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If you need help solving the Connections puzzle for Tuesday, August 29, keep reading—I’ll provide hints, strategies, and eventually reveal the answers to all four categories. Warning: Spoilers ahead for August 29, NYT Connections #79! Scroll down for tips and the final solution to today’s Connections challenge.
How to Play Connections
For a detailed guide on playing Connections, check out my full instructions, but here’s a quick overview of the rules:
To begin, locate the Connections game either on the New York Times website or within their Crossword app. The game board displays 16 tiles, each featuring a word or phrase. Your objective is to identify a set of four tiles that share a common theme. These could be items of the same category (e.g., RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW, which are all forms of precipitation) or involve wordplay (e.g., BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH, which all relate to types of lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).
Choose four items and press the Submit button. A correct guess will reveal the category and its corresponding color. (Yellow represents the easiest category, followed by green, blue, and purple.) If your guess is wrong, you’ll have another opportunity to try.
You succeed by correctly identifying all four groups. However, if you make four incorrect attempts before completing the puzzle, the game ends, and the answers are disclosed.
Strategies to Win Connections
The key to winning Connections is understanding that the groupings are intentionally challenging. Be prepared for overlapping categories. For instance, one puzzle appeared to include six breakfast items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. However, BACON was part of a group of painters alongside CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG belonged to a group of items that come in dozens (along with JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). Always double-check that your selected group of four is exclusive to that category before submitting.
When you’re stuck, try focusing on words that appear to have no obvious connection to the others. For example, if WHISTLER only brings to mind the famous painting “Whistler’s Mother,” you might be onto a clue. When I solved this puzzle, I had to search whether Close was a painter’s name, as Close didn’t align with any clear themes.
If you’re struggling, another effective approach is to seek hints. Below, I’ll provide subtle clues for today’s Connections answers. Further down, I’ll disclose the themes and solutions. Scroll carefully and take only the hints you need!
Does today’s Connections puzzle require specialized knowledge?
While knowing the names of rare wild animals or being familiar with certain Catholic holidays might give you a slight edge, you can still deduce the answers even without that specific knowledge.
Here are explanations for some of the more obscure words in today’s puzzle:
ONYX is a glossy black gemstone, often considered semi-precious.
ORYX refers to a type of antelope.
IBEX is a species of wild goat.
LYNX is a feline closely related to the bobcat.
EBONY is a deep-colored wood, traditionally used for piano black keys, and also the name of a magazine that highlights Black culture globally.
Clues for today’s Connections puzzle themes
Here are some spoiler-free clues to help you with today’s Connections groupings:
Yellow category - Imagine Oscar the Grouch shouting “Scram!”
Green category - Home to some rare and lesser-known animals.
Blue category - This theme has a dark undertone.
Purple category - Take it one day at a time.
Does today’s Connections puzzle include any wordplay?
Yes. The purple group revolves around a fill-in-the-blank concept. Meanwhile, the green category connects words through both their meanings and a unique spelling characteristic.
Are you ready to discover the answers? Continue scrolling if you’d like a bit more assistance.
WARNING: Spoilers and solutions for today’s Connections puzzle are ahead!
Curious about today’s Connections puzzle answers? I’ll reveal them all below.
What words belong to the yellow category in today’s Connections?
The yellow category is designed to be the easiest. Today’s yellow group theme is DEPART QUICKLY, and the words included are: BOOK, BOUNCE, RUN, and SPLIT.
Which words fall under the green category in today’s Connections?
The green group is intended to be the second-easiest. The theme for today’s green category is ANIMALS THAT END WITH X, featuring the words: FOX, IBEX, LYNX, and ORYX.
What are the blue category words in today’s Connections?
The blue group is ranked as the second-hardest. Today’s blue category theme is SHADES OF BLACK, with the words: EBONY, JET, ONYX, and RAVEN.
Which words are part of the purple category in today’s Connections?
The purple group is regarded as the most challenging. Today’s purple category theme is WORDS BEFORE DAYS OF THE WEEK, and the words are: ASH [Wednesday], BLACK [Friday], CYBER [Monday], and FAT [Tuesday].
How I cracked today’s Connections puzzle
Admittedly, I excel at word games. With a 99% Wordle win rate and confidence tackling Sunday crosswords, I thought Connections would be a breeze. However, I’ve discovered I’m not as skilled at Connections—yet. So, let’s learn together! I used the tactic of writing down potential answers, a method that also helped me master Wordle in its early days.
The first connection I noticed in today’s grid was the variety of black shades: ONYX, BLACK, RAVEN, EBONY. “Black” seemed redundant (a shade of black including BLACK?), so I noted these on paper and continued searching.
Beyond ONYX, I noticed several uncommon animal names ending with an X: ORYX (a type of antelope), IBEX (a wild goat), and LYNX (a feline similar to the bobcat). FOX, though more familiar, also fit this pattern.
ASH and EBONY are both types of trees or wood, but I couldn’t find additional words to complete that group.
JET, RUN, BOUNCE, and BOOK all seemed to describe ways to quickly exit an uncomfortable situation. However, FAT, CYBER, and SPLIT didn’t fit this theme.
Focusing on isolated words, I considered phrases involving CYBER. Recalling “cyber Monday” led me to “black Monday.” ASH then connected to Wednesday, and FAT to Tuesday, suggesting BLACK likely referred to BLACK Friday.
With BLACK removed from the black shades group, I realized JET could mean “jet black,” and SPLIT could replace JET in the list of quick exits. After organizing four groups of four on paper (yes, I overthink), I submitted them, starting with the X animals. Perfect score achieved.
Connections Puzzle #79 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦
