODY I need to find a new group of four that share a clear, specific connection. Let’s examine these: • GUTHRIE • WOODY • WOODSTOCK • FOGHORN • SCROOGE • CLASSICS • CREATE • THEREFORE First, consider GUTHRIE and WOODY. Together, they form “Woody Guthrie,” the famous folk singer. WOODSTOCK was a famous 1969 music festival associated with folk and rock music. CLASSICS could refer to classic rock or classic folk music? Maybe. Alternatively, all three—WOODY, GUTHRIE, WOODSTOCK—relate to folk music or 1960s music culture. But that’s only three. Wait—what about famous people/characters whose names start with a word that’s also a common noun? Another angle: FOGHORN, SCROOGE, WOODY, WOODSTOCK — as previously considered, these are all famous cartoon characters: • WOODY (Toy Story) • SCROOGE (Scrooge McDuck – Disney) • FOGHORN (Foghorn Leghorn – Looney Tunes) • WOODSTOCK (Peanuts comic strip) This group is compelling. All are widely recognized by these single names and are iconic cartoon characters. Let’s verify each: • FOGHORN: Yes, Foghorn Leghorn is almost exclusively referred to as “Foghorn” in common parlance. • SCROOGE: Scrooge McDuck is commonly called just “Scrooge” in Disney contexts. • WOODY: The Toy Story character is universally known as “Woody.” • WOODSTOCK: Snoopy’s bird friend is always called “Woodstock.” This is a clean, well-defined category: famous cartoon characters known by a single name. The other remaining words—GUTHRIE, CLASSICS, CREATE, THEREFORE—don’t fit this group, which is good; they’ll be for the final group. Is there any risk? Could “WOODY” be misinterpreted as Woody Guthrie? Possibly, but in modern pop culture, “Woody” alone overwhelmingly refers to the Toy Story character. And given that the other three are unambiguously cartoon characters, this seems solid. Alternative idea: “GUTHRIE, WOODY, WOODSTOCK, CLASSICS” as music-related? Woody Guthrie (folk), Woodstock (festival), Classics (classic rock?), but “Classics” is vague and “Guthrie” alone isn’t typically used without “Woody.” Also, we’ve already used “WOODY” as a standalone in the cartoon theory—can’t use it in two categories. Since WOODY hasn’t been used yet (only WOODEN, etc. were used before), and now it’s available, assigning it to the cartoon group makes sense. Thus, I’ll go with: FOGHORN, SCROOGE, WOODY, WOODSTOCK.

Fantastic! The third group—FOGHORN, SCROOGE, WOODY, WOODSTOCK—was correct as famous cartoon characters. Now, only four words remain: GUTHRIE, THEREFORE, CLASSICS, CREATE With exactly four words left, they must form the final category. I just need to identify the connection among them. Let’s examine: • GUTHRIE: Likely refers to Woody Guthrie, but “Woody” is already used. However, “Guthrie” alone is a surname. • THEREFORE: A logical conjunction. • CLASSICS: Could refer to classic literature, music, or academic subjects. • CREATE: A verb meaning to make or produce. At first glance, these seem unrelated. But since they’re the last four, there must be a link. Consider famous phrases or contexts where these words appear together. One idea: They might all be words that appear in famous quotes, titles, or mottos. Wait—think about school subjects or academic terms? Unlikely. Another angle: “Classics,” “Create,” “Therefore,” “Guthrie” — perhaps all can precede or follow a common word? Try prefix/suffix: • “Create” and “Classics” → “Creative Classics”? Not standard. • “Therefore” often appears in logic: “Cogito, ergo sum” → “I think, therefore I am.” But that doesn’t connect to the others. Wait—consider famous last names or surnames: • Guthrie (Woody Guthrie) • … but others aren’t surnames. Alternative idea: These might all be words that can follow “folk”? • Folk Guthrie? No. • Folk classics? Maybe. • Folk create? No. • Folk therefore? No. Not that. Another thought: Look at famous trios or sets. Wait—what if these are all words that can precede or follow “works”? • Classics → “classic works” • Create → “creative works” • Therefore? No. • Guthrie? No. Not working. Consider famous phrases starting with “I”: • “I create…” • “I therefore…” (from Descartes) • “I’m a Guthrie…”? No. Wait—think about the word “wood” again? No, those are already used. Hold on: Could these be words that appear in famous song lyrics or titles? • Woody Guthrie wrote folk songs. • “This Land Is Your Land” is a classic. • “Create” appears in many songs. • “Therefore” is rare in songs. Not strong. Alternative approach: Part of speech or grammatical role? • “Therefore” is a conjunctive adverb. • “Create” is a verb. • “Classics” is a noun. • “Guthrie” is a proper noun. Not helpful. Wait—what if the connection is that each can follow a specific word? Try the word “folk”: • Folk Guthrie (as in Woody Guthrie – folk singer) • Folk classics (classic folk songs) • Folk create? Not really. • Folk therefore? No. Still off. Another idea: Think of famous people with these names: • Guthrie: Woody Guthrie • Classics: Not a person • Create: Not a person • Therefore: Not a person No. Wait—could it be that these are all words that can precede or follow “American”? • American Classics (yes) • American Folk (Guthrie was American folk) • American Create? No. • American Therefore? No. Not it. Let’s look at the words again: GUTHRIE, THEREFORE, CLASSICS, CREATE Is there a famous acronym or mnemonic? Unlikely. Wait—consider famous quotes: • “I create, therefore I am.” → Parody of Descartes’ “I think, therefore I am.” • Woody Guthrie wrote “This Land Is Your Land,” which is a classic. • So: CREATE, THEREFORE, CLASSICS, GUTHRIE — all relate to famous cultural or philosophical phrases? But that feels stretched. Alternative breakthrough: Could these all be answers to the clue “Word that can follow ‘folk’ or ‘classic’ or relate to artistic output”? Wait—another angle: They all can precede or follow the word “music”? • Folk music (Guthrie) • Classical music (“Classics” as shorthand?) • Create music • Therefore music? No. Still missing a link. Wait—what if the connection is that they all appear in the phrase or concept of “Great American ___”? • Great American Classics • Great American Folk (Guthrie) • Great American Create? No. Not consistent. Hold on—let’s consider famous last words or names in literature/philosophy: • René Descartes: “I think, therefore I am.” • Woody Guthrie: folk singer • “Classics” as in classical literature • “Create” as in poetic creation Is there a unifying theme of “Creation and Legacy”? Maybe, but that’s too vague for Connections. Wait—think of famous phrases that start with “Cogito” → “Therefore” is key. But what ties Guthrie to that? Alternative idea: These are all words that can be found in famous mottos or titles that start with “I”: • “I create” • “I therefore am” • “I’m a child of the American classics” • “I’m Guthrie” Still no. Wait—perhaps the link is simpler. Consider famous people whose names are the words: • Arlo Guthrie (son of Woody) — musician • “Classics” could refer to “Classics Illustrated” or just classic works • “Create” — not a person • “Therefore” — not a person No. Let’s flip it: Could these be words that can precede “art”? • Folk art (Guthrie associated) • Classical art (“Classics”) • Creative art (“Create”) • Therefore art? No. Still stuck. Wait a minute—what if the actual connection is that each of these words can follow the word “folk” or is associated with folk culture? • Guthrie: Woody Guthrie, folk singer • Classics: Folk classics (classic folk songs) • Create: Folk create (as in folk create music/art) • Therefore: Doesn’t fit. But “therefore” remains the odd one out. Unless… is there a famous phrase: “Folk say, therefore…”? Not really. Alternative possibility: The words are all from famous song titles or lyrics by folk artists. Woody Guthrie’s songs include themes of creation and classics, but “therefore” is rare. Wait—consider this: The remaining words might not be about folk at all. Let’s look at “CREATE” and “CLASSICS” — together, they might point to “classic creations” or “creative classics.” Now, “GUTHRIE” — if we think of “Guthrie” not just as Woody, but as part of “The Guthrie Theater,” which produces classics and new creations. But “therefore” still doesn’t fit. Wait—what if the link is grammatical or logical in a different way? Consider famous logical or rhetorical structures: • “Create, therefore I am.” → as a twist • Guthrie wrote songs that are now classics So all four relate to the concept of “enduring creative works”: • Guthrie: created folk songs now considered classics • Create: the act • Classics: the result • Therefore: the logical connector in philosophical justification of creation But again, too abstract. Wait—maybe I’m overcomplicating. Let’s consider if these are all words that can precede or follow “American”: • American Classics (yes) • American Folk (Guthrie) • American Create? No. • American Therefore? No. Not it. Hold on—another idea: These are all words that can be found in the famous quote by Woody Guthrie: He had “This machine kills fascists” on his guitar, but no “therefore.” Wait—what if “THEREFORE” is the key, and the others are all types of “works”? • Guthrie’s works • Classics (literary works) • Create (to produce works) • Therefore (as in logical works/philosophy) Still weak. Wait—let’s consider famous phrases ending with these words: • “...and therefore” • “...the classics” • “...to create” • “...Guthrie” No common structure. Perhaps the answer is simpler: These are all words that can follow “folk” except “therefore,” so that can’t be. Wait—what if the category is “Words that can precede or follow ‘Woody’”? • Woody Guthrie • Woody Classics? No. • Woody Create? No. • Woody Therefore? No. Nope. I’m stuck. But since these are the only four left, they must belong together. Let’s search for a different kind of link. Consider famous people with these as last names: • Guthrie: Woody Guthrie • Classics: Not a surname • Create: Not a surname • Therefore: Not a surname No. Wait—what if the connection is that each can be part of a famous two-word phrase starting with “Folk” or “Classic,” but again “therefore” resists. Unless… is “Therefore” a red herring? No, it must fit. Wait—think of famous logical or philosophical artists: • Descartes: “I think, therefore I am.” • Guthrie: “This land was made for you and me” — a classic • “Create” as in “creativity” • “Classics” as in classical philosophy So all relate to “Western canon” or “foundational cultural works.” But Connections usually has tighter categories. Alternative breakthrough: Look at the words as potential answers to the clue “Words that can follow ‘I’ to make a famous phrase”: • I create • I therefore (am) • I [am a fan of] classics • I [am] Guthrie — no. Still not consistent. Wait—what if the real connection is that these are all words that appear in famous mottos of institutions? • “Create” — MIT: “Mens et Manus” (Mind and Hand), but not “create” • “Classics” — university departments • “Therefore” — philosophical societies • “Guthrie” — theater Not helpful. Let’s try a new tack: Anagram or wordplay? Unlikely in Connections. Wait—consider famous awards or categories: • Grammy categories: Folk, Classics (Classical), etc. • Guthrie won folk awards • Create is a verb, not a category No. Hold on—maybe the link is that all four can precede the word “music”: • Guthrie music (folk) • Classical music (“Classics” as shorthand) • Creative music (“Create” → creative) • Therefore music? Still no. But what if “Therefore” is part of a song lyric? For example, Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic” has “...and isn’t it ironic...”, but no “therefore.” Wait—famous song: “I Think Therefore I Am” by Devo? Actually, it’s “I Think Therefore I Am” is a common phrase, and Devo has a song “Freedom of Choice” with philosophical themes, but not exact. However, Woody Guthrie’s songs are classics. People create music. “I think, therefore I am” is a classic philosophical statement. So maybe the category is “Words associated with famous phrases about thought, creation, and legacy.” But I’m still uneasy. Wait—another possibility: These are all words that can follow “American” in common phrases: • American Classics (cars, literature) • American Folk (Guthrie) • American Creative (as in “American Creative Group”) • American Therefore? No. Still no. Perhaps I’ve missed something obvious. Let’s list the words again: GUTHRIE THEREFORE CLASSICS CREATE What if the connection is that they all can precede or follow the word “folk” OR are types of “output”? Wait—think of “The Classics” as a radio station format. “Folk” is another format. Guthrie is folk. “Create” is what artists do. “Therefore” is the outlier. Unless... is “Therefore” part of a famous title like “Thus Therefore” — no. Wait—what if the category is “Words that can follow ‘I’ to form a famous sentence starter”: • I create... • I therefore... • I [love] classics • I [am] Guthrie But that’s inconsistent. I’m going in circles. Let’s consider: In the absence of a better idea, and since these are the only four left, the intended category might be “Words associated with artistic or intellectual legacy” — but that’s vague. Wait—sudden insight: What if these are all words that can precede or follow “Woody” in famous contexts, but “Woody” is already used. Alternative idea: “Guthrie,” “Classics,” “Create,” and “Therefore” all appear in famous quotes that start with “Man” or “I”? Not helpful. Wait—consider famous last words of phrases: • “...and therefore I am.” • “...American classics.” • “...create something beautiful.” • “...Guthrie legacy.” No. Hold on—maybe the answer is that these are all words that can be found in the names of famous institutions: • Guthrie Theater • Classics department • Create (as in Adobe Create) • Therefore (no) Still no. I need to accept that the most plausible remaining category is that these are all words that can follow “folk” or relate to cultural output, and “therefore” is included because of the philosophical connection to creativity. But wait—another thought: In logic and writing, common transition words include “therefore.” In music, “classics.” In art, “create.” In folk music, “Guthrie.” So the category might be “Words that complete the phrase ‘Folk, ___, ___, ___’” — no. Perhaps the real connection is that each can be a category in a library or bookstore: • Biography (Guthrie) • Philosophy (Therefore) • Classics (literature) • Art/Instruction (Create) But that’s too broad. Wait—I recall that in some puzzles, “Guthrie,” “Classics,” “Create,” and “Therefore” all can follow the word “folk” if we consider “folk” as a prefix, but “therefore” breaks it. Unless... is there a famous person named “Therefore”? No. I think I have to go with the only remaining possibility: These four form a category based on famous phrases or cultural touchstones, and the intended link is that they all appear in well-known expressions: • “I think, therefore I am.” (THEREFORE) • “Woody Guthrie” (GUTHRIE) • “The Classics” (CLASSICS) • “To create” as in divine or artistic creation (CREATE) But since the puzzle requires a specific category, and these are the last four, I’ll submit them as the final group, trusting that the connection exists. Perhaps the category is “Words that can precede or follow ‘American’ in common cultural phrases” — but I’m not confident. Wait—sudden realization: What if the connection is that these are all words that can follow “Folk” or are types of “genres or outputs,” but again “therefore” doesn’t fit. Alternatively, maybe “Therefore” is part of a famous song lyric with the others. After careful reconsideration, I think the intended category might be “Words that can follow ‘I’ to make famous phrases,” but I’m not sure. Given that there are only four words left, and the game mechanics require that they form a group, I will guess them together, as there’s no other option.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that belong to the same category. Let’s examine the words for potential themes. First, scanning for obvious categories: • "EMAIL", "ADDRESS", "NUMBER", "NAME" — these all seem like types of personal contact information. That’s a strong possibility: NAME, ADDRESS, NUMBER, EMAIL are classic contact details. That’s a solid group. Let me verify they’re all in the list: • EMAIL ✅ • ADDRESS ✅ • NUMBER ✅ • NAME ✅ Yes, all present. Other words: • TELEPHOTO, ZOOM, FISHEYE, MACRO — these are all types of camera lenses or photography terms. That’s another possible group. - TELEPHOTO ✅ - ZOOM ✅ - FISHEYE ✅ - MACRO ✅ Also all present. So there are at least two strong candidate categories: 1. Contact info: EMAIL, ADDRESS, NUMBER, NAME 2. Camera lenses: TELEPHOTO, ZOOM, FISHEYE, MACRO Now, which to guess first? Both are valid, but the contact info group is more common in general knowledge puzzles, and all four words are very clearly in that category without ambiguity. The lens group is also solid, but slightly more niche. However, both are equally valid. But since I can only submit one guess now, and both sets are disjoint (no overlapping words), I can try one and then the other if needed. I’ll go with the contact info group first, as it’s more foundational. Double-checking: • NAME: identifier • ADDRESS: physical location • NUMBER: phone number • EMAIL: electronic mail address Yes, all standard contact fields. Confidence is high.

Great! The first group (contact information) was correct. Those four words are now removed from the available pool. Remaining words: TELEPHOTO, BID, ZOOM, APPEAL, DRIVER, CALL, PETITION, FLAKE, FINLET, FISHEYE, MACRO, EBAY Now I need to find another group of four related words. Let me look for patterns or categories. First, consider: • TELEPHOTO, ZOOM, FISHEYE, MACRO → as noted before, all types of camera lenses. All still available. That seems like a strong candidate group. Other possibilities: • BID, CALL, APPEAL, PETITION → these could relate to "requests" or "pleas". - BID: can mean an attempt or offer, but also a call in card games. - CALL: to request or summon. - APPEAL: a formal request. - PETITION: a formal written request. This might be a valid group too. • DRIVER, FLAKE, FINLET — less clear. - DRIVER: could be a golf club, a software component, or a person. - FLAKE: an unreliable person or a snowflake. - FINLET: a small fin (aerodynamics or fish). Seems out of place. • EBAY: stands alone as an online marketplace. • CALL and BID also appear in auction terminology (e.g., "call for bids", "eBay bids"), and EBAY is there. Maybe an auction/e-commerce group? - BID, CALL, EBAY... but what's the fourth? APPEAL? Unlikely. PETITION? No. Back to the lens group: TELEPHOTO, ZOOM, FISHEYE, MACRO — all standard photographic lens types. This is a well-known category in photography. Given that all four are present and unused, and the category is tight, this is a strong next guess. Alternative: "APPEAL, PETITION, BID, CALL" as synonyms for "requests". But "BID" is weaker here—it more commonly means an offer to pay (as in auction) or an attempt ("bid for freedom"), but less directly a "plea". "Call" is also ambiguous (phone call, call for help, etc.). So less consistent than the lens group. Thus, I’ll go with the camera lens group next.

Excellent! The camera lens group was correct. Those four words are now removed. Remaining words: BID, APPEAL, DRIVER, CALL, PETITION, FLAKE, FINLET, EBAY Now I need to find another group of four related words from these. Let’s list them clearly: • BID • APPEAL • DRIVER • CALL • PETITION • FLAKE • FINLET • EBAY Look for categories. First, consider synonyms or thematic links: Option 1: Types of "requests" or "pleas" • APPEAL • PETITION • BID (as in "bid for help"? less strong) • CALL (as in "call for action") But "BID" and "CALL" are a bit stretched here. However, note that "APPEAL", "PETITION", "BID", and "CALL" can all mean "to ask for something urgently": • Appeal: a serious request • Petition: a formal request • Bid: archaic or literary use ("bid me go") but also "a bid for freedom" = attempt/request • Call: "a call for change" But is this cohesive enough? Maybe. Option 2: Words that can precede or follow a common word • DRIVER LICENSE? DRIVER GOLF? • FLAKE: snowflake, but also "flake" as a person • FINLET: very technical (small fin in fluid dynamics) — seems odd one out • EBAY: proper noun, stands alone Option 3: "CALL", "BID", "APPEAL", "PETITION" as legal/formal actions In legal contexts: • Appeal: legal appeal • Petition: legal petition • Bid: less legal, more auction • Call: not typically legal But "APPEAL" and "PETITION" are strong legal terms. Need two more. Option 4: Homonyms or words with multiple meanings Wait—consider: "CALL", "BID", "APPEAL", "PETITION" can all be used as verbs meaning "to request": • She appealed for help. • They petitioned the court. • He bid them farewell. (archaic but valid) • They called for justice. But "bid" in the sense of "request" is less common today. However, in the context of word games, this might be acceptable. Alternatively, look at "APPEAL", "PETITION", "BID", "EBAY" — no, eBay doesn’t fit. Another angle: "FLAKE", "DRIVER", "FINLET", "EBAY" — seems random. Wait—what about "CALL", "BID", "APPEAL", "PETITION" as synonyms for "request"? This is a known Connections category in past puzzles. In fact, in NYT Connections, "APPEAL, BID, CALL, PETITION" has appeared as a category meaning "requests". Let me verify definitions: • Appeal: a serious or urgent request • Bid: an attempt or effort ("a bid to win") — but also, in older English, "to ask" ("I bid you go") • Call: a demand or appeal ("a call for reform") • Petition: a formal written request Though "bid" is the weakest, it is accepted in puzzle contexts as part of this group. Alternatively, is there another group? What about DRIVER, FLAKE, FINLET, ??? — unlikely. "FINLET" is extremely niche. Maybe it's a red herring or part of a scientific group? But no other scientific terms. "EBAY" — online marketplace. Any others? Not really. So the strongest remaining possibility is the "request" group: APPEAL, PETITION, BID, CALL. All four are present and unused. I’ll go with that.

Great! The "requests" group was correct. Those four words are now removed. Remaining words: DRIVER, FLAKE, FINLET, EBAY Only four words left — so they must form the final group. Now, I need to find the connection among: • DRIVER • FLAKE • FINLET • EBAY At first glance, these seem unrelated, but in Connections, the last group is often a clever or pun-based category. Let’s examine each word: 1. DRIVER - Golf driver - Software driver - Person who drives - Screwdriver (tool) 2. FLAKE - Snowflake - Unreliable person - Cereal flake - Dandruff 3. FINLET - A small fin, especially in aerodynamics or fish - Technical term, less common 4. EBAY - Online marketplace - Brand name Is there a common thread? Consider: Things that can precede or follow a common word. Try adding a word before or after each: • GOLF DRIVER • GOLF FLAKE? No • GOLF FINLET? No • GOLF EBAY? No What about "snow"? Snowflake ✅, but snowdriver? No. Another idea: brand names or proper nouns? Only EBAY is a proper noun. Wait—could these all be types of "blades"? • Driver (golf club has a blade-style head) • Flake (as in razor blade flake?) — weak • Finlet (fin-like blade) • eBay — no Not convincing. Alternative approach: homophones or puns? • Driver → screwdriver • Flake → maybe "fake"? No • Finlet → "fin" like fish or money (slang: "fin" = $5) — but "finlet" is diminutive • eBay → "E" as in electronic? Another thought: **"EBAY" sounds like "E-bay", but maybe think of "bay" as in car body? Unlikely. Wait—think of "car parts"? • Driver (as in driver-side) • Flake (paint flaking) • Finlet (aerodynamic fin on car) • eBay (where you buy car parts?) — too loose. Maybe these are all words that can precede or follow "ONLINE"? Only eBay fits. Hold on—perhaps the connection is "things that can precede the word 'SNOW'"? Snowflake ✅, snow driver? Snowplow driver? Not really. Alternative idea: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET", and "EBAY" all can follow or precede the word "MAIL"? • Email ✅ (but EMAIL is already used!) • Mail-order driver? No. Wait—think differently. In past Connections puzzles, sometimes the last group is "words that are also types of fish" or "words that can precede 'WHITE'", etc. Check if any are types of fish: • Flake: yes! In Australia, "flake" is a type of shark meat, commonly used for fish and chips. • Finlet: relates to fish fins • Driver fish? Not really. • eBay? No. Not solid. Another angle: "EBAY", "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET" — all can be preceded by the word "GOLF"? • Golf driver ✅ • Golf flake? No • Golf finlet? No • Golf eBay? No No. Wait—perhaps consider "flake", "driver", "finlet" as types of "tools" or "components", and eBay as where you buy them? Unlikely. Maybe it's a wordplay on "E": • E-Bay • E-Flake? No • E-Driver? Electric driver? • E-Fin? Not finlet. Not working. Let’s look up "finlet" to confirm meaning: a small fin, especially on aircraft or fish. Very specific. Now, consider: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET" — all can be forms of "thin pieces": • Flake: thin piece of material • Finlet: thin aerodynamic surface • Driver: not really Still missing eBay. Wait—perhaps the connection is "brand names or proper nouns that are also common words"? • eBay: brand • Flake: brand of cereal (Nestlé Flake) • Driver: John Driver (name), but not a brand • Finlet: not a brand Weak. Hold on—maybe the category is "words that can follow 'screw'"? • Screwdriver ✅ • Screwflake? No • Screw finlet? No • ScreweBay? No No. Alternative idea: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET", "EBAY" all contain the letter 'E'? Yes, but so did many others — not meaningful. Think of famous phrases: • "Loose flake" • "Race car driver" • "Finlet on a shark" • "Buy on eBay" Still no link. Wait—maybe the connection is "types of 'bits'" as in small pieces or components: • Flake: small piece • Finlet: small fin • Driver bit (for screwdrivers) • eBay "bits" for sale? Too vague. Perhaps I’m overcomplicating. In NYT Connections, when only four words remain, the connection is often a pun or homophone. Let’s sound them out: • DRIVER • FLAKE • FINLET • EBAY Is there a common word that sounds like part of these? "Bay": eBay, and "bay" as in car model (Ford Taurus), but not others. Wait — what if the category is "words that can precede or follow 'ON'"? • On-demand driver • On the flake? No • On finlet? No • On eBay ✅ Only one. Another thought: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET" are all types of "white things"? Flake (snow), but driver and finlet aren’t necessarily white. Wait! Consider "FLAKE", "DRIVER", "FINLET", and "EBAY" as types of "whales" or internet slang? • eBay whale? No • Flake as in "flake out" • Driver as in "driver" of trends Not working. Hold on—let’s consider "EBAY" as a red herring and think of the others as "small or thin objects": • Flake: thin • Finlet: small fin • Driver: not small • eBay: virtual Still stuck. Wait—maybe the category is "words that can be used to describe unreliable people"? • Flake ✅ • Driver? No • Finlet? No • eBay? No No. Let’s try a different tactic: what if "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET", and "EBAY" all can follow the word "GOLF"? • Golf driver ✅ • Golf flake? There’s a "Golf Flake" snack? No. • Finlet? No. • eBay sells golf clubs. Not it. Wait—"FLAKE", "FINLET", "DRIVER" are all types of "fish" or sea-related? • Flake = shark meat ✅ • Finlet = fish fin ✅ • Driver fish = pilot fish! Yes! "Pilot fish" are also known as "driver fish" — they swim near sharks and "drive" them or follow them. • eBay? Hmm... not sea-related. But wait—maybe "eBay" is not about the sea. Unless... Is there a fish called "eBay"? No. But perhaps I’m wrong about eBay. Maybe the connection is "homophones of letters or abbreviations": • E (eBay) • F (flake?) • D (driver) • F (finlet) No. Another idea: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET", "EBAY" all can precede the word "ONLINE"? Only eBay really. Wait—what if the category is "brand names that are also common English words"? • eBay: brand + "bay" • Flake: Nestlé Flake chocolate bar ✅ • Driver: not really a brand • Finlet: not a brand Still missing one. Hold on—let’s consider "FINLET" might be a typo or misdirection? Unlikely. Wait! Think of "CAR PARTS": • Driver-side mirror • Paint flake • Finlet (aerodynamic fin on car) • eBay (buys car parts) But that’s too loose. Perhaps the real connection is "words that can follow 'SNOW'": • Snowflake ✅ • Snow driver? Snowplow driver • Snow finlet? No • Snow eBay? No No. Wait a minute—maybe the category is "types of 'white' things", but that seems off. Let’s consider "FLAKE", "DRIVER", "FINLET" as types of "small mechanical parts", and eBay as the place to buy them — but Connections categories are usually more direct. Alternatively, maybe the connection is "words that can be preceded by 'MAIL'": • Mail-order driver? • Mail flake? • No. I'm stuck. Let’s try a new angle: **"EBAY", "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET" — all contain the letter 'E' and 'F' or 'D'? No pattern. Wait—perhaps the category is "words that are also surnames": • Flake (senator Jeff Flake) • Driver (actress Minnie Driver) • eBay? Not a surname • Finlet? Unlikely But eBay is a company, not a person. Wait—maybe it's "famous Minnie": Minnie Driver ✅, but others? No. Hold on! Let’s look at the structure of the words: • DRIVER: 6 letters • FLAKE: 5 • FINLET: 6 • EBAY: 4 No. Another thought: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET" can all precede or follow "GOLF" — already considered. Wait—what if the category is "types of 'bits' in computing or tools": • Driver (software driver) • Flake (test flake in software — a flaky test) • Finlet? No • eBay? No Still no. Wait—maybe I made a mistake. Let’s double-check the remaining words. After removing: • First group: EMAIL, ADDRESS, NUMBER, NAME • Second: TELEPHOTO, ZOOM, FISHEYE, MACRO • Third: APPEAL, PETITION, BID, CALL Remaining: DRIVER, FLAKE, FINLET, EBAY — yes. Now, consider: **"EBAY" sounds like "E-bay", but maybe think of "bay" as in "bay window", "bay leaf", etc. — not helpful. Wait! What if the connection is "words that can follow 'ONLINE'"? Only eBay. Alternatively, "FLAKE", "DRIVER", "FINLET" are all types of "white fish": • Flake = shark ✅ • Driver fish = pilot fish (not white) • Finlet = part of fish But eBay? Unless... is there a pun with "E" as in "electronic", and the others are "old-world" items you can buy on eBay? Too abstract. Wait—perhaps the category is "words that can precede 'SHOP'": • eBay Shop • Flake Shop? • Driver Shop? • Finlet Shop? No. I’m overcomplicating. Let’s think of "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET", "EBAY" as all being able to precede or follow the word "AUTO": • Auto driver • Auto flake (paint flake) • Auto finlet (car fin) • Auto eBay (eBay Motors) That’s possible, but again, not a standard category. Wait—another idea: "FLAKE", "FINLET", "DRIVER" are all types of "small, thin objects", and "EBAY" is where you might sell odd small items. But Connections doesn’t usually use meta-categories like "things sold on eBay". Perhaps the real connection is "homophones of letters": • E (eBay) • F (flake) • D (driver) • F (finlet) So E, F, D, F — not meaningful. Wait! What if the category is "words that can be used in the phrase 'white ___'": • White flake (dandruff) • White driver? No • White finlet? No • White eBay? No No. Hold on—let’s consider "FINLET" might be a misspelling or variant of "filet", as in "fish fillet", and "flake" is also fish, "driver" as pilot fish, and "eBay" sells seafood? Unlikely. Wait—maybe the connection is "types of 'shark-related' terms": • Flake (shark meat) • Finlet (shark fin) • Driver fish (pilot fish that follow sharks) • eBay — sells shark products? That’s actually plausible! All three are shark-associated, and eBay is where you might buy such things — but again, including eBay feels forced. But maybe eBay is not part of that. Is there another angle? Wait! Suddenly it hits me: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET", and "EBAY" can all precede or follow the word "MAIL"? No. Wait—think of "E" as in the letter, and the others as types of "people": • Flake = unreliable person • Driver = aggressive person • Finlet = not a person • eBay = company No. I’m running out of options. Let’s consider that "FINLET" might be the key. It’s a very rare word. In aerodynamics, a finlet is a small fin used to reduce drag. In fish, it’s a small fin. Now, "DRIVER" in golf is a type of club. "FLAKE" in metallurgy is a thin layer. "EBAY" is online. Wait—what if the category is "words that can follow 'GOLF'"? Only driver. Another thought: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET" are all types of "thin plates or layers", and "EBAY" is an outlier. But maybe the real connection is "brand names or proper nouns that are also common words", and we accept that. But I recall a past Connections category: "Words that can precede 'ONLINE'" — but again, only eBay. Wait! Perhaps the category is "E-commerce or digital terms", but only eBay fits. I think I need to consider that maybe the last group is "words that are also types of 'white' things", but I’m not convinced. Wait—let’s try to think of "CALL", "BID", etc. — no, those are already used. Hold on! What if the connection is "words that can be used to describe someone unreliable"? Only "flake". I’m stuck. But since these are the only four words left, they must be connected. Let me search my memory: has "DRIVER, FLAKE, FINLET, EBAY" appeared in a puzzle before? Alternatively, consider "FLAKE", "DRIVER", "FINLET" as types of "small mechanical parts", and "EBAY" as where you buy them — but again, not direct. Wait! Suddenly: **"EBAY", "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET" all can follow the word "GOLF" if we think creatively? No. Another idea: "DRIVER" as in "screwdriver", "FLAKE" as in "paint flake", "FINLET" as in "aircraft finlet", "EBAY" as in "online marketplace" — all can be preceded by "AUTO": • Auto Driver • Auto Paint Flake • Auto Finlet (car spoilers sometimes called fins) • Auto eBay (eBay Motors) This is the best I can do, but I’m not confident. Wait—what if the category is "words that can precede 'FISH'"? • Pilot fish (driver fish) • Flake fish (shark) • Finlet fish • eBay fish (ornamental fish sold on eBay) That’s possible, but again, eBay is the odd one. Alternatively, maybe "EBAY" is not about fish. Let’s consider "E" as in "electronic", and the others as "old tech": • Electronic Driver (software) • Electronic Flake (no) • Electronic Finlet (no) No. I think I have to go with the shark/fish connection, even if eBay is weak — or perhaps eBay is a red herring and the real connection is something else. Wait! One last idea: "DRIVER", "FLAKE", "FINLET", "EBAY" all contain a double letter or unique spelling? • DRIVER: no double • FLAKE: no • FINLET: no • EBAY: no No. Perhaps the category is "words that can be used in the context of 'selling'": • eBay: sells • Flake: can sell out • Driver: bestseller driver • Finlet: niche product Too vague. Given that these are the only four left, and Connections always has a valid connection, I must accept that the connection is "types of fish or sea-related terms", with eBay being the outlier — but that can’t be. Wait! What if "EBAY" is not "eBay" the company, but "E Bay" as in "East Bay"? Then "Bay" as in body of water, and the others are sea-related: • Flake (fish) • Finlet (fish fin) • Driver (pilot fish) • Bay (body of water) That could work! So the category is "sea-related terms": • Bay (as in East Bay, San Francisco Bay) • Flake (fish) • Finlet (fish fin) • Driver (pilot fish, also called driver fish) Yes! That makes sense. "EBAY" is parsed as "E BAY" → "Bay", a sea-related term. So the group is: BAY, FLAKE, FINLET, DRIVER — all sea-related. Therefore, the connection is "sea-related terms", interpreting "EBAY" as "Bay". This is a known trick in Connections — using brand names as homophones or splitting words. So the four words are connected as sea-related.

I need to look for a group of four words from the available list that share a common category or theme. Let’s analyze the words and look for potential connections. Available words: • PINWHEEL • RAINBOW • FLIP-FLOP • NEIGHBORHOOD • WEDGE • ABOUT-FACE • JAM • BACKPEDAL • VANE • FLAG • RENEGE • STUFF • STREET • WIND CHIME • SHOEHORN • KANGAROO First, scan for possible categories. Observation 1: Directional or reversal-related words? • FLIP-FLOP • ABOUT-FACE • BACKPEDAL • RENEGE These all suggest changing one's mind or reversing position. This seems promising. Let’s test: • FLIP-FLOP: to reverse one's opinion. • ABOUT-FACE: a complete reversal of direction or opinion. • BACKPEDAL: to retreat from a previously held position. • RENEGE: to go back on a promise or commitment. Yes—these all relate to reversing or going back on something. That’s a strong thematic link. Are any of these words likely to belong to another category? Possibly, but this set feels coherent. Other possible categories? • Weather-related: PINWHEEL, VANE, WIND CHIME, RAINBOW, FLAG? Less cohesive. • Types of food? JAM, WEDGE (cheese wedge?), STUFF—but too vague. • Types of streets or locations? NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET—but only two. • Australian animals? Only KANGAROO. • Things that are jammed or stuffed? JAM, STUFF, SHOEHORN—but again, only three and weak. The reversal/change-of-mind group stands out as a clear, common category used in past NYT Connections puzzles. Thus, my best guess is: FLIP-FLOP, ABOUT-FACE, BACKPEDAL, RENEGE.

Great! The first group (reversal-related words) was correct. Now I need to find another group of four related words from the remaining available words: Remaining words: • PINWHEEL • RAINBOW • NEIGHBORHOOD • WEDGE • JAM • VANE • FLAG • STUFF • STREET • WIND CHIME • SHOEHORN • KANGAROO Let’s look for another strong category. Observation 1: Types of "JAM" or "STUFF"? • JAM, STUFF, WEDGE, SHOEHORN — all can mean to cram or force something in. - SHOEHORN: to force or squeeze someone/something into a position or space. - WEDGE: to insert or force. - JAM: to squeeze tightly. - STUFF: to cram full. This could be a "force/cram in" verbs group. Observation 2: Weather vane-related? • VANE, PINWHEEL, WIND CHIME, FLAG — all move with wind or are wind-related. - VANE (weather vane) - PINWHEEL spins in wind - WIND CHIME moves/makes sound with wind - FLAG flaps in wind This is also a solid group. Which is stronger? Let’s evaluate both. Option A: Wind-related objects: • PINWHEEL • VANE • WIND CHIME • FLAG All are physical objects that respond to wind. This is a classic NYT Connections category (e.g., “Things that move in the wind”). Option B: Verbs meaning to cram/force: • JAM • STUFF • WEDGE • SHOEHORN Also plausible, and “shoehorn” is often used metaphorically like this. Now consider if any of these words might belong to other potential categories. RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, KANGAROO — these seem unrelated or too isolated. KANGAROO is likely a distractor unless there’s an animal group (but no other animals). RAINBOW might pair with FLAG (pride flag?), but that’s a stretch. Between the two candidate groups, both are valid, but wind-related items are more concrete and commonly used in puzzles. Also, “shoehorn” as a verb might be less obvious to some, but it's a known usage. However, let’s check past NYT puzzles: “Things that spin or move in the wind” is a recurring theme, and “VANE, PINWHEEL, WIND CHIME, FLAG” fits neatly. I’ll go with the wind-related group as the next guess.

Excellent! The wind-related group was correct. Now I’m left with the following words: Remaining words: • RAINBOW • NEIGHBORHOOD • WEDGE • JAM • STUFF • STREET • SHOEHORN • KANGAROO I need to find a new category among these eight. Let me examine them closely: 1. RAINBOW – could relate to colors, weather, or as a symbol (e.g., LGBTQ+ flag), but no other obvious color or symbol words here. 2. NEIGHBORHOOD and STREET – both are types of urban/residential areas or parts of a city. Could they be part of a “local area” category? Possibly, but only two. 3. WEDGE, JAM, STUFF, SHOEHORN – all can be verbs meaning to insert or cram something forcefully: - WEDGE (to wedge something in) - JAM (to jam a door shut) - STUFF (to stuff a suitcase) - SHOEHORN (to shoehorn someone into a schedule) This seems like a very cohesive verb group, as I considered earlier. Since the wind group took PINWHEEL, VANE, etc., these cramming verbs are untouched and likely form the next category. 4. KANGAROO – stands out. Is there a hidden connection? Maybe "things that hop"? But no other hoppers. Or Australian-themed? No other Aussie references. So the most plausible remaining category is the "force/cram in" verbs: WEDGE, JAM, STUFF, SHOEHORN. Check each: • All can be used transitively to mean inserting or packing tightly. • Commonly grouped in wordplay puzzles. Meanwhile, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, RAINBOW, KANGAROO would be leftovers—but that’s okay, as there should be exactly 4 groups of 4. Since we’ve used 8 words (4 + 4), 8 remain, so two groups left. If this verb group is correct, the final four (RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, KANGAROO) must form a category—but that seems unlikely. Wait, that’s a problem. Hold on: total words = 16. We’ve correctly guessed 8, leaving 8. If I pick WEDGE, JAM, STUFF, SHOEHORN as group 3, then the last group must be: RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, KANGAROO. Do these four connect? Let’s look harder at that potential final group. • RAINBOW • NEIGHBORHOOD • STREET • KANGAROO Is there a unifying link? Think of famous phrases or proper nouns: • “Rainbow Street”? Not common. • “Kangaroo Street”? Unlikely. • “Neighborhood Street” is generic. Wait—could these all follow or precede a common word? Try preceding with “DOWN”: • DOWN STREET? No. • DOWN UNDER? KANGAROO is from Australia (Down Under), but others don’t fit. Try “MAIN”: • MAIN STREET – yes • MAIN NEIGHBORHOOD? Not really. • MAIN RAINBOW? No. What about “HOOD”? • NEIGHBORHOOD → HOOD (slang) • But others? No. Alternative idea: These might all appear in the name of a famous song, movie, or phrase? • “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” • “The Neighborhood” (band) • “Street” as in “Abbey Road” or “Sesame Street” • “Kangaroo” in “Skippy the Bush Kangaroo” Not cohesive. Wait—perhaps I’m wrong about the verb group. Let’s double-check. Another angle: “JAM”, “STUFF”, “WEDGE”, “RAINBOW” – as types of “food”? • JAM: yes • WEDGE: wedge of cheese or lemon • STUFF: stuffing (food) • RAINBOW: rainbow trout? Rainbow sherbet? But “SHOEHORN” isn’t food, and KANGAROO (kangaroo meat?) is a stretch. Unlikely. Back to the verb idea—it’s strong. Maybe the last group has a hidden link. Consider: RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, KANGAROO What if they all can precede or follow the word “Sesame”? • Sesame Street – yes! • Sesame Neighborhood? No. • Sesame Rainbow? No. • Sesame Kangaroo? No. Not it. Another thought: All can be part of euphemisms or code words? Unlikely. Wait—what about words that can follow “SLIP”? • Slipper? No. Alternative: Think of “KANGAROO” as a brand or term in clothing? Kangaroo pocket (in hoodies)? Still weak. Hold on—maybe the final group is actually “things that can be preceded by ‘DOWN’”? • DOWN JAM? No. • DOWN STUFF? Down stuffing – yes (feathers) • DOWN WEDGE? No. Not consistent. Let’s reverse: maybe I missed a different category among the 8. Look again: Words: RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, WEDGE, JAM, STUFF, STREET, SHOEHORN, KANGAROO Is there a “types of ‘___’” category? Consider “JAM”, “STUFF”, “WEDGE”, “RAINBOW” as types of “colors”? No. Wait—another idea: “WEDGE”, “JAM”, “STUFF”, “SHOEHORN” are all also nouns that can be used as verbs (denominal verbs). But that’s too meta. Perhaps the real hidden category is with RAINBOW, STREET, NEIGHBORHOOD, and... what? Unless—think of famous proper nouns that start with these words: • Rainbow Room • Rainbow Bridge • Wall Street • Main Street • Neighborhood Watch • Kangaroo Island Still no overlap. Wait! What if these are all words that can follow or precede “MOTHER”? • Mother Neighborhood? No. • Mother Kangaroo? No. Alternative approach: Think of children’s media: • Sesame Street • The Wiggles (have a song “Kangaroo”) • “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz • “My Neighborhood” from Mister Rogers All iconic, but that’s a very vague “famous phrases from children’s culture” — unlikely for Connections. Maybe I should trust the verb group, and the last four do have a link I’m missing. Wait—RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, KANGAROO What do you get if you put “ZIP” in front? • ZIP Code includes street and neighborhood, but not rainbow or kangaroo. Another idea: All can be used in gay pride context? • RAINBOW flag • “Gay neighborhood” or “gay street” (e.g., Castro Street) • But KANGAROO? No. Not it. Consider homophones or wordplay? “KANGAROO” sounds like “can go, roo” — no. Wait—think of brand names: • JAM (JAM jeans) • STUFF (magazine) • WEDGE (shoe style) • SHOEHORN (brand?) Not helpful. Let’s consider the possibility that the verb group is correct, and the final four actually share a subtle link. RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, KANGAROO What if they all contain the letter R? Yes, but so do many others. Count syllables? No. Think of them as words that can precede or follow “GOOD”? • Good Neighborhood (Good Omens? No) • Good Street? No • Good Rainbow? No • Good Kangaroo? No Not working. Wait—what if they are all types of “areas” or “places”? • STREET: yes • NEIGHBORHOOD: yes • RAINBOW: as in “Rainbow” (a place name, e.g., Rainbow, California) • KANGAROO: Kangaroo Island, Kangaroo Valley — place names So all can be proper nouns for real places. But so can many words. Is that a valid category? Unlikely in Connections unless very clear. Alternatively—maybe the last word isn’t KANGAROO. Did I miss a connection with KANGAROO? KANGAROO, WEDGE, JAM, STUFF — all can mean “to carry”? • Kangaroo carries in pouch • Wedge/stuff/jam – no. Another idea: “KANGAROO”, “RAINBOW”, “STREET”, “NEIGHBORHOOD” all appear in titles of famous songs: • “Rainbow Connection” • “Street Life” • “Our Neighborhood” • “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” Still too scattered. Given the time, the verb group is the strongest and most conventional category. I’ll go with that. If the final four seem random, maybe I’ll figure it out after this guess. So: WEDGE, JAM, STUFF, SHOEHORN.

Fantastic! The "force/cram in" verb group was correct. Now only four words remain: • RAINBOW • NEIGHBORHOOD • STREET • KANGAROO These must form the final category. At first glance, they seem unrelated, but since all other groups are confirmed, there must be a unifying link. Let me look for a subtle connection. Consider famous phrases, pop culture, or wordplay. One idea: These words can all follow or precede a common word. Try preceding with “DOWN”: • DOWN RAINBOW? No • DOWN NEIGHBORHOOD? No • DOWN STREET? “Down the street” – possible • DOWN UNDER? KANGAROO is from Australia (Down Under) – but “Down Kangaroo” isn’t a phrase. Try following with “WAR”: • RAINBOW WAR? No • STREET WAR – yes (gangs) • NEIGHBORHOOD WAR – maybe • KANGAROO WAR? No Not consistent. Alternative approach: Think of proper nouns or famous titles that include these words together. Wait—what if they all appear in the names of famous TV shows or movies? • “Sesame Street” • “My Neighborhood” (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) • “Over the Rainbow” (from The Wizard of Oz) • “Kangaroo” (1952 movie), or “Skippy the Bush Kangaroo” (TV show) Still feels too loose. Another angle: All can precede or follow the word “MOTHER”? • Mother Rainbow? No • Mother Neighborhood? No Not working. Consider rhyming or sound patterns? Unlikely. Wait—think of code words or military phonetic alphabet? • Rainbow = not in NATO phonetic • Street = not • Neighborhood = not • Kangaroo = not No. Now consider: What if these are all words that can follow “GOOD” in common phrases? • Good Neighbor (from “Good Neighbor Policy”) → NEIGHBORHOOD • Good Street? No • Good Rainbow? No • Good Kangaroo? No Not it. Hold on—what if they’re all types of “___” that start with the letter “R” or “S”? No clear pattern. Wait! Think of famous duos or pairs: • “Rainbow and Kangaroo” — both appear in children’s stories: - The Very Hungry Caterpillar (rainbow-colored fruits?) - Skippy the Kangaroo - Sesame Street characters - Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Still vague. Alternative idea: All can be used in the phrase “Welcome to…” • Welcome to the Neighborhood • Welcome to Sesame Street • Welcome to Rainbow (e.g., Rainbow City) • Welcome to Kangaroo Island But that’s generic. Wait—let’s consider the word “HOOD”: • NEIGHBORHOOD → ends with “hood” • KANGAROO → sounds like “roo”, but “hood” as in baby kangaroo? No. Maybe think of slang: • “Hood” for neighborhood • “Street” as in urban culture • “Rainbow” as LGBTQ+ symbol • “Kangaroo” as Australian slang? Not cohesive. Now, consider the possibility of a hidden word that links them all as a compound word or phrase starter. Try putting “MOTHER” before each: • Mother Rainbow? No • Mother Neighborhood? No • Mother Street? No • Mother Kangaroo? No Try “FRIEND”: • Friends Street? No Wait—what about “MAIN”? • Main Street – yes • Main Neighborhood? Not really • Main Rainbow? No • Main Kangaroo? No Not it. Now think differently: What if these are all words that appear in the title of a famous song by a specific artist? • “Rainbow” – “Over the Rainbow” • “Street” – “Baker Street”, “Street Life” • “Neighborhood” – “The Neighborhood” (band), “Welcome to My Neighborhood” • “Kangaroo” – “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” (Rolf Harris) Again, too scattered. Wait—could this be a “words that can precede or follow ‘ZIP’”? • ZIP Code includes street and neighborhood, but not rainbow or kangaroo. Another idea: All contain double letters? • RAINBOW – no • NEIGHBORHOOD – yes (OO) • STREET – yes (EE, TT) • KANGAROO – yes (OO) But RAINBOW doesn’t, so no. Hmm. Wait a minute—what if the connection is “things that hop or are associated with hopping”? • KANGAROO hops • RAINBOW? No • STREET? No • NEIGHBORHOOD? No No. Now, consider initials: R, N, S, K – no acronym. Wait—think of famous brand names or product lines: • Rainbow (vacuum cleaner) • Neighborhood (grocery stores?) • Street (car models: Mustang Street?) • Kangaroo (software, bags) Not consistent. Let me try a new tactic: Are these all words that can follow “Sesame”? • Sesame Street – yes • Sesame Neighborhood – not really • Sesame Rainbow – no • Sesame Kangaroo – no Only one fits. But wait—what if the link is “words that appear in the opening lines or themes of famous children’s shows”? • Sesame Street • Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood • The Wiggles (Kangaroo song) • “Over the Rainbow” (Wizard of Oz—family film) Still a stretch, but maybe the intended category is “Famous phrases from children’s television or family entertainment”. However, NYT Connections usually prefers tighter, more definable categories. Wait—another possibility: All can be used as euphemisms or code for something else? Unlikely. Hold on! What if the connection is “Words that can precede ‘COURT’”? • Rainbow Court? No • Neighborhood Court? Maybe • Street Court? Yes • Kangaroo Court – YES! Ah! Kangaroo Court is a well-known phrase. Is there “Rainbow Court”? Not really. “Street Court” exists (streetball). “Neighborhood Court” – community court. But only “Kangaroo Court” is idiomatic. But wait—what if the common word is “MOBILE”? • Mobile Rainbow? No • Mobile Neighborhood? No Not it. Wait! Let’s consider “things that are types of ‘___’ that start with ‘R’” — no. Now, think of homophones or puns. “KANGAROO” sounds like “can go, roo” → no. “RAINBOW” = “rain” + “bow” “STREET” = “st.” “NEIGHBORHOOD” = “hood” “KANGAROO” = “roo” Is “ROO” the link? Unlikely. Wait—what if the answer is simpler: All are words that can follow “DOWN” in common phrases? • DOWN RAINBOW? No • DOWN in the neighborhood? “Down in the Neighborhood” – song by Randy Newman! • “Down on the Street” – song • “Down Under” – for Kangaroo • “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – starts with “somewhere”, not “down” But “Down Under” is for Australia, not directly “Down Kangaroo”. However—“DOWN” as in feathers: down stuffing, but that’s already used. I’m stuck. But there’s only one group left, so these four must connect. Let me search for a different angle: Are these all words that can be part of a famous pair with “GOOD” or “GAY”? • Gay neighborhood • Gay street (e.g., Castro Street) • Rainbow flag (LGBTQ+) • Kangaroo? No link. Unless—wait! All can be associated with the word “PRIDE”: • Rainbow = Pride flag • Neighborhood = Pride events often in gay neighborhoods • Street = Pride parades on streets • Kangaroo? Still no. But maybe KANGAROO is a red herring? No, it must fit. Wait! What if the category is “Words that can follow ‘MOTHER’ in famous phrases or titles”? • Mother Road (Route 66) – but that’s “road”, not street • Mother Neighborhood? No Another idea: All are words that appear in the name of a U.S. government program? • Neighborhood Watch • Rainbow/PUSH Coalition • Main Street Program • Kangaroo? No Not working. Wait—consider “types of ‘hoods’”: • Neighborhood = hood • Kangaroo = baby kangaroo is a “joey”, not hood • Rainbow = Robin Hood! • Street = Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest, not street Ah! Robin Hood – but only “hood” from neighborhood and Rainbow (Robin Hood’s hat), but STREET and KANGAROO don’t fit. Unless… “HOOD” as in the suffix: • NEIGHBORHOOD • KANGAROO (no) • RAINBOW (ends with “bow”, not “hood”) • STREET (no) Only one. I’m overcomplicating. Let me consider that maybe the link is “Words that can precede or follow ‘ZIP’ to form slang” – no. Wait! What if the connection is “All can be used in the phrase ‘Welcome to the _____’” as famous locations or concepts: • Welcome to the Rainbow (as in Rainbow Room or LGBTQ+ space) • Welcome to the Neighborhood (Mister Rogers) • Welcome to the Street (Sesame Street) • Welcome to the Kangaroo (Australia tourism) But still. Hold on—what if the category is simply “Words that are names of famous TV shows or iconic media settings”: • Sesame Street • Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood • The Rainbow (UK kids’ show “Rainbow”) • Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (Australian TV show) Yes! All four are titles or key words in famous children’s television shows: 1. Rainbow – British children’s TV series (1972–1992) 2. Neighborhood – Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood 3. Street – Sesame Street 4. Kangaroo – Skippy the Bush Kangaroo This is plausible! NYT Connections has used “children’s TV shows” as a category before. Thus, the final group is: RAINBOW, NEIGHBORHOOD, STREET, KANGAROO — all iconic children’s television programs or settings. I’ll go with that.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that belong to the same category. Let’s examine the words for possible themes or connections. Available words: WED, COMBINE, ALF, FUSE, FLY, BOND, VHS, POLE, START, FLOWER, NES, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH, MTV First, look for synonyms or related concepts: • COMBINE, FUSE, BOND, WED — these all relate to joining or uniting things. That seems promising. - COMBINE = join - FUSE = merge - BOND = connect - WED = join in marriage (also can mean to join firmly) That’s a strong set: WED, COMBINE, FUSE, BOND — all about joining or uniting. Now check if any of these might belong to another category that’s more specific or if there's a better fit. Other possible categories: • DAY, DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS, START — all relate to beginnings. - DAY (as in “day one”) - DAWN = beginning of day, metaphorically a start - BIRTH = start of life - GENESIS = origin - START = obvious That’s five words, but I need exactly four. So possible subset: DAY, DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS — or maybe START instead of one. Also, consider media/tech: • VHS, NES, MTV, ALF — all 1980s pop culture references. - ALF = 1980s TV show - MTV = launched 1981 - VHS = dominant home video format in the 80s - NES = Nintendo Entertainment System, released in mid-80s That’s another strong possible set: ALF, MTV, VHS, NES — all iconic 1980s entertainment/media. So now I have three possible categories: 1. Joining: WED, COMBINE, FUSE, BOND 2. Beginnings: DAY, DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS (or START) 3. 1980s pop culture: ALF, MTV, VHS, NES Which is most likely the intended connection? In NYT Connections, categories often include wordplay, but also straightforward groupings. The “join” group is very semantically tight. The “beginnings” group is also strong. The 1980s group is thematic but slightly more subjective (e.g., is ALF as universally recognized as the others?). But note: “START,” “DAWN,” “BIRTH,” and “GENESIS” are all direct synonyms for “beginning.” “DAY” is a bit weaker unless it’s “Day One,” but it's less direct. Also, “POLE” and “FLY” might go together (as in flagpole and fly a flag?), or “FLY” and “BOND” (James Bond theme?), but that seems weaker. Another angle: “POLE,” “FLY,” “DAY,” “DAWN” — could be parts of common phrases: • North Pole, South Pole • Fly day? Not really. • Flag flies... but not clear. Also, “FLOWER” seems isolated unless with “BIRTH” (as in flower = bloom, birth = bloom), but that’s a stretch. Let’s evaluate the "join" group again: • WED: can mean to join (not just marriage) — e.g., “wed one’s fate to another” • COMBINE: join • FUSE: join • BOND: join Yes, this is a solid English synonym set. The “beginnings” set is also solid, but includes 5 candidates, which might mean it’s a red herring. The 1980s set is fun, but NYT Connections often avoids overly niche or generation-specific references unless it's very iconic. VHS, NES, MTV, ALF — all were huge, so it’s possible. But which is more likely to be a category in Connections? Both “join” and “beginnings” are common wordplay categories. Pop culture decades also appear. Wait: Look at “GENESIS” — also a band, but probably used here as “origin.” Now, consider the possibility that “START,” “DAY,” “DAWN,” “BIRTH” are all euphemisms or metaphors for the beginning of something. But “DAY” is ambiguous—it could also go with “POLE” (North Pole, South Pole) and “FLY” (North Pole, Santa, flies? No). Or “DAY” and “FLY” as in “time flies,” but that’s weak. Another check: “POLE” and “FLY” can go together as parts of a flagpole (the fly is the part of the flag that extends outward). But that’s very niche. Also, “BOND” and “FLY” — James Bond and “fly” as in travel? Unlikely. Back to the two strongest options. If I had to choose, I think the “join” group is the tightest semantically and most likely to be a category. Thus, I’ll go with: WED, COMBINE, FUSE, BOND. Double-check: Are all these commonly used as synonyms for “join”? • Combine: yes • Fuse: yes • Bond: yes (to bond materials) • Wed: yes (archaic/literary, but accepted) Confidence is high, but not 1.0 because the 1980s group is also plausible. Alternatively, maybe the “beginnings” group is the intended one. Let’s compare: Start, Dawn, Birth, Genesis — all very clearly “beginnings.” “Day” is the odd one out. So if that’s the category, the four would be START, DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS. But “START” is in the list. So why not include it? Wait, the available words include: START, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH — that’s five. So only four belong. Which four? In Connections, they usually avoid ambiguity, so if five seem to fit, maybe it’s not the category. Whereas in the “join” group, only four words clearly fit: WED, COMBINE, FUSE, BOND. No others in the list really mean “join.” “FLOWER” doesn’t, “POLE” doesn’t, etc. Therefore, the “join” group is cleaner. I’ll go with that.

Great! The first group (WED, COMBINE, FUSE, BOND) was correct—they all relate to "joining" or "uniting." Those words are now removed from the available pool. Remaining words: ALF, VHS, POLE, START, FLOWER, NES, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH, MTV Now I need to find another set of four related words from this list. Let me look for possible categories among the remaining words. Option 1: Beginnings / Origins • START • DAY • DAWN • GENESIS • BIRTH That’s five words again, but only four should belong. Which four are the best fit? • GENESIS = origin • BIRTH = beginning of life • DAWN = start of day • START = obvious • DAY = a bit weaker unless used metaphorically (e.g., "in this day and age"), but “Day One” is a phrase meaning beginning. However, in standard Connections puzzles, “DAY” is sometimes excluded from “beginning” sets because it's not inherently a synonym for “beginning” without context. So the core four are likely: START, DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS. Option 2: 1980s Pop Culture / Media • ALF (TV show, 1986–1990) • VHS (dominant home video in 1980s) • NES (Nintendo Entertainment System, released 1985 in US) • MTV (launched 1981, iconic 80s music channel) That’s four very iconic 1980s references. This is a strong candidate. Option 3: Other possible connections? • POLE and FLOWER: Could they relate to “North Pole” and “Flower” as in “Pole = geographic, Flower = plant”? Unlikely. • POLE, FLY: “Pole” and “fly” can relate to flags (the "fly" is the part of the flag furthest from the pole), but “FLY” isn’t in the remaining words—wait, FLY was in the original list but not used yet. Wait, check: original list included FLY, but it hasn’t been used. Wait a second—did I miss FLY? Wait, let's re-express the original list and cross out used words. Original: WED, COMBINE, ALF, FUSE, FLY, BOND, VHS, POLE, START, FLOWER, NES, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH, MTV Used (correct group): WED, COMBINE, FUSE, BOND So remaining: ALF, FLY, VHS, POLE, START, FLOWER, NES, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH, MTV Ah! I forgot FLY is still available. That changes things. So now, remaining words: ALF, FLY, VHS, POLE, START, FLOWER, NES, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH, MTV Now, is there a connection involving FLY? Consider: • FLY, POLE, DAY, FLOWER? Wait—“FLY,” “DAY,” “FLOWER,” “POLE” — these can all precede or follow certain words to make common phrases: • Firefly, Butterfly (but “fly” alone?) • “Pole” + “star” = North Star, but not helpful. • “Day” + “fly” = dayfly? No, but “mayfly,” “dragonfly” — “fly” is a suffix in insect names. “Butterfly” includes “fly,” but it’s one word. Alternatively: Words that can precede or follow “PAPER”: • White Paper, Position Paper — no. Another idea: “POLE,” “DAY,” “FLY,” “FLOWER” can all precede or follow “North”? • North Pole ✅ • North Day? ❌ • North Fly? ❌ • North Flower? ❌ Not that. Wait—think of famous phrases or proper nouns: • “Morning star,” “Evening star” — not present. Another angle: Types of “starts” or “beginnings” — we already considered that. Wait, what about the word “STAR”? • ALF (alien life form, but also a TV character) • MTV (music television, features stars) • NES (video game system with star-themed games?) — weak. Hold on—another possibility: Things that can follow or precede “MOTHER”? • Motherboard, Mother Nature — no matches. Back to the two strongest candidates now that FLY is in play: 1. 1980s Pop Culture: ALF, VHS, NES, MTV — still solid. FLY doesn’t fit here. 2. Beginnings: START, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH — still five, but likely four of them. 3. New possibility: Words that can precede or follow “BUTTER” — Butterfly, Buttermilk — only FLY connects via “butterfly,” but “butter” isn’t present. Wait: “DAY,” “DAWN,” “BIRTH,” “GENESIS” — all metaphorical or literal beginnings. “START” is also a beginning, but maybe the category excludes “START” and includes “DAY”? Unlikely. Alternatively, is “FLY,” “FLOWER,” “POLE,” and something else a hidden group? Consider: Types of “positions” or “ends”: • North Pole, South Pole • Flower = bloom (top of plant) • Fly = high in air • Not consistent. Another thought: Words that are also names of famous shows or brands — but that’s too vague. Wait—what about homophones or words with multiple meanings? Not obviously helpful. Let’s consider the possibility that FLY, FLOWER, POLE, DAY are all words that can precede or follow “PAPER” to make stationery or products: • Fly paper? (flypaper — yes, one word) • Flower paper? (not really) • Pole paper? No. Not working. Alternative idea: Each can precede or follow “MAGNET”? No. Now, reconsider the 1980s group: ALF, MTV, VHS, NES — all are iconic 1980s home entertainment formats or shows. That’s a clean category. Is there any reason to doubt it? Let’s verify: • ALF: Aliens, TV sitcom, debuted 1986 • MTV: Music Television, exploded in 80s • VHS: Home video standard in 80s • NES: Revived the video game industry in mid-80s Yes, this is a known Connections category from past puzzles. Meanwhile, the “beginnings” group is also strong, but with five options, it’s ambiguous which four. However, in actual NYT Connections puzzles, they do sometimes include five apparent options where one is a distractor. Common “beginning” sets often include: DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS, START — and “DAY” is the outlier. But now that I notice FLY is still available, could FLY belong to a different group? Wait! Another idea: Words that can follow “BOTTLE” — Bottle fly, but no. Or think of famous duos: • Pole position • Fly high • Flower child • Day trader — not cohesive. Alternatively, consider “STAR” as a hidden link: • ALF: starred in his own show • MTV: music stars • NES: Super Mario, iconic star collectibles • But again, too vague. I think the 1980s group is solid and less ambiguous than the beginnings group (which has five candidates). But wait—what if the beginnings group is the intended one, and the 1980s is a trap? How to decide? Let’s count: After removing the first group, we have 12 words left. We need to find three more groups of four. If I take the 1980s group (ALF, MTV, VHS, NES), that leaves: FLY, POLE, START, FLOWER, DAY, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH Now, from these 8, can I find two clear groups of 4? Possibility: Group 2: Beginnings — START, DAY, DAWN, BIRTH (or GENESIS) Group 3: ??? — FLY, POLE, FLOWER, and one more? Only 4 left: FLY, POLE, FLOWER, and whichever of GENESIS/BIRTH not used. That seems problematic unless FLY, POLE, FLOWER, and DAY form a group. Wait—what if FLY, POLE, FLOWER, DAY all can precede or follow “MAY”? • Mayfly ✅ • May Pole ✅ (Maypole dance) • May flower ✅ (Mayflower) • May Day ✅ (May Day is a holiday) Oh! That’s a strong possibility! • MAY DAY • MAY FLOWER (as in Mayflower ship) • MAY FLY (insect) • MAY POLE (tradition) So the words FLY, POLE, FLOWER, DAY can all follow “MAY” to make common terms. That’s a classic Connections wordplay category! So now I have: • Group 1: Joining (done) • Group 2: MAY ___: DAY, FLOWER, FLY, POLE • Group 3: Beginnings: START, DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS • Group 4: 1980s: ALF, MTV, VHS, NES All words accounted for: Used in Group 1: WED, COMBINE, FUSE, BOND Group 2: DAY, FLOWER, FLY, POLE Group 3: START, DAWN, BIRTH, GENESIS Group 4: ALF, MTV, VHS, NES Perfect! All 16 words used, four clean groups. Therefore, the next best guess is the “MAY ___” group: DAY, FLOWER, FLY, POLE. This is a very common type of Connections category (compound words/phrases with a shared word). So I should guess: DAY, FLOWER, FLY, POLE

Excellent! The second group—DAY, FLOWER, FLY, POLE—was correct, as they all follow "MAY" to form common terms (May Day, Mayflower, mayfly, maypole). Those words are now removed. Remaining words: ALF, VHS, START, NES, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH, MTV Now I need to find the next group of four. Looking at the remaining words, two strong categories stand out: 1. Beginnings / Origins: START, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH - All directly relate to the concept of a "beginning": - START = to begin - DAWN = the first appearance of light, metaphorically a beginning - GENESIS = the origin or mode of formation - BIRTH = the emergence of life 2. 1980s Pop Culture / Home Entertainment: ALF, VHS, NES, MTV - As previously identified: - ALF = 1980s TV show - VHS = 1980s video format - NES = 1980s gaming console - MTV = 1980s music television network Both groups are clean, non-overlapping, and use all remaining 8 words exactly. Given that, I can confidently select either group next. Since the "beginnings" group is more semantic and commonly used in Connections, and to maintain logical progression, I’ll go with that. Thus, the next guess is: START, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH.

Perfect! The "beginnings" group—START, DAWN, GENESIS, BIRTH—was correct. That leaves only four words remaining: ALF, VHS, NES, MTV These are all iconic elements of 1980s pop culture and home entertainment: • ALF: Popular alien-themed sitcom that aired from 1986–1990. • VHS: The dominant home video format throughout the 1980s. • NES: The Nintendo Entertainment System, released in North America in 1985, revived the video game industry. • MTV: Launched in 1981, revolutionized music and youth culture in the 1980s. This is a well-established thematic category in NYT Connections puzzles, often grouped under "1980s pop culture" or "iconic '80s media." There are no other words left, and these four clearly belong together. Thus, the final group must be ALF, VHS, NES, MTV.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that share a common category or theme. Let’s examine the words for potential groupings. Available words: BLONDE, PALE, POOL, FAINT, WHISK, CREAM, SUN, DIM, WHIP, POLAR, BLACK, WORD, BEAT, LIGHT, RICE, BROWN First, I notice several words that could relate to color or shades of color: • BLONDE • PALE • CREAM • BLACK • BROWN • LIGHT (as in light color) • DIM (less bright, but maybe not a color) • POLAR (as in polar bear = white, but indirect) Another angle: cooking or kitchen actions: • WHISK • WHIP • BEAT • CREAM (as in to cream butter/sugar) These four are all verbs used in baking/mixing. That seems promising. Check: WHISK, WHIP, BEAT, CREAM — all can be used as verbs meaning to mix or agitate ingredients. This is a known category in past Connections puzzles. Alternatively, consider shades of white or light colors: • BLONDE • PALE • CREAM • POLAR (as in polar white?) • LIGHT • DIM (less likely) But "POLAR" feels weaker here. Another possibility: types of "LIGHT": • SUN • LIGHT • DIM • FAINT These all relate to brightness or lack thereof. But "FAINT" and "DIM" are more about low intensity, while SUN and LIGHT are sources. Could be a stretch. Also, "POOL", "WORD", "RICE", "BLACK" — maybe "BLACK" types? Like Blackpool, blacklist, black rice? But "WORD" doesn't fit. "BLACK", "BROWN", "BLONDE", "CREAM" — all hair colors! That’s another strong possibility. • BLONDE (hair) • BROWN (hair) • BLACK (hair) • CREAM? Not typically a hair color. PALE? Not really. So maybe not. Wait, hair colors are usually: blonde, brown, black, red (not present), gray (not here). CREAM isn’t standard. So maybe not. Back to the cooking verbs: WHISK, WHIP, BEAT, CREAM. These are all standard mixing techniques in baking. This is a classic category in Connections. Confirm each: • WHISK: to beat rapidly. • WHIP: to beat until fluffy. • BEAT: to mix vigorously. • CREAM: to mix butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Yes, all valid baking verbs. Other words like SUN, POOL, WORD, RICE don’t interfere with this group. So I’ll go with: WHISK, WHIP, BEAT, CREAM. Confidence is high, as this is a well-established category.

Great! The first group (WHISK, WHIP, BEAT, CREAM) was correctly identified as mixing/baking verbs. Those words are now removed from the available pool. Remaining words: BLONDE, PALE, POOL, FAINT, SUN, DIM, POLAR, BLACK, WORD, LIGHT, RICE, BROWN Now I need to find another set of four related words. Let’s scan for themes: 1. Color/lightness: BLONDE, PALE, FAINT, DIM, LIGHT, POLAR, BLACK, BROWN • These could relate to shades or intensity of color/light. Specifically, BLONDE, PALE, FAINT, LIGHT all can mean "light in color or intensity". DIM and FAINT also describe low brightness. POLAR might relate to "white" (polar bear, etc.), but it's a stretch. BLACK and BROWN are dark colors — maybe a contrasting group, but probably not mixed with light ones. Is there a group of words meaning "light in color or intensity"? • BLONDE (light hair color) • PALE (light color, washed out) • LIGHT (as in light-colored) • FAINT or DIM (but these are more about brightness than color) Alternatively, consider "synonyms for faint/weak": FAINT, DIM, PALE, LIGHT — all can describe something weak or not intense. For example: • A pale light • A faint sound • Dim light • Light flavor This seems plausible: words meaning "lacking intensity". Another angle: types of "RICE": • RICE (jasmine, brown, white, etc.) • BROWN rice is a thing • BLACK rice exists • But only RICE, BROWN, BLACK are present — not enough. "POOL" and "WORD" stand out. • WORD: maybe part of phrases like "blackmail", "blacklist", but "WORD" alone? • SUN, POOL: "sun pool"? Not common. • SUN, LIGHT, DIM, FAINT: all related to light/brightness. SUN (source of light), LIGHT (obvious), DIM (low light), FAINT (barely perceptible light). But SUN is a source, others are descriptors — may not be tight enough. Consider hair colors again: BLONDE, BROWN, BLACK — that’s three. Is there a fourth? PALE? Not a standard hair color. LIGHT? As in "light brown", but not standalone. So maybe not. Another possibility: "BLACK", "POOL", "WORD", "SUN" — as in famous proper nouns? • Blackpool (city in UK) • Sun (as in The Sun newspaper?) • Word (as in Microsoft Word?) — seems inconsistent. Wait, look at: BLONDE, BROWN, BLACK, POLAR All can precede or follow "BEAR": • Blonde bear? No. • Brown bear — yes • Black bear — yes • Polar bear — yes But BLONDE bear? Not a standard type. So BLONDE doesn’t fit. But what if the category is types of bears? Then BROWN, BLACK, POLAR — only three. Not enough. Back to light/intensity: FAINT, DIM, PALE, LIGHT — all can mean "not strong or intense". Examples: • A pale complexion • A faint hope • Dim lights • Light breeze This is a known English usage category. Let’s test it. Remaining words include all four: FAINT, DIM, PALE, LIGHT. Yes, that’s a solid group. Alternative: Could "SUN", "POOL", "RICE", "WORD" form something? • "POOL", "RICE", "WORD", "SUN" — all can follow or precede "BIRD"? No. • Or think of famous phrases: - "Sun", "Black", "Brown", "Blonde" — all can be used with "magic"? No. - "Light", "Blonde", "Brown", "Black" — as hair or roast levels (e.g., coffee)? Coffee roasts: light, medium, dark — but BLONDE roast is a thing (Starbucks), BROWN and BLACK less so. But the "lacking intensity" group seems strongest. So next guess: FAINT, DIM, PALE, LIGHT

Excellent! The second group—FAINT, DIM, PALE, LIGHT—was correctly identified as words meaning "lacking in intensity or brightness." Those are now removed. Remaining words: BLONDE, POOL, SUN, POLAR, BLACK, WORD, RICE, BROWN I now need to find a third group of four connected words from these eight. Let’s list them again: BLONDE, POOL, SUN, POLAR, BLACK, WORD, RICE, BROWN Look for potential categories: 1. Colors or shades: • BLONDE, BLACK, BROWN, POLAR (as in white) — all can describe hair or fur color. But is POLAR accepted as a color? It usually implies white (polar bear), but it’s not a standard color term like the others. However, in past puzzles, “POLAR” has been grouped with other "white-associated" terms. Alternatively, consider types of bears: • POLAR bear • BLACK bear • BROWN bear • BLONDE bear? No—that doesn’t work. So this is likely not it. 2. Words that can precede or follow “BLACK”: • Blackpool (a place) • Black rice (a real thing—nutty, dark rice) • Black word? Not really. • Black sun? Not common. But “BLACK” might not be the anchor. 3. Consider famous phrases or compound words: Look at: POOL, WORD, SUN, RICE • “Rice” and “POOL” can follow “SWIMMING” and “PADDY” but not shared. • “SUN” and “POOL” → “sun pool”? Not standard. • “WORD” and “POOL” → “word pool”? Not common. Wait—what if we think of famous proper nouns or brand-related terms? Another angle: Types of “BLONDE” or “BROWN”—as in food/drink? • Brown rice • Black rice • Blonde roast (coffee) — but “SUN” and “POOL” don’t fit. Hold on: RICE, POOL, WORD, SUN — all can follow or precede “BIRD”? • Bird rice? No. • Sunbird, wordbird? No. Alternative idea: These could all precede or follow “BLACK” to make common phrases: • Blackpool • Blackout (but “OUT” isn't here) • Black rice • Black Sun (as in occult symbol?) — obscure • Black word? Not really. Wait—what if the category is words that can precede “BEAR”? • Polar bear • Black bear • Brown bear • Sun bear! (Yes! The sun bear is a real species.) Is there a “Blonde bear”? Not really. But do we have four? Let’s check: • POLAR bear • BLACK bear • BROWN bear • SUN bear Yes! All four are real types of bears: • Sun bear (smallest bear species, native to Southeast Asia) • Polar bear • Black bear • Brown bear That leaves BLONDE, POOL, WORD, RICE — which would be the last group. So the bear group seems very plausible and is a known Connections category. Thus, the next guess should be: POLAR, BLACK, BROWN, SUN Confirm each is in the remaining list: Yes. This is strong.

Fantastic! The third group—POLAR, BLACK, BROWN, SUN—was correctly identified as types of bears (polar bear, black bear, brown bear, sun bear). Those are now removed. Remaining words: BLONDE, POOL, WORD, RICE Only four words left, so they must form the final group. I need to find the connection among them. Let’s examine: • BLONDE • POOL • WORD • RICE At first glance, they seem unrelated. But in Connections puzzles, the final group often relies on a clever wordplay or a common phrase structure. Consider if these words can all precede or follow a specific word to form common phrases. Try a common suffix or prefix: Option 1: Common prefix Is there a word that can come before all four? • [?] BLONDE • [?] POOL • [?] WORD • [?] RICE Not obvious. Option 2: Common suffix What word can follow each? • BLONDE [?] • POOL [?] • WORD [?] • RICE [?] Think of: • "Blonde bombshell", "pool shark", "word salad", "rice pudding" — no shared word. Alternative approach: Think of famous phrases or titles. Consider: • "Pool" and "word" appear in "Word Pool"? Not common. • "Rice" and "Blonde" — “blonde rice”? No. Wait—what if we think of famous people’s names or surnames? • Condoleezza Rice • Jerry Rice • Matthew McConaughey was in Dallas Buyers Club with Jared Leto as a blonde character? Too vague. Another idea: These might all precede or follow “KING”: • King Blonde? No. • King Pool? No. • King Word? No. • King Rice? (Kendrick Lamar’s real name is Kendrick Lamar, not Rice) Not working. Think of homophones or puns. Wait—consider the word “BLACK” was already used, but what about “WHITE”? • White rice • White pool? No • White word? No • White blonde? Redundant. Another angle: Types of “something” in pop culture? Hold on—think of famous two-word phrases where the first word is a color or type. Wait! Consider the word “BASIL”: • Basil rice? No. Alternative thought: These words can all precede “PAPER”: • White paper, but not these. Wait—maybe think of famous movie or book titles: • “Word” appears in “Word of God” • “Rice” – Anne Rice, famous author • “Blonde” – novel and movie Blonde about Marilyn Monroe • “Pool” – The Pool (film) Not a shared category. Let’s consider another classic Connections trick: Words that can follow a single word to form common phrases—especially food or brand-related. Try the word “BOMB”: • Blonde bombshell • Word bomb? No • Rice bomb? No • Pool bomb? (like chlorine bomb?) Not standard. Try “GIRL”: • Blonde Girl • Pool Girl • Word Girl (PBS kids show!) • Rice Girl? Not really. Hmm. Wait! Think of famous phrases ending with “-rice”: Not helpful. Another idea: These can all precede or follow “FRY”: • Rice (as in Rice Krispies) • Word (as in “fry words”?) No. Let’s reverse: What if the hidden connector is “BLACK”, even though it's used? No—used words are gone. Think of homonyms: • “Pool” = game or body of water • “Word” = language unit • “Rice” = grain • “Blonde” = hair color or person Wait! Consider famous surnames in entertainment: • Natalie Portman was in V for Vendetta... no. • Anne Rice (author) • Pool? Not a famous surname. • Word? Not really. Alternative approach: Each can follow a color to make a common phrase? • Black rice • Black pool? No • Black word? No • Black blonde? No. Wait a minute—what if the shared word is “BROWN”? But BROWN is already used. Think differently: All can precede the word “SAND”? • Blonde sand? • Pool sand? • Word sand? No. Not working. Let’s consider the final four words might form compound words with “PAPER”: • White paper, but again, not matching. Hold on—think of famous phrases starting with these words: • “Blonde ambition” • “Pool party” • “Word up” • “Rice crispy” Still no link. Wait! Another classic Connections category: Words that can follow “EYE”: • Eye blonde? No • Eye pool? No Not it. Let’s try to think of each word as a type of “something” in cuisine: • Rice = grain • Blonde = roast (coffee) • Pool = not food • Word = not food No. Now consider: Each can be part of a famous proper noun starting with “BLACK”, but BLACK is gone. Wait—what if the connection is famous people with these as last names? • Jerry Rice (NFL legend) • Anna Nicole Smith was a famous blonde • Word? Not really • Pool? Not a famous surname Not consistent. Let’s try a new tactic: Phonetic or spelling pattern? All are 4-5 letters, single syllable except “blonde” (1 syllable? “Blond” is 1, “blonde” sometimes 1). Not helpful. Wait! Think of the word “KEY”: • Key blonde? No • Key pool? No • Key word — YES • Key rice? No Only one fits. Another idea: All can precede “WATER”: • Blonde water? No • Pool water — yes • Word water? No • Rice water — yes (used in skincare) But only two. Think of “PAPER” again: • White paper, term paper, rice paper! • Rice paper — yes • Word paper? Like “position paper” — no • Pool paper? No • Blonde paper? No But “rice paper” is real. What else uses “paper”? Wait—what if the connector is “WHITE”, even though it’s not in the list? The category could be “words that follow WHITE”: • White rice • White pool? No • White word? No • White blonde? Redundant No. Hold on! Let's consider famous two-word phrases where these are the second word: • “Bomb blonde” → actually “blonde bombshell” • “Swimming pool” • “Magic word” • “Wild rice” Ah! “Wild rice” is a thing. “Magic word” — yes “Swimming pool” — yes “Blonde bombshell” — but that’s not “??? blonde”, it’s “blonde ??” But what if the shared first word is “GOLDEN”? • Golden Blonde • Golden Pool? No • Golden Word? No • Golden Rice — yes (GMO rice) Only two. Wait a breakthrough: Think of famous titles starting with “THE”: • The Blonde • The Pool • The Word • The Rice Not distinctive. Another classic trick: These can all follow “BASIL”? No. Wait—what if the connection is “famous last words in famous phrases”? Alternatively, consider homophones: • “Rice” sounds like “rise” • “Word” sounds like “whirred” Not helpful. Let’s consider pop culture references: • “Word” — as in “Word!” (slang affirmation) • “Pool” — as in “pool boy” • “Blonde” — as in “dumb blonde” stereotype • “Rice” — as in “rice burner” (slur for Asian cars) — offensive and unlikely. Not good. Wait! Think of these words as types of “PUDDING”? No. Hold on—what if the shared word is “PAPER”, but in a different sense? • “White paper” • “Position paper” • But “rice paper” is real • “Word paper” — no • “Pool paper” — no Still no. Let me try a different angle: All can precede “HALL”: • Blonde Hall? No • Pool Hall — yes • Word Hall? No • Rice Hall — maybe a building, but not standard Only one. Wait! What if the category is “Words that can follow ‘MAGIC’”? • Magic word — yes • Magic pool? No • Magic rice? No • Magic blonde? No No. Now consider: Each can be used in a common idiom with “drop”: • Drop a word • Drop rice? No Not working. Let’s look up classic Connections categories... Ah! Sometimes the final group is words that can precede or follow “BLACK” or “WHITE”, but those are used. Wait! Another idea: All can precede “SAND” in brand names? Unlikely. Think of “BOWL”: • Rice bowl • Word bowl? No • Pool bowl? No • Blonde bowl? No Only one. Wait a minute—what if the connection is “famous people named ‘Blonde’, ‘Pool’, etc.”? • Jeremy Pool? Not famous • Geoff Word? No Not it. Let’s consider the possibility that these are all types of “grain” or “hair” or “liquid” — no. Hold on! Think of famous phrases ending in these words that start with “DIRTY”: • Dirty blonde — YES • Dirty pool — YES (meaning underhanded tactics) • Dirty word — YES (taboo word) • Dirty rice — YES! (a Cajun dish) Oh! That’s it! • Dirty Blonde • Dirty Pool • Dirty Word • Dirty Rice All are common phrases starting with “DIRTY”! That’s a classic Connections category. Confirm: • “Dirty blonde” = hair color • “Dirty pool” = unfair play • “Dirty word” = profanity • “Dirty rice” = seasoned rice dish from Louisiana Yes! All valid and well-known. So the final group is: BLONDE, POOL, WORD, RICE — all words that follow “DIRTY” to form common phrases.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that belong to the same category. Let's first scan the words for potential themes. Available words: MOUND, WHOPPER, STARE, BASE, COLOSSUS, SCRATCH, MAR, DING, SNICKER, POINT, BOX, PLATE, WHISPER, WHALE, MAMMOTH, DING First, look for synonyms or words that might belong to a common category. I notice several words that suggest "large size": • WHOPPER • COLOSSUS • WHALE • MAMMOTH These all commonly describe something huge or massive. "Whopper" can mean a big lie or something large (like the Burger King sandwich, but in general usage, it implies enormity). "Colossus" is a giant statue or a huge entity. "Whale" is often used metaphorically for something large (e.g., "a whale of a deal"). "Mammoth" literally refers to a prehistoric elephant but is used to mean enormous. That seems like a solid thematic group: words meaning "very large." Now, cross-check that none of these words are more strongly tied to another category. • MOUND, BASE, PLATE, BOX, POINT → possibly baseball terms? - In baseball: mound (pitcher’s mound), base, plate (home plate), box (batter’s box). That’s also a possible group! - So we have two strong candidate categories: 1. Synonyms for "large": WHOPPER, COLOSSUS, WHALE, MAMMOTH 2. Baseball terms: MOUND, BASE, PLATE, BOX We must choose one. Let's verify both. Baseball terms: • MOUND: yes • BASE: yes • PLATE (home plate): yes • BOX (batter’s box or catcher’s box): yes That’s a valid and precise category. Large things: • WHOPPER: colloquial for something very large • COLOSSUS: giant • WHALE: often used as “a whale of a ___” to mean huge • MAMMOTH: enormous Also valid. Now, which is more likely to be the intended category in Connections? Both are common categories. But let's check if any of these words might be ambiguous. For example, “BOX” could also mean a container, “PLATE” could be dish or tectonic plate, “BASE” has many meanings. But in the context of MOUND and PLATE, baseball is a strong link. Similarly, “WHISPER,” “STARE,” “SNICKER” could be types of subtle communication or reactions? • WHISPER (quiet speech) • STARE (look intensely) • SNICKER (laugh quietly) But “POINT” doesn’t fit that as well. “MAR,” “DENT,” “DING,” “SCRATCH” — these are all types of damage or surface imperfections. That’s a third possible group! Let’s examine that: • MAR: to damage slightly • DENT: indentation • DING: similar to dent • SCRATCH: surface mark Yes! That’s a very tight category: minor damage or blemishes. So now we have three strong candidate groups: A. Baseball: MOUND, BASE, PLATE, BOX B. Huge things: WHOPPER, COLOSSUS, WHALE, MAMMOTH C. Surface damage: MAR, DENT, DING, SCRATCH Given that, I need to pick one. In NYT Connections, categories like “minor damage” are common and precise. Also, the damage words are very closely related in meaning, more so than “huge things,” where “whopper” is a bit more informal and could be ambiguous (e.g., a whopper can also be a lie). Similarly, baseball terms are solid, but “BOX” is slightly less iconic than the others (though still valid). However, the damage group uses: MAR, DENT, DING, SCRATCH — all four are present in the word list. That seems like a perfect match. Therefore, I will guess the surface damage group first, as it's very cohesive and less ambiguous.

Great! The first group (MAR, DENT, DING, SCRATCH) was correct and is now removed from the available words. Remaining words: MOUND, WHOPPER, STARE, BASE, COLOSSUS, SNICKER, POINT, BOX, PLATE, WHISPER, WHALE, MAMMOTH Now I need to find another group of four related words. Let’s re-express the remaining words for clarity: • MOUND • WHOPPER • STARE • BASE • COLOSSUS • SNICKER • POINT • BOX • PLATE • WHISPER • WHALE • MAMMOTH Earlier, I identified two other strong candidate categories: 1. Baseball terms: MOUND, BASE, BOX, PLATE 2. Words meaning "huge": WHOPPER, COLOSSUS, WHALE, MAMMOTH 3. Types of quiet or subtle expressions: WHISPER, SNICKER, STARE, ? (but STARE isn't quiet—it's visual; maybe not) Let’s evaluate the baseball group first. Baseball terms: • MOUND: pitcher’s mound ✔️ • BASE: first, second, etc. ✔️ • PLATE: home plate ✔️ • BOX: batter’s box ✔️ All four are standard baseball terminology. This is a classic Connections category. Now, the "huge" group: • WHOPPER – can mean something very large ✔️ • COLOSSUS – a giant ✔️ • WHALE – often used as “a whale of a ___” to mean enormous ✔️ • MAMMOTH – huge ✔️ Also solid. But which to try next? Both are valid, but I should prioritize the one that’s more unambiguous. “Whopper” can also refer to a type of hamburger or a lie, which might make it less reliable. However, in Connections, such metaphorical uses are often accepted if the theme is "huge things." But the baseball terms are very concrete and tightly linked. Also, note that “POINT” and “BASE” can be military terms (e.g., “base” and “point” in strategy), but that seems weaker. “WHISPER,” “SNICKER,” “STARE” – all could be types of quiet or nonverbal reactions, but they’re different modalities (sound vs. sight). Unlikely. Another angle: “WHISPER,” “SNICKER,” “STARE,” “POINT” – all can be verbs meaning ways to communicate or express without full speech. But again, “point” is a gesture, “stare” is visual, “snicker” is vocal but suppressed, “whisper” is quiet speech. Possible, but less cohesive. So the two strongest are baseball and huge things. Given that the damage group was about physical imperfections, perhaps the puzzle is structured with distinct, non-overlapping themes. Baseball is a domain-specific category, while “huge things” is more linguistic/figurative. Both are fair game. I’ll go with baseball terms next because they are highly specific and all four words are clearly and exclusively used in that context within this set. Final check: Are all four words present? Yes: MOUND, BASE, BOX, PLATE.

Excellent! The baseball group (MOUND, BASE, BOX, PLATE) was correct and is now removed. Remaining words: WHOPPER, STARE, COLOSSUS, SNICKER, POINT, WHISPER, WHALE, MAMMOTH That’s 8 words left. I need to find another group of 4. Let’s list them clearly: • WHOPPER • STARE • COLOSSUS • SNICKER • POINT • WHISPER • WHALE • MAMMOTH Earlier, I noted a possible "huge things" group: WHOPPER, COLOSSUS, WHALE, MAMMOTH. All four are still available. That seems like the obvious next candidate. Confirming: • WHOPPER: colloquially means something very large (e.g., “a whopper of a storm”) • COLOSSUS: a giant statue or metaphorically a huge entity • WHALE: as in “a right whale of a problem” = very big • MAMMOTH: synonymous with enormous Yes, this is a standard category in word games—synonyms or metaphors for "enormous." Now, what’s left if I remove those four? Remaining would be: STARE, SNICKER, POINT, WHISPER That’s also four words. Could they form a group? Let’s examine them: • WHISPER: speak very softly • SNICKER: laugh quietly or mockingly • STARE: look intently • POINT: gesture with finger or indicate At first glance, they all can be quiet or subtle forms of communication or expression. But “stare” and “point” are nonverbal, while “whisper” and “snicker” are vocal (though quiet). However, in Connections puzzles, there is a known category called "Quiet or suppressed expressions" or "Subtle reactions" that sometimes includes these. But more compellingly, these four are all verbs that can precede or follow the word "cold"? No, that doesn’t fit. Wait—another idea: They can all precede or follow the word "hard"? • Hard stare ✔️ • Hard point? No. Not useful. Alternative: They can all be used in the phrase "[verb] down"? • Stare down ✔️ • Point down ✔️ • Whisper down? No. Not consistent. Wait—consider this: All can be types of "subtle or quiet behaviors", but that’s vague. Alternatively, think of famous phrases: • "Whisper network" • "Stare down" • "Point of no return" • "Snicker doodle" – no. But perhaps there’s a better link: All can precede the word "cold" in common expressions? • Cold stare ✔️ • Cold whisper? Uncommon. • Cold point? No. Wait—flip it: All can follow the word "point"? No. Actually, let’s test the opposite: Maybe the "huge things" group is correct, and the remaining four are another clear category. Consider: WHISPER, SNICKER, STARE, POINT What if these are all words that can precede or follow "stock"? No. Another angle: They are all synonyms for "indicate" or "show"? • Point = indicate • Stare = focus attention • Whisper = convey secretly • Snicker = express derision Not cohesive. Wait—perhaps they are all "ways to communicate without full sentences"? Possible, but again, less precise. But here's a stronger observation: In past Connections puzzles, WHISPER, SNICKER, STARE, and POINT have appeared together as "Words that can precede or follow 'hard' or 'cold', but that’s not consistent. Alternatively, think of them as "Words that can be used in the phrase '___ at'": • Stare at ✔️ • Point at ✔️ • Whisper at? (Rare; usually "to" or "in someone’s ear") • Snicker at ✔️ Close, but not perfect. Wait—maybe they’re all verbs that can also be nouns, but that’s true of almost all of them and too broad. Perhaps I’m overcomplicating. The "huge things" group is very solid and a common category. The remaining four may form a group, but I should confirm the obvious first. Given that WHOPPER, COLOSSUS, WHALE, MAMMOTH are all widely accepted synonyms for "gigantic" or "enormous," and this is a standard lexical category, I’ll go with that. If that’s correct, the last four will likely form the final group, which I can solve afterward. So next guess: WHOPPER, COLOSSUS, WHALE, MAMMOTH.

Perfect! The "huge things" group (WHOPPER, COLOSSUS, WHALE, MAMMOTH) was correct. Now only four words remain: STARE, SNICKER, POINT, WHISPER Since there are exactly four words left, they must form the final group. I just need to identify the connecting category. Let’s examine them closely: • STARE • SNICKER • POINT • WHISPER All four can be verbs meaning forms of nonverbal or subdued expression/communication. But let’s dig deeper. Consider common phrases or alternative meanings: 1. They can all precede the word "stock"? No. 2. They can all follow "cold"? - Cold stare ✔️ - Cold whisper? Uncommon - Cold point? No - Cold snicker? Rare Not that. Another idea: They are all ways to "indicate" or "signal" without speaking directly: • Point = direct attention • Stare = intense looking, can signal intent • Whisper = quiet speech • Snicker = suppressed laugh, often mocking Still a bit loose. Wait—think of these words as things you can do "at" someone: • Stare at someone • Point at someone • Snicker at someone • Whisper at someone? → Usually "whisper to" someone, but "whisper at" is occasionally used, though less standard. But in fact, all four can be used with the preposition "at" in common English usage: • She stared at him. • He pointed at the map. • They snickered at the joke. • He whispered at her (less common, but possible in contexts like "hissed or whispered harshly at"). However, that might be a stretch. Alternative approach: These are all types of "subtle or quiet social behaviors"—but again, vague. Wait—consider famous two-word phrases starting with "dead": • Dead stare ✔️ • Dead whisper? No • Dead point? No Not working. Another angle: All can precede or follow the word "hard": • Hard stare ✔️ • Hard point? (as in "hard point" on a missile? Too technical) • Hard whisper? No • Hard snicker? No No. Let’s think phonetically or in terms of sound and perception: • Whisper and snicker are quiet sounds • Stare and point are visual/gestural actions So perhaps the category is "Ways to react or communicate without full speech"—but Connections usually prefers tighter links. Wait! Here's a better idea: All of these can precede the word "cold" in common idioms? Still no. But consider this: They are all verbs that can also be used as nouns, and more importantly, they all can describe subtle or indirect forms of attention or expression, which is a known Connections category. However, I recall a specific puzzle where STARE, SNICKER, POINT, and WHISPER were grouped under the category "Things you might do instead of speaking outright" or "Subtle expressions." But there’s an even cleaner connection: They can all precede the word "stock" in phrases? No. Wait—flip it: They can all follow the word "finger"? • Finger point ✔️ (as in "point the finger") • Finger stare? No. Not working. Let’s consider another possibility: These are all words that can be used in the phrase "[verb] of [something]": • Whisper of wind • Snicker of laughter • Stare of disbelief • Point of view That’s not consistent. Hold on—what if the category is "Words that can precede 'down'"? • Stare down ✔️ • Point down ✔️ • Whisper down? (as in "whisper down the lane" – yes! That’s a phrase: "Telephone" is also called "Whisper Down the Lane") • Snicker down? No. Still not perfect. Alternative insight: In social contexts, all four can be rude or impolite behaviors: • Staring is often considered rude • Pointing is impolite in many cultures • Snickering is mocking • Whispering in a group can be exclusionary But that’s interpretive. Wait—perhaps the simplest answer is best. These are all quiet or restrained forms of expression: • Whisper = quiet speech • Snicker = suppressed laugh • Stare = intense silent look • Point = silent indication And in fact, NYT Connections has used the category "Subtle or Quiet Expressions" before. Given that these are the only four words left, and they clearly contrast with the earlier "loud" or "large" themes, this must be the intended group. So the final group is: STARE, SNICKER, POINT, WHISPER Category: Subtle or nonverbal expressions I’ll submit this as the final guess.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that share a common category or theme. Let’s examine the words for possible connections. Available words: RAISE, CRANK, HUNT, BULL, BUNK, RUBBISH, FISH, HIKE, PEEL, POWERS, WALK, NAP, JACK, ARCHER, BALONEY, TAIL First, look for synonyms or words that might belong to the same semantic field. Noticing several words that could mean "nonsense" or "falsehood": • BULL • BUNK • RUBBISH • BALONEY These are all slang terms for nonsense or lies. That seems like a strong category: "words meaning nonsense." Let me verify: • BULL (as in "bullsh*t") → nonsense • BUNK (as in "debunk" or "that's bunk") → false or nonsense • RUBBISH (British English for nonsense) • BALONEY (slang for nonsense, from "boloney") Yes, these four clearly belong together. Other words don't fit this set, and this group is solid. I’ll go with this as my first guess.

Great! The first group (nonsense words) was correct and those four words are now removed from the pool. Remaining words: RAISE, CRANK, HUNT, FISH, HIKE, PEEL, POWERS, WALK, NAP, JACK, ARCHER, TAIL Now I need to find another group of four that share a category. Let me scan for possible themes: 1. Words that can precede or follow a common word: - RAISE, HIKE, JACK, CRANK — all can mean "to lift" or "increase": - RAISE a flag - HIKE prices (or hike up pants) - JACK up a car - CRANK up volume But "CRANK" is a bit weaker here. Alternatively, maybe these are all synonyms for "increase": RAISE, HIKE, JACK (as in jacking up prices), CRANK (crank up)? Possible, but not 100% solid. 2. Types of "walks" or movements? - WALK, HIKE, FISH, HUNT — as in activities: fishing, hunting, hiking, walking. But that might be too broad. 3. Words that can precede or follow "paper": Unlikely here. 4. Superhero-related? POWERS, ARCHER (Green Arrow), JACK (Jack-Jack? Not strong). Probably not. 5. Sleep-related? NAP is obvious, but others? Not really. 6. Actions that can precede "out": HUNT out, FISH out, PEEL out, WALK out — but again, not a tight category. 7. Words that can precede or follow "tail": - TAIL, FISH, HUNT, PEEL? Like "peel out" is a phrase, but "peel" can also mean to remove skin — as can "skin", but that’s not here. Wait — another angle: words that can precede or follow "paper" — no. Look at: FISH, HUNT, WALK, TAIL — these can all precede or follow the word "CAT": • Catfish • Catnap? No, that’s NAP. Catwalk? Yes. Cat tail? Yes. Cat hunt? Not really. Alternatively, think of spies or detective work: TAIL, HUNT, FISH (as in fishing for information), WALK (undercover walk?) — weak. Another idea: Words that can be types of "jack" — like "jack" is a device, a name, a type of flag (Union Jack), but not helpful. Wait — look at: RAISE, HIKE, JACK, PEEL These can all precede or follow the word "price"? RAISE prices, HIKE prices, JACK up prices — maybe. PEEL? No. Alternative category: Words that can mean "to steal" — JACK (to jack a car), HUNT? No. Let’s try a different tack. Look at: CRANK, JACK, RAISE, HIKE — all can mean to lift or elevate: • Crank up • Jack up • Raise • Hike (as in hike up your pants or prices) This seems plausible. But is "HIKE" commonly used as a synonym for "raise"? Yes, in economics: “The company hiked prices.” So that works. But let’s hold that thought and check other possibilities. Now consider: FISH, HUNT, NAP, WALK Wait — these can all follow or precede "cat": • Catfish • Catnap • Catwalk • Cat hunt? Not really a phrase. But "Tom and Jerry" have a cat and mouse hunt... not strong. Alternatively, "dog": • Dogfish (a type of shark) • Dog hunt? Not really. • Dogged? No. Another angle: Last names of famous people? • HUNT (e.g., Howard Hunt) • ARCHER (e.g., Jeffrey Archer) • POWERS (Michael Powers?) • JACK? Not strong. Wait! "Archer," "Hunt," "Fisher," "Walker" — all common surnames that are also occupations or agent nouns: • Archer = one who arches? No, one who uses a bow • Hunt = hunter • Fisher (but we have FISH, not FISHER) • Walker = one who walks • Powers = not an occupation But maybe look at: ARCHER, HUNT, FISH, WALK — all can be verbs, but also surnames of famous spies or characters: • Sterling Archer (spy) • Ethan Hunt (Mission: Impossible) • Fox Mulder’s partner is Dana Scully, not Fisher — but there’s Agent Fisher in Splinter Cell • Olivia Walker? Not notable Hmm. Wait! Another idea: Words that can precede "paper": White paper, but not here. Think of military or intelligence terms: TAIL (as in surveillance), HUNT (manhunt), FISH (phishing?), WALK (walk-in informant?) — not strong. Let’s consider homophones or alternate meanings. Look at: PEEL, NAP, CRANK, POWERS • NAP can mean a short sleep or the texture of fabric • PEEL can mean to remove skin or the skin itself • CRANK can be a handle or an annoying person • POWERS — abilities or a surname Not helpful. Now, consider "JACK, RAISE, HIKE, CRANK" again. All can mean to lift or increase: • Jack up • Raise • Hike up • Crank up This is a known Connections category type: verbs meaning to increase. Alternatively, maybe "JACK, RAISE, CRANK, PEEL" as in "to steal"? “Jack” as in carjacking, “peel” as in peel out (not stealing), “lift” is slang for steal but "raise" isn’t. Wait — another possibility: RAISE, JACK, CRANK, PEEL can all precede or follow the word "handle"? No. Back to the increase idea. Let’s see if that’s a standard category. In past NYT Connections puzzles, "words meaning to increase" has appeared with: hike, raise, jack, boost — but boost isn’t here. However, "crank" is often used colloquially: “crank it up.” So: HIKE, RAISE, JACK, CRANK — all mean to increase or lift. Alternatively, is there a better category? Look at the remaining words again: RAISE, CRANK, HUNT, FISH, HIKE, PEEL, POWERS, WALK, NAP, JACK, ARCHER, TAIL Now notice: FISH, HUNT, TAIL, WALK — these can all precede the word "undercover" or relate to espionage: • TAIL = follow secretly • HUNT = manhunt, tracking • FISH = fishing for information • WALK = walk a beat? Not quite. But actually, TAIL, HUNT, FISH, WALK can all precede or follow the word "cat"? Already considered. Wait! ARCHER, HUNT, FISH, PEEL — last names of famous female spies or characters? • Kate Archer? Not really. • Fish (as in Laurence Fishburne?) No. Another idea: NAP, PEEL, WALK, TAIL — all can follow "cat": • Catnap • Catwalk • Cattail • Catfish → but we have FISH, not CATFISH But if we consider that "FISH" = "catfish", then maybe: FISH, NAP, WALK, TAIL = all form compounds with "cat" Let’s test: • Catfish ✔️ • Catnap ✔️ • Catwalk ✔️ • Cattail ✔️ Yes! These are all real words that start with "cat-". So the category would be: Words that follow "cat" to form a common word And the words in the list are: FISH, NAP, WALK, TAIL That’s a very strong and clean category — common in Connections puzzles. Compare this to the "increase" category: while plausible, "crank" is a bit less direct, and "hike" is sometimes ambiguous (hiking as in walking). But the "cat + ___" compounds are unambiguous and classic. So I think FISH, NAP, WALK, TAIL is the better guess. Let me double-check all are in the remaining words: FISH — yes NAP — yes WALK — yes TAIL — yes Perfect. Therefore, I’ll go with this group.

Excellent! The "cat + ___" compound words were correct, so FISH, NAP, WALK, and TAIL are now removed. Remaining words: RAISE, CRANK, HUNT, HIKE, PEEL, POWERS, JACK, ARCHER Now I need to find a group of four among these eight. Let’s list them again: RAISE, CRANK, HUNT, HIKE, PEEL, POWERS, JACK, ARCHER I’ll look for categories. First, consider synonyms or thematic links. Option 1: Verbs meaning "to lift or increase" • RAISE • HIKE (as in hike prices) • JACK (as in jack up prices) • CRANK (as in crank up the volume) This group still looks strong. All can colloquially mean "to increase" or "to lift". This is a known type of Connections category. Option 2: Last names of famous fictional spies or action heroes • HUNT (Ethan Hunt – Mission: Impossible) • ARCHER (Sterling Archer – spy comedy) • POWERS (Austin Powers – spy parody) • JACK (Jack Bauer – 24) That’s compelling! Let’s verify: • Ethan HUNT • Sterling ARCHER • Austin POWERS • Jack Bauer (just “Jack” is a stretch, but in context, “Jack” is a famous spy name) However, “Jack” alone is a common first name, and not exclusively a spy surname. But in the context of famous spy characters, this might be the intended group. Compare the two options: • Increase verbs: RAISE, HIKE, JACK, CRANK • Spy characters: HUNT, ARCHER, POWERS, JACK Note: JACK appears in both potential groups, so I must decide which category is more coherent. Let’s test the spy theory more carefully: • HUNT → Ethan Hunt ✔️ • ARCHER → Sterling Archer ✔️ • POWERS → Austin Powers ✔️ • JACK → Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy) or Jack Bauer (24) ✔️ Yes! Both Jack Ryan and Jack Bauer are iconic spy/agent characters. So “JACK” fits well as a shorthand for famous spy named Jack. This is a very plausible pop culture category. Now, which is more likely in a Connections puzzle? NYT Connections often features pop culture categories, especially with clear, well-known references. The spy group is fun and precise. The "increase" group is also valid, but “crank” is slightly more informal, and “hike” can also mean a long walk, which might introduce ambiguity. But here’s a key point: if I choose the spy group, the remaining words would be RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, PEEL — and I’d need to make a fourth guess with those. Does that group make sense? RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, PEEL — do they connect? PEEL stands out. “Peel out” means to drive off quickly, but not related to lifting. “Peel” as in fruit skin doesn’t fit with the others. So if spy is correct, the leftover group includes PEEL, which seems odd. Alternatively, if the increase group is correct (RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, JACK), then remaining words are: HUNT, PEEL, POWERS, ARCHER What connects HUNT, PEEL, POWERS, ARCHER? • Last names of famous people: - HUNT: Howard Hunt, but more recognizably Ethan Hunt - ARCHER: Sterling Archer - POWERS: Austin Powers - PEEL: Emma Peel! From The Avengers (1960s British spy show) Oh! Emma Peel is a classic female spy character. So actually, HUNT, ARCHER, POWERS, PEEL are all last names of famous spy characters: • Emma Peel • Ethan Hunt • Sterling Archer • Austin Powers That’s even better! And it excludes JACK, which may not be as directly a surname in this context. So the spy group is actually: PEEL, HUNT, ARCHER, POWERS And that leaves: RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, JACK Now, do those four connect? RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, JACK — all can mean to lift or raise: • RAISE: obvious • HIKE: hike up your pants, hike prices • JACK: jack up a car • CRANK: crank up the volume Yes! That’s a solid semantic category. So the better split is: Group 1 (already found): nonsense words Group 2 (already found): cat + ___ Group 3: spy last names → PEEL, HUNT, ARCHER, POWERS Group 4: lift/increase verbs → RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, JACK This makes perfect sense, and PEEL fits the spy category beautifully with Emma Peel, a well-known character in pop culture (and frequently referenced in puzzles). Therefore, my next guess should be the spy group: PEEL, HUNT, ARCHER, POWERS

Great! The spy characters group was correct, so PEEL, HUNT, ARCHER, and POWERS are now removed. Remaining words: RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, JACK Only four words left — so this must be the final group. Now, verify that these belong to a coherent category. Words: RAISE, CRANK, HIKE, JACK All can mean to lift or increase: • RAISE: to lift up or increase (e.g., raise your hand, raise prices) • HIKE: to raise or increase (e.g., hike prices; hike up your jeans) • JACK: to jack up (e.g., jack up a car; jacked up prices) • CRANK: to crank up (e.g., crank up the volume or heat) This is a well-established category in word games: informal verbs meaning to increase or elevate. No other words remain, so this must be the intended group. Confidence is very high.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that belong to the same category. Let’s examine the words for possible themes or connections. Available words: • PERCENTAGE • FOLLOW • SHARE • POST • POLE • OBSERVE • REGARD • PILLAR • INFORMATION • MIND • INTEREST • STAKE • INTELLIGENCE • COLUMN • DIRT • SECRETS First, look for synonyms or thematic groupings. One strong possibility: words that can mean "to watch" or "to observe": • FOLLOW (as in follow someone on social media or follow activity) • OBSERVE • REGARD (as in "I regard him with suspicion" – though less common as a verb meaning to watch) • MIND (as in "mind the store" – but that’s more about attending than watching) But that feels weak. Another angle: types of "information" or "intelligence": • INFORMATION • INTELLIGENCE • SECRETS • DIRT (slang for compromising information) • SHARE, POST – these are actions on social media • FOLLOW – also social media Wait—maybe a social media category? • FOLLOW • SHARE • POST • (What's the fourth?) INTEREST? No. REGARD? No. Maybe not. Another idea: structural supports or upright objects: • POLE • PILLAR • COLUMN • STAKE That’s promising! All four can refer to vertical structural supports: • A POLE (e.g., telephone pole) • A PILLAR (architectural support) • A COLUMN (same as pillar, in architecture or newspapers—but here likely structural) • A STAKE (as in a wooden stake driven into the ground, can be a support) Yes, these four are all types of upright supports or posts. That seems solid. Let me cross-check: • POLE: yes • PILLAR: yes • COLUMN: yes (in architecture) • STAKE: yes (like a fence stake or tent stake) All fit. Other groupings? Let's check: “Percentage, share, stake, interest” – these can all relate to ownership or investment: • SHARE (stock share) • STAKE (ownership stake) • INTEREST (financial interest) • PERCENTAGE (as in ownership percentage) That’s also a strong group! Now I have two plausible groups: Group A (structural): POLE, PILLAR, COLUMN, STAKE Group B (ownership): SHARE, STAKE, INTEREST, PERCENTAGE Note: STAKE appears in both. But each word can only be used once, so only one group can be correct. Which is more cohesive? Group B: All commonly used in business/finance to denote ownership: • “She has a 20% stake” • “He owns a share” • “They have a financial interest” • “Percentage ownership” Group A: All physical objects, vertical supports. Both are valid, but which is more likely in a Connections puzzle? Also, note that “COLUMN” can also mean a newspaper column or data column, but in this context with POLE/PILLAR/STAKE, it fits structurally. However, “STAKE” in the ownership sense is very common, and “PERCENTAGE” doesn’t fit the structural group at all. Now, consider other words in the list: • DIRT, SECRETS, INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE – possibly a group of “classified or hidden info” • OBSERVE, REGARD, MIND, FOLLOW – possibly “to pay attention to” But let’s assess the strength: Group B (ownership): SHARE, STAKE, INTEREST, PERCENTAGE – all directly used in the context of ownership or investment. Very tight. Group A: POLE, PILLAR, COLUMN, STAKE – also tight, but “stake” as a structural object is less emphasized than its ownership meaning. Also, “pole” and “stake” are more utilitarian, while “pillar” and “column” are architectural—slightly different sub-types, but still acceptable. However, in many past NYT Connections puzzles, “pillar, column, pole, post” is a classic category. Wait—POST is also available! Hold on! POST is in the word list. So maybe the structural group is actually: POST, POLE, PILLAR, COLUMN That’s even better! Because “post” is a classic synonym in this category (e.g., “lamp post”, “mail post”), and is more consistently structural than “stake”. So perhaps the intended structural group is: • POST • POLE • PILLAR • COLUMN That’s four words, all architectural/structural vertical supports, and all commonly grouped together. Then STAKE might belong to the ownership group, but without POST in ownership, that’s fine. So now Group A revised: POST, POLE, PILLAR, COLUMN – very strong, classic category. Group B: PERCENTAGE, SHARE, INTEREST, STAKE – also strong. But note: if POST is in the structural group, that’s four exact words that go together often. In fact, “post, pillar, column, pole” is a known quartet in riddles and puzzles. Therefore, I think the structural group is more likely the intended one, especially since all four are present. So my guess will be: POST, POLE, PILLAR, COLUMN Let me confirm all are in the available words: • POST: yes • POLE: yes • PILLAR: yes • COLUMN: yes Perfect. Confidence is high.

Great! The first group (POST, POLE, PILLAR, COLUMN) was correct. Those words are now removed from the available pool. Remaining words: PERCENTAGE, FOLLOW, SHARE, OBSERVE, REGARD, INFORMATION, MIND, INTEREST, STAKE, INTELLIGENCE, DIRT, SECRETS Now I need to find another group of four related words. Let’s look for possible categories in the remaining words. First, consider words related to "information" or "secret knowledge": • INFORMATION • INTELLIGENCE • SECRETS • DIRT (slang for gossip or compromising info) That’s a strong possible group. All can refer to types of sensitive or confidential information: • Intelligence (as in spy intel) • Secrets • Dirt (as in "got the dirt on someone") • Information (general, but fits) This seems very plausible. Alternative idea: Words meaning "to pay attention to" or "to consider": • FOLLOW • OBSERVE • REGARD • MIND But “mind” is a bit of a stretch (e.g., “mind your manners” vs. “observe”), and “follow” here might be more social-media oriented. Less cohesive. Another possibility: Financial interest / ownership: • SHARE • INTEREST • STAKE • PERCENTAGE All of these can refer to ownership or investment shares: • “He has a 10% stake” • “She owns a share” • “They hold an interest in the company” • “Percentage of ownership” This is also a very strong group. Now I have two compelling options: Group A: INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE, SECRETS, DIRT Group B: SHARE, INTEREST, STAKE, PERCENTAGE Which is more likely? Let’s check for possible overlaps or ambiguity: • “Interest” can also mean curiosity, but in this context with SHARE/STAKE/PERCENTAGE, the financial meaning is clear. • “Dirt” is informal, but commonly accepted in puzzles as “damaging info”. Both groups are valid, but which is tighter? In past NYT Connections puzzles, “dirt, secrets, intelligence, information” has appeared as a category (types of confidential info). Similarly, the ownership group is also common. But note: “INFORMATION” and “INTELLIGENCE” are nearly synonyms in espionage contexts. “SECRETS” and “DIRT” are more specific types. Alternatively, consider if any of these words might belong to another group. What about verbs meaning "to consider" or "to look at": • REGARD • OBSERVE • MIND • FOLLOW? Unlikely. “MIND” doesn’t cleanly fit. “FOLLOW” is more action-oriented. Another angle: “MIND, REGARD, OBSERVE, FOLLOW” as verbs of attention—but again, not as cohesive. Between the two strong groups, I think the ownership group might be slightly more precise because all four terms are used interchangeably in business contexts to denote partial ownership. However, the info group is also solid. But wait—let’s count: after removing the first group, we have 12 words left. We need to eventually find 3 more groups of 4. Let’s also consider that “FOLLOW, SHARE, POST” was a possible social media group—but POST is already used, so that group is broken. So “FOLLOW” and “SHARE” might belong elsewhere. “SHARE” is in the ownership group, which makes more sense than social media now (since POST is gone). Similarly, “FOLLOW” might be part of a “pay attention” group, but again, weak. Let’s test the ownership group: • SHARE: “a share of stock” • STAKE: “an ownership stake” • INTEREST: “a financial interest” • PERCENTAGE: “a percentage ownership” Yes, all fit. Now the info group: • INFORMATION: general data • INTELLIGENCE: classified or gathered info • SECRETS: hidden info • DIRT: scandalous info Also solid. Which one is more likely to be a puzzle category? Upon reflection, both are valid, but the ownership group uses more formal, interchangeable business terms, while “DIRT” is slang. Puzzles sometimes avoid slang unless it’s very common. But “dirt” as in “gossip” is fairly standard in such puzzles. However, another clue: “INTELLIGENCE” and “INFORMATION” are very close, possibly too close—sometimes puzzles avoid near-duplicates. But I think both are acceptable. Wait—look at the word “MIND”. Could it go with “INTEREST”, “REGARD”, “OBSERVE”? As in “I mind him” (archaic), “I regard him”, “I observe him”, “I follow him”—but that’s inconsistent. Alternatively, “MIND, SHARE, FOLLOW, INTEREST” as social media actions? But “MIND” doesn’t fit. I think the safest next move is to go with the ownership group, as it’s highly cohesive and uses formal terms. So I’ll guess: SHARE, INTEREST, STAKE, PERCENTAGE

Excellent! The second group (SHARE, INTEREST, STAKE, PERCENTAGE) was correct. Those are now removed. Remaining words: FOLLOW, OBSERVE, REGARD, INFORMATION, MIND, INTELLIGENCE, DIRT, SECRETS Now I need to find the next group of four. Let’s analyze the remaining words: • FOLLOW • OBSERVE • REGARD • MIND • INFORMATION • INTELLIGENCE • DIRT • SECRETS First, notice that the last four (INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE, DIRT, SECRETS) all relate to types of confidential or sensitive information, as previously considered. That group seems very coherent: • INFORMATION: general data, but can be confidential • INTELLIGENCE: specifically gathered or classified info (e.g., military intelligence) • SECRETS: hidden knowledge • DIRT: slang for compromising or gossip-style information This is a classic "secret info" category seen in puzzles before. All four are nouns referring to knowledge that is not public or is gathered discreetly. Now, what about the other four: FOLLOW, OBSERVE, REGARD, MIND? These can all function as verbs meaning "to pay attention to" or "to watch": • FOLLOW: "Follow the suspect" (as in surveillance) • OBSERVE: "Observe the experiment" • REGARD: "I regard him with suspicion" (archaic but valid; also "in regard to" is a phrase, but as a verb, it means to look upon or consider) • MIND: "Mind the gap" (meaning pay attention), or "Mind the children" (watch over) However, “regard” and “mind” are a bit more abstract or less directly about watching. But in the context of synonyms for heed or note, they can fit. But wait—if the info group is so strong, maybe that’s the next intended group. Also, note that if I take the info group now, the remaining four (FOLLOW, OBSERVE, REGARD, MIND) would form the last group—and that might work as a "pay attention" category. So two potential groups: Group A (info): INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE, SECRETS, DIRT Group B (attention): FOLLOW, OBSERVE, REGARD, MIND Both seem plausible. I think the info group is more concrete and less ambiguous. “DIRT” might raise eyebrows, but it's commonly accepted in these puzzles as gossip or intel. Moreover, “INTELLIGENCE” and “INFORMATION” are core terms, and “SECRETS” and “DIRT” are specific forms of hidden information. I’ll go with the info group next.

Great! The third group (INFORMATION, INTELLIGENCE, SECRETS, DIRT) was correct. That leaves exactly four words remaining: FOLLOW, OBSERVE, REGARD, MIND These must form the final group. Now I need to confirm the connection. All four can function as verbs meaning "to pay attention to," "to watch," or "to consider": • FOLLOW: as in "follow the suspect" (surveillance context), or "follow the argument" (mentally attend) • OBSERVE: directly means to watch or notice • REGARD: means to look upon or consider (e.g., "I regard him as a friend" or "She regarded the painting closely") • MIND: can mean to pay attention to or watch over (e.g., "Mind the step!" or "Mind the kids while I’m out") While "mind" and "regard" can have other meanings, in this set, the unifying theme is attentiveness or watching. This is a known category in Connections puzzles—verbs of attention or observation. Since these are the only words left, and they do share a conceptual link, this must be the final group.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that belong to the same category. Let's first scan the words for potential themes or connections. Available words: • SHAR PEI (a dog breed) • FLICK (slang for movie, or a quick motion) • PRUNE (a dried plum; also means to trim) • FILM (a movie; also a thin layer) • FEATURE (a prominent part; also a movie feature) • PICTURE (a photo or movie) • TOOTH (body part; part of a comb or gear) • POTATO (vegetable; slang for a boring person or a hand grenade) • SCATTER (to spread out) • BRAIN (organ; intelligence) • CREPE PAPER (party decoration) • SIXTEEN (number) • LITTER (trash; group of young animals) • TALK (verb/noun about speaking) • SPRINKLE (to scatter lightly; also a type of candy topping) • PEPPER (spice; to sprinkle; also a surname or type of mill) Looking at FILM, FEATURE, PICTURE, and FLICK—these all can refer to movies: • FILM = movie • FEATURE = feature film • PICTURE = motion picture • FLICK = slang for movie That seems like a strong thematic group. All four are synonymous or colloquially used to refer to movies. Let me double-check if any of these have conflicting primary meanings that might interfere—but in the context of word games like Connections, these are commonly grouped under "MOVIES". None of the other words strongly suggest another clear category with four members yet, so this looks like the best lead. Thus, my guess is: FLICK, FILM, FEATURE, PICTURE.

Great! The first group (movie-related terms) was correct and those words are now removed from the available pool. Remaining words: • SHAR PEI • PRUNE • TOOTH • POTATO • SCATTER • BRAIN • CREPE PAPER • SIXTEEN • LITTER • TALK • SPRINKLE • PEPPER Now I need to find another group of four connected words. Let’s look for possible categories. First, consider "PRUNE", "POTATO", "BRAIN", and "PEPPER". These can all be used as slang or informal terms for body parts or heads: • PRUNE (can refer to a wrinkled appearance, but not commonly a head) • POTATO (as in "couch potato", or "hot potato", but also “head” slang: “use your potato” = use your head) • BRAIN = head/intellect • PEPPER = less likely This seems weak. Alternatively, consider words related to “scattering” or “spreading”: • SCATTER • SPRINKLE • PEPPER (as in “to pepper a surface with bullets” = scatter) • LITTER (as in to scatter trash) That’s promising: • SCATTER = to spread randomly • SPRINKLE = to scatter lightly • PEPPER (verb) = to sprinkle or hit repeatedly (e.g., “peppered with questions”) • LITTER (verb) = to scatter items (e.g., “litter the floor with papers”) But “litter” as a verb is less commonly grouped with these; still possible. Another angle: "PRUNE", "POTATO", "BRAIN", "TOOTH" — all can follow or precede certain words: • "Sweet potato", "prune juice", "tooth fairy", "brain teaser" — not a cohesive category. Wait—consider types of "wrinkled" or "dried" things? Unlikely. Look at: PRUNE, POTATO, BRAIN, TOOTH — all can be preceded by “SPUD”, “HUMAN”, etc.? Not helpful. Now look at CREPE PAPER, SIXTEEN, TALK, SHAR PEI — any connection? SHAR PEI is a dog breed. Any other dog breeds? Not in the list. So probably not. What about words that can precede or follow “PAPER”? • CREPE PAPER is one. • WHITE PAPER, POSITION PAPER — but no others here. Consider homophones or puns? Wait—look at: PRUNE, POTATO, BRAIN, LITTER • All can precede or follow the word “BABY”? - Baby prune? No. - Baby potato? Not really. - Baby brain? Yes. - Baby litter? Yes (animals). Weak. Another idea: Words that can describe something small or cute? Unlikely. Wait—consider “TOOTH”, “BRAIN”, “POTATO”, “PRUNE” — all can be types of “nickname for a person”? • “Tooth” as in “sweet tooth” • “Brain” as in “smart person” • “Potato” as in “couch potato” • “Prune” as in old person (slang) Not cohesive. Now consider: SPRINKLE, PEPPER, SCATTER, LITTER — all verbs meaning to distribute or disperse. Let’s test this: • SPRINKLE: to scatter in small drops or particles. • PEPPER: to hit or cover with numerous small items (e.g., “pepper the wall with bullets”). • SCATTER: to throw in various directions. • LITTER: to cover untidily with scattered items. Yes, this is a known Connections category type: verbs meaning “to scatter”. I’ve seen similar groups in NYT Connections before. So the group could be: SCATTER, SPRINKLE, PEPPER, LITTER. Double-check: Are all four commonly accepted as synonyms in this context? • Thesaurus for “scatter”: sprinkle, strew, litter, pepper. Yes! “Pepper” and “litter” are listed as synonyms in some contexts. Thus, this seems like a solid second group. Other remaining words after this would be: SHAR PEI, PRUNE, TOOTH, POTATO, BRAIN, CREPE PAPER, SIXTEEN, TALK That leaves 8 words, which is consistent (16 – 4 – 4 = 8). So, I’ll go with SCATTER, SPRINKLE, PEPPER, LITTER.

Excellent! Two groups have been correctly identified and removed. That leaves us with the following 8 words: • SHAR PEI • PRUNE • TOOTH • POTATO • BRAIN • CREPE PAPER • SIXTEEN • TALK Now I need to find a third group of four related words. Let’s analyze these remaining words for potential connections. First, look at: PRUNE, POTATO, BRAIN, TOOTH These all can precede or follow the word "sweet"? • Sweet potato ✅ • Sweet tooth ✅ • Sweet pea (not here) • Sweet brain? No • Sweet prune? Not really So only two fit. But wait—consider "BRAIN", "TOOTH", "POTATO", "PRUNE" as types of "informal terms for a person’s head" or "slang for head/mind"? • Brain = intelligence/mind • Potato = “use your potato” (colloquial for head) • Prune = sometimes used to describe an old person (wrinkled like a prune), but not directly head • Tooth = not typically Not strong enough. Another angle: These could all follow "JACK": • Jackpot (no) • Jackknife, jack-o'-lantern… • JACKED? Not helpful. Now consider: PRUNE, POTATO, BRAIN, TOOTH — all can be types of "famous phrases ending with '___ food' or '___ matter'"? • Brain matter ✅ • Toothpaste ✅ • Prune juice ✅ • Mashed potato ✅ Still not a clear category. Wait—look at PRUNE, POTATO, BRAIN, TOOTH again. What if we consider them as things that can be preceded by "Wrinkled"? • Wrinkled brain (sulci/gyri) • Wrinkled prune ✅ • Wrinkled potato? Not typically • Wrinkled tooth? No No. Another idea: CREPE PAPER, SIXTEEN, TALK, SHAR PEI — any link? • "Sweet sixteen" ✅ • "Small talk" ✅ • "Shar Pei" — a wrinkled dog • "Crepe paper" — used in party decorations (like for a sweet sixteen party?) Wait—SIXTEEN and CREPE PAPER both relate to parties. • Sweet sixteen parties often use crepe paper decorations. • "Small talk" is common at parties. • Shar Pei? Unlikely. Not cohesive. Now, consider homophones or puns: • TOOTH, POTATO, BRAIN, PRUNE — all can follow "SMART"? • Smart tooth? No • Smart potato? No Alternatively, think of famous phrases ending in these words: • "Rack your BRAIN" • "Sweet TOOTH" • "Couch POTATO" • "Old PRUNE" (slang) These are all colloquial terms for people or personality types: • Couch potato = lazy person • Sweet tooth = person who loves sweets • Old prune = old, fussy person (dated slang) • Brain = smart person That’s interesting! All four can describe types of people via metaphor or idiom. But is that a standard Connections category? Possibly, but let’s see if there’s a tighter link. Wait—another possibility: PRUNE, POTATO, BRAIN, TOOTH can all precede or follow the word "Baked"? • Baked potato ✅ • Baked brain? No • Baked prune? No • Baked tooth? No No. Now, shift focus: SHAR PEI, PRUNE, BRAIN, TOOTH — all can be described as "wrinkled": • Shar Pei = famously wrinkled dog • Prune = dried, wrinkled plum • Brain = wrinkled surface (cerebral cortex) • Tooth? Not wrinkled — smooth enamel. So probably not. But wait—maybe "things that are wrinkled" is the category, and TOOTH is a red herring. Alternatively, consider the phrase "gray matter" for brain, "gray hair" for prune (old age), but again, tooth doesn't fit. Now look at TALK, SIXTEEN, CREPE PAPER, SHAR PEI Any pop culture links? • "Sweet Sixteen" • "Crepe paper" = party supplies • "Small talk" • "Shar Pei" = dog, maybe from a movie? Unlikely. Wait—consider homophones of numbers: • SIXTEEN = 16 • POTATO sounds like “pot-eight-o”? No • BRAIN / PRUNE — no Another angle: TOOTH, BRAIN, POTATO, PRUNE all appear in famous similes or metaphors involving "hard" or "soft"? Not really. Let’s try a different approach: look for compound words or phrases that start or end with the same word. Consider the word "BABY": • Baby tooth ✅ • Baby brain (pregnancy brain) ✅ • Baby potato (new potato) ✅ • Baby prune? Not really Close, but prune doesn’t fit. Now think: "Mashed": • Mashed potato ✅ • Mashed brain? (slang for concussed) • Mashed prune? (prune puree) • Mashed tooth? No Not consistent. Wait—step back. In NYT Connections, a common category is "words that can follow or precede a certain word to make a common phrase". Try the word "SWEET": • Sweet SIXTEEN ✅ • Sweet POTATO ✅ • Sweet TOOTH ✅ • Sweet TALK ✅ Oh! That’s it! • Sweet sixteen • Sweet potato • Sweet tooth • Sweet talk All are very common phrases starting with "sweet". That’s a perfect, classic Connections category. Now confirm: • SIXTEEN → “Sweet Sixteen” (birthday celebration) • POTATO → “Sweet potato” (vegetable) • TOOTH → “Sweet tooth” (fondness for sugar) • TALK → “Sweet talk” (flattery to persuade) Yes! All standard phrases. That leaves: SHAR PEI, PRUNE, BRAIN, CREPE PAPER — which would form the final group (likely “wrinkled things”: Shar Pei dog, prune, brain, crepe paper is crinkled/wrinkled texture). But for now, the third group is clearly: SIXTEEN, POTATO, TOOTH, TALK. All start with “Sweet ___”. Perfect.

Fantastic! Three groups have been correctly identified. The remaining words are: • SHAR PEI • PRUNE • BRAIN • CREPE PAPER Only four words left, so this must be the final group. I need to find the connection among them. Let’s examine: • SHAR PEI: A breed of dog known for its deeply wrinkled skin. • PRUNE: A dried plum, characteristically wrinkled. • BRAIN: The human brain has a wrinkled surface (gyri and sulci). • CREPE PAPER: A type of paper with a crinkled or wrinkled texture, often used in decorations. All four share the common attribute of being wrinkled or crinkled in appearance. This is a known type of category in NYT Connections—grouping items by a shared physical characteristic, especially "wrinkled things." Thus, the final group is connected by the theme: WRINKLED THINGS.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that share a common category or theme. Let’s examine the words for potential groupings. Available words: TOP, COMPASS, WALL, HATCH, SCALE, KEY, INSET, PORTAL, FLEET, DOWNING, DOOR, BETTER, BEST, MAIN, BEAT, GATE First, I’ll look for obvious semantic groups. 1. ENTRY/EXIT STRUCTURES: Words like DOOR, GATE, HATCH, PORTAL all refer to types of entrances or exits. - DOOR - GATE - HATCH - PORTAL These all fit well in a category like “types of entrances” or “architectural openings.” “Wall” is related but is a barrier, not an opening. So probably not included. 2. NAVIGATION/TOOLS: COMPASS, SCALE, KEY, INSET? - COMPASS and SCALE are map-related tools. - KEY can refer to a map legend. - INSET is a map term (inset map). So COMPASS, SCALE, KEY, INSET could be “map features/tools.” That’s plausible. 3. SUPERLATIVE/COMPARATIVE WORDS: BEST, BETTER — only two, not enough. 4. “MAIN” + others? MAIN, TOP, BEST — like “main/top/best” as in “primary” — but again, only 3. 5. “BEAT” + “FLEET” + “DOWNING”? - “Fleet” and “Beat” could relate to police (“patrol beat”, “police fleet”), and “Downing” as in Downing Street? Not strong. - “Downing” might be a red herring; could be part of “Downing Street”, but that seems too specific. 6. “KEY”, “SCALE”, “TOP”, “BEST” — as in music? - KEY and SCALE are music terms. - But TOP and BEST aren’t. So probably not. Now compare the two strongest categories: • Entrances: DOOR, GATE, HATCH, PORTAL — all clearly fit. • Map terms: COMPASS, SCALE, KEY, INSET — also strong. Which is more precise? • “Portal” is a bit more fantastical, but still accepted as a type of door/entrance. • “Hatch” is a type of door (e.g., on a ship or floor). • All four are valid architectural or structural entryways. Map terms: • “Key” as in map legend — yes. • “Inset” — a small map within a map. • “Compass” — compass rose. • “Scale” — scale bar. This is a solid cartography category. So now I have two viable sets. Which is more likely in a Connections puzzle? In past NYT Connections puzzles, both types appear, but “entrances” is more common and straightforward. Also, “PORTAL” sometimes appears in tech/fantasy contexts, but in puzzles, it's often grouped with doors/gates. However, let’s check if any of these words might belong to another strong category that would take precedence. What about “WALL”, “DOOR”, “GATE”, “HATCH”? Those are all parts of a building or structure. But “WALL” is not an opening. So probably not grouped with the entrances. Also, note the word “MAIN” — could “MAIN”, “TOP”, “BEST”, “KEY” be “most important”? • “Key” as in crucial • “Main” • “Top” • “Best” That’s a possible abstract category: “superlative or primary importance.” But “Best” and “Top” are more about ranking, while “Main” and “Key” are about centrality/importance. It’s plausible, but less concrete than the other two. Given all that, I think the strongest and most concrete category is entrances: DOOR, GATE, HATCH, PORTAL. I’ll go with that.

Great! The first group (DOOR, GATE, HATCH, PORTAL) was correct — they are all types of entrances or openings. Now, the remaining available words are: TOP, COMPASS, WALL, SCALE, KEY, INSET, FLEET, DOWNING, BETTER, BEST, MAIN, BEAT I need to find another group of four that share a common category. Let me scan for possible themes among these: 1. Map-related terms: COMPASS, SCALE, KEY, INSET — As previously considered, these are all standard elements on maps: - COMPASS (compass rose) - SCALE (map scale) - KEY (legend) - INSET (inset map) This is a very cohesive and likely category. None of these have been used yet, so this is a strong candidate. 2. Superlatives / Ranking: BEST, BETTER, TOP, MAIN — “Best” and “Better” are comparative/superlative forms. — “Top” and “Main” can mean primary or highest quality. But “Better” is comparative, while others are superlative or positional. Might be a stretch, but possible. 3. “WALL”, “FLEET”, “BEAT”, “DOWNING” — “Fleet” and “Beat” can relate to police: “patrol beat”, “police fleet”. — “Wall” — maybe not. — “Downing” — as in Downing Street (UK government), but that feels too specific. — “Downing” could also be a surname or verb, but doesn’t clearly connect. 4. “KEY”, “SCALE”, “TOP”, “BEST” in music? — “Key” and “Scale” are music terms. — But “Top” and “Best” aren’t. So likely not. 5. “MAIN”, “TOP”, “BEST”, “FLEET” as in “premier” or “leading”? — “Fleet” can mean fast, but not necessarily “best”. — Weak connection. 6. “Beat”, “Fleet”, “Downing”, “Wall” as verbs? — All can be verbs: - Beat (to hit) - Fleet (archaic: to move swiftly, but rarely used as verb today) - Downing (to drink quickly) - Wall (to enclose, as in “walled in”) — But “Fleet” as a verb is uncommon, and this seems too loose. Back to the map group: COMPASS, SCALE, KEY, INSET. This is a standard, well-established category in cartography and commonly used in puzzles. All four words are present and unused. I think this is the next most solid group. Confidence is high.

Excellent! The second group (COMPASS, SCALE, KEY, INSET) was correct — all are map features. Remaining available words: TOP, WALL, FLEET, DOWNING, BETTER, BEST, MAIN, BEAT Now I need to find a third group of four related words from these eight. Let’s list them again: TOP, WALL, FLEET, DOWNING, BETTER, BEST, MAIN, BEAT I’ll look for connections. Option 1: Superlatives / Rankings • BEST, BETTER, TOP, MAIN - "Best" and "Better" are forms of "good" - "Top" and "Main" can mean primary or highest - This could be a category like “words meaning primary or superior” - However, "Better" is comparative, others are more superlative or positional. Still plausible. Option 2: Associated with streets or famous addresses? • WALL (Wall Street) • FLEET (Fleet Street) • DOWNING (Downing Street) • MAIN (Main Street) Ah! This is promising. • Wall Street → financial district • Fleet Street → historic British press • Downing Street → UK Prime Minister’s residence • Main Street → symbolic of small-town America or general urban street All four are famous street names! This is a classic Connections category — “Famous Streets” or “Notable Streets.” That fits perfectly: • WALL • FLEET • DOWNING • MAIN Each is a well-known street name used metonymically: • “Wall Street” = finance • “Fleet Street” = journalism (UK) • “Downing Street” = UK government • “Main Street” = everyday commerce or small-town life (vs. Wall Street) This is a strong, elegant category. What about the remaining words? TOP, BETTER, BEST, BEAT — these could form a superlative/quality group next, but for now, the street group is cohesive and likely correct. I’ll go with WALL, FLEET, DOWNING, MAIN.

Fantastic! The third group (WALL, FLEET, DOWNING, MAIN) was correct — all are famous streets used metonymically. Remaining available words: TOP, BETTER, BEST, BEAT Only four words left, so this must be the final group. I need to find the connection among: • TOP • BETTER • BEST • BEAT At first glance, these all can relate to superiority or winning: • "Beat" as in to defeat someone • "Better" and "Best" are comparative and superlative forms of "good" • "Top" as in the highest rank or position But is there a more precise category? Another angle: Colloquial phrases meaning “excellent” or “number one” • “Top” → top-notch • “Best” → best ever • “Better” → not quite as strong • “Beat” doesn’t quite fit as “excellent” Wait — consider song titles or common phrases with “-est” or ranking? Not strong. Alternative idea: These can all precede or follow the word “the” to mean something supreme? • “The best” • “The beat” — as in “the beat of the music”? Not matching. Hold on — think about “Beat” as in “to outperform”, and the others as states of superiority. Maybe the category is “Words that can mean ‘superior’ or ‘to surpass’”. But let’s test another possibility: Are these all words that can follow or precede “down”? • “Downbeat” • “Down better”? No. Wait — consider grammar: “Better” and “Best” are irregular forms of “good”, but “Top” and “Beat” aren’t. Another angle: Music? • “Beat” and “Top” appear in “Top 40” and “beat” as rhythm. • “Best” in “best hits”. • “Better” in song titles (“Better” by Khalid, etc.) — too vague. Back to the simplest explanation: These are all words that can describe being #1 or winning. • To beat someone = to win against them • Better = of higher quality • Best = highest quality • Top = highest rank In fact, in competitive contexts: • “He beat his opponent.” • “She’s the best.” • “This is better than that.” • “Top of the class.” This seems to be a category like “Words relating to superiority or victory.” But is there a tighter link? Wait! Consider common phrases that start with “best” or “top”: • Best in class • Top dog • Better than • Beat the competition Still a bit loose. Alternatively, think about these words completing the phrase “___ of the ___”? Not consistent. Wait another idea: All can precede or follow the word “street”? • “Top Street”? No. • “Beat Street” (1984 movie!) — but that’s obscure. Hold on — maybe I’m overcomplicating. In Connections puzzles, sometimes the last group is the “miscellaneous” but still thematically linked. Let’s consider synonyms for “defeat” or “excellence”: • Beat = defeat • Better = improve or surpass • Best = supreme • Top = peak But “better” as a verb means to improve, but also “to beat” (e.g., “He bettered his score” — archaic but valid). Ah! All can be used as verbs meaning “to surpass”: • Beat (to defeat) • Better (to improve upon, e.g., “He bettered his time”) • Best (as a verb: “to get the better of” — but “best” can be a verb: “He bested his opponent”) • Top (as a verb: “to surpass”, e.g., “She topped his score”) Yes! All four can be verbs meaning “to outdo” or “surpass”: • Beat: “She beat the record.” • Better: “He bettered his performance.” • Best: “She bested her rival.” • Top: “He topped the leaderboard.” This is a solid grammatical and semantic category: verbs meaning to surpass or defeat. This is likely the intended connection. So the final group is: TOP, BETTER, BEST, BEAT

I need to identify four words from the available list that belong to the same category. Let’s examine the words for potential themes: • PROTECTION, AEGIS, GUARD, SHIELD: These all relate to defense or protective measures. • BACKDOOR, TROJAN HORSE, VIRUS, WORM: These are all types of malware or cybersecurity threats. • BUFFALO, TRIDENT, ORBIT, ICE BREAKERS: These are brand names (Buffalo sauce, Trident gum, Orbit gum, Ice Breakers candy). • FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE, TRIDENT: These are symbols or emblems. • EXTRA, GUARD, ORBIT, BUFFALO: Could be misleading; "Extra" might refer to gum (Extra gum), fitting with Orbit and Ice Breakers, but less clear with Buffalo. Let me analyze the strongest potential categories: 1. Cybersecurity threats: BACKDOOR, TROJAN HORSE, VIRUS, WORM — this is a solid group. All are well-known types of malware or attack vectors. 2. Protection terms: PROTECTION, AEGIS, GUARD, SHIELD — also very strong. "Aegis" is a synonym for protection or sponsorship, often used metaphorically. 3. Brand names: BUFFALO, TRIDENT, ORBIT, ICE BREAKERS — all are actual brands (Buffalo Wild Wings or buffalo sauce? Might be ambiguous, but Trident, Orbit, and Ice Breakers are all owned by the same parent company and are gum/candy brands). However, "Buffalo" might be a stretch unless it's clearly referencing a brand in this context. 4. Symbols: TRIDENT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE — all are symbolic icons used in logos, mythology, or culture. Between these, the cybersecurity group and the protection group both seem highly cohesive. However, note that the prompt says once a word is correctly guessed, it can't be reused — but we haven’t made any guesses yet. I should prioritize the most unambiguous group. The malware group (BACKDOOR, TROJAN HORSE, VIRUS, WORM) is a standard Connections category. Similarly, the protection group is also standard. But let’s check: “TROJAN HORSE” is a two-word phrase, as is “ICE BREAKERS” and “LIGHTNING BOLT”. The game allows multi-word entries as single items. Now, comparing confidence: The malware category includes four clear, commonly grouped terms in puzzle contexts. Likewise, protection terms are also classic. However, note that "AEGIS" might be less commonly known to all players, whereas the malware terms are more uniformly recognized in tech contexts. But both are valid. Which is more likely? In NYT Connections, both themes appear, but let’s see if any word belongs to multiple categories. "GUARD" could also be a brand (e.g., tampon brand), but that’s unlikely here. "SHIELD" could be Marvel-related, but again, in this list, the straightforward meaning fits best. Given the clarity and standard nature of the cybersecurity category, I’ll go with that first. If it's wrong, I can pivot to protection. So, guess: BACKDOOR, TROJAN HORSE, VIRUS, WORM.

Great! The first group (malware types) was correct, so those four words are now removed from the available pool. Remaining words: PROTECTION, AEGIS, BUFFALO, EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, GUARD, ORBIT, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE, SHIELD Now, identify another group of four that belong together. Let’s look at the remaining words: • PROTECTION, AEGIS, GUARD, SHIELD: Still all present. These clearly form a "protection" or "defense" category. "Aegis" is a mythological shield and means protection, "Guard" and "Shield" are direct, and "Protection" is the umbrella term. This is a very strong candidate. Other possibilities: • BUFFALO, EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, ORBIT, TRIDENT: These are all brand names of chewing gum or breath mints. - Trident, Orbit, Ice Breakers, and Extra are all gum/mint brands owned by major companies (Trident and Orbit by Mondelez, Ice Breakers and Extra by Mars/Wrigley). - Buffalo is the odd one out here—it’s not a gum brand. So if we exclude Buffalo, the other four fit. So we have two strong potential groups: 1. Protection terms: PROTECTION, AEGIS, GUARD, SHIELD 2. Gum/mint brands: EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, ORBIT Buffalo, FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE are left if we pick one of these. But note: We must choose only one group at a time. Which is more cohesive? The protection group uses generic English words and one slightly more obscure (AEGIS), but it’s a classic Connections category. The gum brand group is also classic in NYT Connections (e.g., past puzzles have grouped mint/gum brands). However, “Buffalo” might distract—unless it’s meant to be part of a different group. What about symbols? FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE, TRIDENT — all are symbols or iconic shapes. But TRIDENT is also a gum brand, so it’s ambiguous. However, if TRIDENT is used in the gum group, it can’t be in the symbols group. So we must decide which grouping is more likely. Let’s test symbol logic: • FLEUR-DE-LIS: emblem • LIGHTNING BOLT: symbol (e.g., Zeus, Harry Potter, etc.) • HORSESHOE: symbol of luck • TRIDENT: symbol of Poseidon/Neptune That’s also a valid group! So now we have three plausible groups: A. Protection: PROTECTION, AEGIS, GUARD, SHIELD B. Gum brands: EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, ORBIT, TRIDENT C. Symbols: FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE, TRIDENT But TRIDENT appears in both B and C. Only one can be correct. Which is more likely in Connections? Both categories exist, but gum/mint brands are a frequent theme. Symbols also appear, but the presence of “Buffalo” and “Extra” leans toward consumer brands. Wait—“Buffalo” might actually be a red herring, or perhaps part of another group? Is there a “horseshoe” connection? Buffalo and horseshoe don’t connect obviously. Alternatively, consider that “HORSESHOE” and “BUFFALO” might relate to U.S. geography (Buffalo, NY; Horseshoe Falls), but that seems weak. Let’s examine word lengths or capitalization—but all are given as proper entries. Now, note: “EXTRA” is a gum brand (Extra chewing gum). “ICE BREAKERS” = candy/mints. “ORBIT” = gum. “TRIDENT” = gum. So that’s four confirmed gum/mint brands. Meanwhile, the protection group is also four clear words. I think both groups are valid, but I need to pick one. Since the malware group was tech-themed, perhaps the puzzle alternates themes. But that’s speculative. However, in standard Connections puzzles, both “types of protection” and “gum brands” are common. But let’s check for overlap or certainty. “AEGIS” is a less common word; if the puzzle includes it, they likely intend it to be part of a clear category. Similarly, “PROTECTION,” “GUARD,” and “SHIELD” are very direct. I think the protection group is slightly more straightforward and less ambiguous than the gum group (since someone might not know all gum brands). But NYT Connections often uses brand groups. Wait—another angle: The remaining non-brand, non-protection words are: BUFFALO, FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE. That’s four words. Could they be something? • All can be types of charms or symbols of luck: horseshoe (luck), lightning bolt (power, but not luck), fleur-de-lis (heraldic, not luck), buffalo (Native American symbol, but not standard luck). Weak. Alternatively, all appear on logos or emblems: • Buffalo: Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Wild Wings • Fleur-de-lis: New Orleans, Scouts • Lightning Bolt: Nike, DC Comics • Horseshoe: Various brands But again, not as tight. Given that, the cleanest remaining group is PROTECTION, AEGIS, GUARD, SHIELD. I’ll go with that next.

Excellent! The protection group was correct, so those four words are now removed. Remaining words: BUFFALO, EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, TRIDENT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, ORBIT, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE Now I need to find the next group of four. Let’s re-examine these 8 words: • EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, ORBIT, TRIDENT → all are well-known chewing gum or breath mint brands: - EXTRA: Wrigley’s Extra gum - ICE BREAKERS: breath mints and gum - ORBIT: gum brand - TRIDENT: gum brand This is a classic NYT Connections category and fits perfectly. The other four words: BUFFALO, FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE These are all symbols or emblems: - BUFFALO: used as a symbol (e.g., U.S. nickel, wildlife symbol) - FLEUR-DE-LIS: historic symbol (French royalty, New Orleans) - LIGHTNING BOLT: symbol of power (Zeus, Harry Potter, etc.) - HORSESHOE: symbol of luck But since I have a clear and standard brand group (gum/mints), I should prioritize that, as it’s less ambiguous than symbolic interpretations (e.g., is "Buffalo" really a symbol in the same way? It’s also a city, an animal, etc.). So I will guess the gum/mint brand group: EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, ORBIT, TRIDENT.

Perfect! The gum/mint brand group was correct, so those four words are now removed. Remaining words: BUFFALO, FLEUR-DE-LIS, LIGHTNING BOLT, HORSESHOE Only four words left, so this must be the final group. I need to identify what connects them. Let’s analyze: • BUFFALO: Can refer to the animal, but also appears as a symbol—e.g., on the U.S. nickel, in heraldry, or as a mascot. • FLEUR-DE-LIS: A stylized lily, used as a symbol in French heraldry, by the Scouts, and famously by New Orleans. • LIGHTNING BOLT: A common symbol representing electricity, speed, or power; used in logos (e.g., DC Comics’ Flash, Harry Potter’s scar). • HORSESHOE: Traditionally a symbol of good luck, often used in decorations and emblems. All four are symbols or iconic emblems—none are generic objects in this context but rather widely recognized symbolic representations. Alternatively, could they all be logos or insignias? Yes: • Buffalo: Buffalo Bills logo, U.S. currency • Fleur-de-lis: New Orleans Saints, French monarchy • Lightning Bolt: Many sports teams, superheroes • Horseshoe: Used in branding (e.g., Horseshoe Casinos), superstition This is a standard Connections category: “Symbols” or “Emblems.” With only four words left, and no other options, this must be the intended group. Thus, the final guess is these four.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that share a common category or theme. Let’s examine the words and look for potential connections. Available words: LABOR, FULFILL, PLAY, ENERGY, SHAM, PASS, KEEP, STATE, UPHOLD, BLANKET, JUSTICE, SHEET, DISCARD, THROW, HONOR, DRAW First, I’ll scan for possible thematic groupings. One possible angle: synonyms or related terms. Look at: FULFILL, UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP These can all relate to “keeping a promise” or “adhering to an agreement”: • Keep a promise • Fulfill a promise • Uphold a commitment • Honor a contract That seems strong. Let’s verify: • FULFILL: to carry out a duty or promise • UPHOLD: to support or maintain (e.g., uphold the law or a promise) • HONOR: to respect and fulfill (e.g., honor an agreement) • KEEP: as in “keep your word” Yes, these four fit a clear semantic category: words meaning to follow through on a commitment or promise. Now check if any of these words might belong to another strong category that could interfere—but given the list, this seems solid. Other potential groupings: • THROW, PASS, PLAY, DRAW — these could be card game terms? - In cards: you can PASS, DRAW, DISCARD, PLAY, THROW (maybe) - But THROW isn’t standard; usually you “discard” or “play” - Still, PASS, DRAW, DISCARD, PLAY could be a group. That’s another possibility. But I need to choose one. Let’s weigh both. Group 1: FULFILL, UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP — all strongly tied to promises/commitments. Very cohesive. Group 2: PLAY, PASS, DRAW, DISCARD — all actions in card games. Also cohesive. Which is more likely in a Connections puzzle? Both are valid, but promise-related verbs are a classic category. Also note: “KEEP” can also mean “to retain,” which might overlap with other categories, but in this context with the other three, the promise sense is clear. Another possible group: STATE, LABOR, ENERGY, JUSTICE — these are all U.S. Cabinet departments (Department of State, Labor, Energy, Justice). That’s a very strong possibility too! Wait—that might be even stronger. Check: • Department of LABOR • Department of ENERGY • Department of JUSTICE • Department of STATE Yes! These are four executive departments in the U.S. federal government. That’s a concrete, factual category—often used in Connections puzzles. Now compare: • Cabinet departments: LABOR, ENERGY, JUSTICE, STATE — very clean, unambiguous. • Promise verbs: FULFILL, UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP — also good, but slightly more interpretive. • Card actions: PLAY, PASS, DRAW, DISCARD — also good. But the Cabinet group is exact and well-known. So which to pick? Given that, I should prioritize the Cabinet departments. That’s a classic Connections category. So my guess will be: LABOR, ENERGY, JUSTICE, STATE. Double-check: all are in the available list — yes. Other words like “HONOR” or “KEEP” may appear in other categories, but this group is solid. I’ll go with the U.S. Cabinet departments.

Great! The first group (U.S. Cabinet departments: LABOR, ENERGY, JUSTICE, STATE) was correct and is now removed from the available words. Remaining words: FULFILL, PLAY, SHAM, PASS, KEEP, UPHOLD, BLANKET, SHEET, DISCARD, THROW, HONOR, DRAW Now I need to find another set of four related words. Let’s scan for themes among the remaining words. First, consider the earlier idea of "promise-related" words: FULFILL, UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP. All are still available. This seems like a strong candidate category: verbs meaning to adhere to a commitment or promise. • FULFILL a promise • UPHOLD an agreement • HONOR a contract • KEEP one’s word This is a coherent semantic group and commonly used in puzzles. Alternative idea: bedding-related words? • BLANKET, SHEET — those are bedding. But only two words; others like “throw” can also refer to a decorative blanket (“a throw blanket”), so maybe: BLANKET, SHEET, THROW, and…? Not enough clear fourth. “Cover” isn’t here. Less likely. Another possibility: card game actions — PLAY, PASS, DISCARD, DRAW. All four are present. • In card games, you can PLAY a card, PASS your turn, DISCARD a card, DRAW a card. • This is a very standard Connections category. So now I have two strong candidates: A) Promise verbs: FULFILL, UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP B) Card game actions: PLAY, PASS, DISCARD, DRAW Which is more likely? Both are valid, but I need to pick one. Let’s see if any words overlap or if one group is more precise. “KEEP” can also be a card term (e.g., “keep your cards”), but it’s not a standard action like the others. In contrast, in the promise group, all four map cleanly. Similarly, “PLAY” has many meanings, but in the card context, with PASS/DISCARD/DRAW, it’s very specific. Now, consider the word “SHAM” — it’s leftover and might belong to another group, maybe with “BLANKET” and “SHEET” (as in “sham” is a pillow sham, part of bedding). That could be a third group: BLANKET, SHEET, SHAM, THROW (since “throw” can be a small blanket). That actually might be viable! • SHAM: decorative pillow cover • SHEET: bed sheet • BLANKET: bedding • THROW: throw blanket So bedding items: SHAM, SHEET, BLANKET, THROW — that’s four! Now I have three possible groups: 1. Promise verbs: FULFILL, UPHOLD, HONOR, KEEP 2. Card verbs: PLAY, PASS, DISCARD, DRAW 3. Bedding: SHAM, SHEET, BLANKET, THROW All words are accounted for: 12 remaining words = 3 groups of 4. So which to guess next? I should assess which is most unmistakable. The bedding group is a bit tricky because “throw” as a blanket is somewhat informal, and “sham” is less commonly known (though standard in bedding terminology). Still, it’s a known Connections category. The card group is very standard and clear. The promise group is also solid. But let’s verify usage: • In NYT Connections, “card game actions” is a common category and usually includes exactly: PLAY, PASS, DRAW, DISCARD. Similarly, “words meaning to carry out a promise” is also common. However, I recall that in some puzzles, “KEEP, HONOR, FULFILL, UPHOLD” has appeared as a group. But to decide, let’s see if any word is ambiguous. “PLAY” could also be in “play/keep/pass/honor” as in social behaviors, but less likely. Given that both are strong, but the card group uses very procedural, specific verbs that only really align in that context, whereas the promise verbs are more abstract. Also, the bedding group might be the trickier one, so perhaps safer to get the clearer group first. I think I’ll go with the card game actions: PLAY, PASS, DISCARD, DRAW. All are present and unambiguous in that context.

Excellent! The second group (card game actions: PLAY, PASS, DISCARD, DRAW) was correct and is now removed. Remaining words: FULFILL, SHAM, KEEP, UPHOLD, BLANKET, SHEET, THROW, HONOR Now I need to find the next group of four. Looking at the remaining words, two potential categories stand out: 1. Promise/commitment verbs: FULFILL, KEEP, UPHOLD, HONOR - All can mean to adhere to an agreement or obligation. - This group is highly cohesive and hasn’t been used yet. 2. Bedding items: SHAM, BLANKET, SHEET, THROW - SHAM: pillow sham (bedding accessory) - SHEET: bed sheet - BLANKET: standard bedding - THROW: throw blanket (a type of decorative blanket) - This is also a known category in Connections puzzles. Both groups are perfectly sized (4 words each), and all 8 remaining words neatly split into these two sets. Since both are valid, I need to pick one to guess next. The promise verbs are very strong semantically and commonly appear in word games. However, the bedding group is also classic. But let’s check: is “throw” definitely a bedding term here? Yes—“a throw” is commonly used to refer to a small blanket, especially in home decor contexts. “Sham” is less common in everyday speech but is standard in bedding terminology (e.g., “Euro sham”). Given that both are plausible, I’ll go with the bedding group next, because it’s more concrete (nouns referring to physical objects), whereas the promise verbs are abstract and could theoretically have overlap (though unlikely here). So I’ll guess: SHAM, BLANKET, SHEET, THROW. All are present in the remaining words.

Perfect! The bedding group (SHAM, BLANKET, SHEET, THROW) was correct. Now only four words remain: FULFILL, KEEP, UPHOLD, HONOR These clearly form a semantic group: all are verbs meaning to adhere to or carry out a promise, agreement, or commitment. • FULFILL a duty • KEEP a promise • UPHOLD a principle • HONOR an agreement This is a well-established category in word games like Connections, and all four words fit seamlessly. There are no other words left, so this must be the final group. I’m confident this is correct.

I need to look for a group of four words from the available list that share a clear, specific category. Let’s examine the words for potential themes. First, scanning for holiday-related words: TINSEL, ANGEL, STRING LIGHTS, CANDY CANE all strongly relate to Christmas decorations or symbols. That seems like a solid possible category: "Christmas Decorations" or "Holiday Ornaments." Let me verify: • TINSEL: classic Christmas decoration. • ANGEL: often placed on top of Christmas trees. • STRING LIGHTS: used to decorate trees and homes during the holidays. • CANDY CANE: iconic Christmas candy and decoration. These four fit neatly into a holiday/Christmas theme. Now, check if any of these words might belong to another strong category that could interfere—but given the rest of the list includes things like VINAIGRETTE, CORNICHON, PAMPLEMOUSSE (all food-related, possibly "garnishes" or "French foods"), and PHOTOSHOP, TOUCH UP, AIRBRUSH, FIX (all related to image editing or retouching)—there are multiple possible categories, but the Christmas group feels very cohesive and distinct. I’ll go with the Christmas decorations group as my first guess since it’s highly specific and all four words are present in the list.

Great! The Christmas decorations group was correct. Now I need to find another group of four related words from the remaining available words. The remaining words are: VINAIGRETTE, PHOTOSHOP, TOUCH UP, AIRBRUSH, SPREADSHEET, FIX, SOLAR PANEL, CORNICHON, PAMPLEMOUSSE, ORGANISM, HONEYCOMB, PAIN Let’s examine possible categories. First, consider image-editing or photo-retouching terms: • PHOTOSHOP • TOUCH UP • AIRBRUSH • FIX These all relate to editing or altering images. “Fix” is a bit more general, but in the context of photo editing, “fix” is commonly used (e.g., “fix the lighting”). This seems like a strong candidate category: “Photo Editing Actions/Tools.” Another possible group: food-related items, particularly French or garnishes: • VINAIGRETTE (salad dressing) • CORNICHON (small pickle, French) • PAMPLEMOUSSE (French for grapefruit) This is only three, and “PAIN” is French for bread—but “PAIN” in English means suffering, so might be ambiguous. However, the puzzle usually uses primary meanings unless clearly themed. But with only three clear food/French words, this might not be the intended group. Another angle: “HONEYCOMB,” “ORGANISM,” “SOLAR PANEL,” “SPREADSHEET” — maybe “things with cells”? • HONEYCOMB has hexagonal cells. • ORGANISM made of biological cells. • SOLAR PANEL contains photovoltaic cells. • SPREADSHEET has cells (grid cells). That’s a clever possible category: “Things Composed of Cells.” This is a known type of lateral-thinking category in Connections puzzles. So now I have two strong possibilities: 1. Photo editing: PHOTOSHOP, TOUCH UP, AIRBRUSH, FIX 2. Things with cells: HONEYCOMB, ORGANISM, SOLAR PANEL, SPREADSHEET Which is more likely? In NYT Connections, “things with cells” is a classic category that has appeared before. Also, “FIX” is a bit of a stretch in the photo-editing group—it's generic. But PHOTOSHOP, TOUCH UP, and AIRBRUSH are solid. However, if “FIX” is accepted, that group works. Let’s test the strength: Photo-editing verbs/nouns: • AIRBRUSH: specifically used in photo retouching. • TOUCH UP: same. • PHOTOSHOP: verb meaning to edit digitally. • FIX: as in “fix the photo”—plausible. “Things with cells”: • SPREADSHEET cells: yes, standard term. • SOLAR PANEL cells: yes, solar cells. • HONEYCOMB cells: yes. • ORGANISM: made of cells—yes, biological cells. This also holds. But consider: “PAIN” is left out in both. Maybe “PAIN” goes with “FIX” in a different category like “Things you might need for a bad day” — unlikely. Another check: Is “FIX” more likely paired with “TOUCH UP,” “AIRBRUSH,” and “PHOTOSHOP”? I think so. In fact, previous Connections puzzles have used “retouching methods” as a category including exactly these terms. Also, “SPREADSHEET” might belong to a tech/work category, but there’s no other office-related word except maybe “FIX” (as in fix a formula)—but that’s weak. On balance, I think the photo-editing group is more straightforward and less abstract than the “cells” group. Plus, “ORGANISM” feels a bit off in the cells group because while it’s made of cells, it’s not typically described as “a cell” structure like the others. I’ll go with the photo-editing category. Final guess: PHOTOSHOP, TOUCH UP, AIRBRUSH, FIX

Excellent! The photo-editing group was correct. Now the remaining available words are: VINAIGRETTE, SPREADSHEET, SOLAR PANEL, CORNICHON, PAMPLEMOUSSE, ORGANISM, HONEYCOMB, PAIN I need to find another group of four connected words. Let’s look for patterns. First, consider food-related words, specifically French or garnishes/accompaniments to dishes: • VINAIGRETTE: a salad dressing • CORNICHON: small pickled gherkin, often served with charcuterie or pâté • PAMPLEMOUSSE: French for grapefruit, sometimes used in salads or as a fruit course • PAIN: French for bread All four are French words commonly used in English culinary contexts. This is a known category type in Connections: “French Culinary Terms.” Alternatively, consider “garnishes” or “condiments,” but PAIN (bread) doesn’t quite fit that. However, as French words used in English cooking, they all qualify. Another possibility: “HONEYCOMB,” “SOLAR PANEL,” “SPREADSHEET,” “ORGANISM” — back to the “things made of cells” idea. Let’s re-evaluate that. • HONEYCOMB: hexagonal cells • SOLAR PANEL: composed of solar cells • SPREADSHEET: grid of cells • ORGANISM: made of biological cells This category is conceptually cohesive and has appeared in past puzzles. It’s a bit more abstract, but valid. Now, which group is more likely? The French culinary terms: VINAIGRETTE, CORNICHON, PAMPLEMOUSSE, PAIN — all are French words adopted into English primarily in food contexts. That’s a solid thematic link. The “cells” group is also strong, but let’s check the words again: Remaining words: • VINAIGRETTE • CORNICHON • PAMPLEMOUSSE • PAIN • HONEYCOMB • ORGANISM • SOLAR PANEL • SPREADSHEET That’s 8 words, so two groups of 4 remain. If I take the French food group, that uses VINAIGRETTE, CORNICHON, PAMPLEMOUSSE, PAIN. That leaves HONEYCOMB, ORGANISM, SOLAR PANEL, SPREADSHEET — which perfectly fits the “cells” category. So both groups exist! But I need to pick one now. Which is more likely to be the intended category? In NYT Connections, both “French words used in English” and “things made of cells” are valid, but the French culinary set is very specific and all four are unambiguously food words of French origin. However, note: “PAIN” in English primarily means “suffering.” But in culinary contexts, “pain” (e.g., pain au chocolat) is well-known. The puzzle often uses words with dual meanings, but only when the theme clarifies the intended meaning. Since the other three are clearly culinary and French, “PAIN” would be interpreted as “bread” here. Alternatively, is there a chance “PAIN” belongs elsewhere? Unlikely—it doesn’t fit the cells group. Thus, I’ll go with the French culinary terms as the next guess.

Perfect! The French culinary terms group was correct. Now only four words remain: HONEYCOMB, ORGANISM, SOLAR PANEL, SPREADSHEET This is a classic “Things Made of Cells” category: • HONEYCOMB: composed of hexagonal wax cells. • ORGANISM: made of biological cells. • SOLAR PANEL: contains photovoltaic cells. • SPREADSHEET: organized into grid cells (e.g., in Excel). This connection is well-established in NYT Connections puzzles and fits all four remaining words perfectly. There are no other words left, so this must be the final group.

I need to find a group of four words from the available list that share a common category or theme. Let’s examine the words for possible connections. Available words: RANK, SCORE, STOCKINGS, BLUSH, FIDGET, CLIP, RATE, TOWEL, TRAIL, NOSE, TIGER, PACE, GRADE, MASCARA, DYE, SWEAT First, look for obvious categories: 1. Grading/Evaluation terms: RANK, SCORE, RATE, GRADE — these all relate to evaluation or assessment. That’s a strong possible set. 2. Cosmetics/Makeup: BLUSH, MASCARA, DYE, STOCKINGS? Stockings aren’t makeup, but BLUSH, MASCARA, and DYE could be beauty-related. However, STOCKINGS feel more like apparel. 3. Things associated with "red": BLUSH (reddening), DYE (can be red), STOCKINGS (sometimes red, e.g., “red stockings”), but this seems weak. 4. Body-related secretions or reactions: SWEAT, BLUSH, NOSE (runny nose?), but not strong. 5. Synonyms for "speed" or "movement": PACE, RATE, SPEED (not present), TRAIL — less cohesive. The strongest and clearest category is the evaluation group: RANK, SCORE, RATE, GRADE. All are verbs/nouns used to assess or assign value. These are common in standardized testing, reviews, etc. Check if all four are in the list: Yes — RANK, SCORE, RATE, GRADE are all present. No overlaps or ambiguities. This seems like a solid Yellow (common) or possibly Green (easy) category in NYT Connections. I’ll go with that set.

Great! The first group (RANK, SCORE, RATE, GRADE) was correct—these are all terms related to evaluation or assessment. Now, the remaining available words are: STOCKINGS, BLUSH, FIDGET, CLIP, TOWEL, TRAIL, NOSE, TIGER, PACE, MASCARA, DYE, SWEAT I need to find another group of four that share a common theme. Let me scan for new categories: 1. Cosmetics/Makeup: BLUSH, MASCARA, DYE — possibly. What’s the fourth? STOCKINGS aren’t makeup, but maybe "beauty products"? Still, DYE could be hair dye, BLUSH and MASCARA are makeup. Is there a fourth? SWEAT? No. TOWEL? No. Maybe not strong enough. 2. Things that can "run": STOCKINGS (laddered/runs), BLUSH (can “run” if wet?), MASCARA (runs when crying), DYE (runs when wet). That’s a known NYT Connections category: things that can "run". Let’s check: • STOCKINGS: yes, "runs" in hosiery. • MASCARA: commonly “runs” down cheeks. • BLUSH: less commonly said to “run”, but possible. • DYE: fabric dye or hair dye can “run” if not set. • INK isn’t here, but maybe this is still valid. Alternatively, maybe another angle. 3. Body-related words: NOSE, SWEAT, BLUSH, PACE? No. FIDGET? Not really. 4. Words that can precede or follow a common word: • “TIGER” + “TRAIL” + “CLIP” + “PACE” → all can precede or follow “PAPER”? Tiger Paper? No. • “TRAIL”, “CLIP”, “PACE”, “NOSE” → all can precede “HOT”: hot trail? Hot clip? No. • “CLIP”, “PACE”, “RATE”, “SCORE” — but RATE and SCORE are already used. 5. Types of “red” things: BLUSH (red cheeks), STOCKINGS (red stockings?), TIGER (Bengal tiger? Not red), DYE (red dye), MASCARA (usually black). Weak. 6. Words associated with nervousness or anxiety: • FIDGET, SWEAT, BLUSH, PACE — these all describe physical manifestations of nervousness! - FIDGET: restless movement - SWEAT: nervous sweating - BLUSH: from embarrassment - PACE: walking back and forth anxiously That’s a strong psychological/behavioral category. All four are things people do when nervous or stressed. Check if all are in remaining words: FIDGET, SWEAT, BLUSH, PACE — yes! This feels solid. Let’s go with that.

Excellent! The second group (FIDGET, SWEAT, BLUSH, PACE) was correct—these are all physical manifestations of nervousness or anxiety. Remaining available words: STOCKINGS, CLIP, TOWEL, TRAIL, NOSE, TIGER, MASCARA, DYE Now I need to find another group of four with a shared theme. Let’s analyze these remaining words: 1. Cosmetics/Beauty items: - MASCARA, DYE, STOCKINGS — possibly BLUSH, but BLUSH is already used. - However, STOCKINGS aren't typically grouped with makeup, though they are beauty-adjacent. - Maybe not strong enough. 2. Words that can precede or follow “PAPER”: - CLIP (paper clip) - TRAIL (paper trail) - TOWEL (paper towel) - NOSE (nose paper? Tissue, but not quite) - TIGER (Tiger Paper? No) - DYE (paper dye? Not common) → CLIP, TRAIL, TOWEL all go with “paper”. That’s three. Is there a fourth? Wait, “PAPER CLIP”, “PAPER TOWEL”, “PAPER TRAIL” — that’s three. What’s the fourth common “paper ___” phrase? “PAPER” + “TIGER”? No. “PAPER DYE”? No. But maybe that’s not the right path. 3. Words that can be types of “stripes” or “marks”: - TIGER (tiger stripes) - DYE (used to color) - MASCARA (makes eye stripes?) - STOCKINGS (striped stockings?) → Too vague. 4. Words that can precede or follow “COLD”: - COLD TOWEL, COLD NOSE, COLD TRAIL, COLD TIGER? No. 5. Words that can precede “EYE”: - EYE MASCARA? No, it’s “mascara” for eyes. - EYE TIGER? No. 6. “Things that can run” — revisiting this idea: - STOCKINGS (can run) - MASCARA (can run) - DYE (can run) - TOWEL? No. NOSE? A runny nose! “Runny nose” — so “NOSE” can “run”! - So: STOCKINGS, MASCARA, DYE, NOSE — all can “run”: - Run in stockings - Mascara runs - Dye runs (bleeds when wet) - Nose runs (when you have a cold) This is a known and classic NYT Connections category: things that can “run”. All four are in the remaining list: STOCKINGS, MASCARA, DYE, NOSE. That seems very plausible. Alternative: TIGER, TRAIL, CLIP, TOWEL — any connection? • “Tiger”, “Trail”, “Clip”, “Towel” — maybe action words? Not really. “CLIP” can mean to cut, “DYE” to color, “MASCARA” to apply makeup — verbs? But STOCKINGS and NOSE aren’t verbs. The “run” category feels strongest. I’ll go with: STOCKINGS, MASCARA, DYE, NOSE.

Fantastic! The third group (STOCKINGS, MASCARA, DYE, NOSE) was correct—these all "run" (as in develop a tear, smudge, bleed, or discharge). Now, only four words remain: CLIP, TOWEL, TRAIL, TIGER With only four words left, they must form the final group. I need to find the connection among them. Let’s examine possible links: 1. Common phrases ending or beginning with these words: - "Paper clip", "paper towel", "paper trail" — all start with "paper". - What about "paper tiger"? Yes! A "paper tiger" is an idiom meaning something that seems threatening but is actually harmless. So: • CLIP → paper clip • TOWEL → paper towel • TRAIL → paper trail • TIGER → paper tiger All four commonly follow the word “paper” to form well-known phrases. This is a classic NYT Connections category: things that follow (or precede) a common word—in this case, “paper”. All four remaining words fit perfectly. Therefore, the last group is CLIP, TOWEL, TRAIL, TIGER.