Recent Connections puzzles have been stepping up their game, with today's using one topic that serves multiple purposes as both an answer and a category. While some words may seem easy to put together, I found that by pairing some up too quickly, I got rid of the one piece that could have helped. A slow, deliberate approach with the right hints will lead to fewer mistakes for today's puzzle.

The theme of today's puzzle is hidden in plain sight, referring to one word that gives you a hint regarding one category's identity. By connecting the dots similar to the NYT Vertex puzzle game, you can figure out the hidden meaning behind that word as both a clue and solution. As always, you have four chances to make a mistake, giving you time to experiment with different ideas before losing.

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• Today's Connections Category Hints

• Today's Connections Answers

• Other Games Like Connections

Today's Connections Category Hints

April 14 #673

I was able to solve today's puzzle thanks to one word - FORD. This word has a double meaning, giving you a hint to a category topic on top of being a piece to a completely separate part of the puzzle. If I had not spotted the similarities between that word and other categories, I would have been fumbling to find the right answer.

Once you recognize the main word you need, start looking at these other clues to help you see what each category looks like:

• One category is about things related to stopping someone.
• One category is about things associated with being charged to go somewhere.
• One category is about things tied to a retro game about early pioneers traveling West.
• One category is about things associated with the one word that has a double meaning.

If you want to go all out with some of your clue-searching, you should look at the category names to get some extra help. There are also spoilers for each category if you find yourself needing to solve a single category to finish up.

	RESTRICT
	TICKETED EVENTS
	ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAME THE OREGON TRAIL
	WHAT "FORD" MIGHT REFER TO

Today's Connections Answers

April 14 #673

Yellow Answers: Revealed & Explained

RESTRICT
BLOCK	CHECK	DAM	STOP

This part of the puzzle was tricky, but DAM was the place I started since it was a noun whose meaning was clearest. From there, I realized that a dam's purpose was to stop water, leading to the word STOP to recognize the theme. Once I had that connection set, BLOCK and CHECK were the only ones that made sense with the rest of the remaining words to come together.

Green Answers: Revealed & Explained

TICKETED EVENTS
CONCERT	GAME	MOVIE	PLAY

The solution to this part of the puzzle came to me quickly, as the MOVIE word pairs well with PLAY when you think about how theater "plays" are similar in scope to films. However, the words DIRECTOR and ACTOR in today's puzzle can easily trick you into using those as the next two words. I made a mistake using those when in reality GAME refers to a sports game, forming the theme and inferring CONCERT as the last word.

Blue Answers: Revealed & Explained

ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAME THE OREGON TRAIL
DYSENTERY	FORD	HUNT	OXEN

As someone familiar with the history of games, The Oregon Trail is an infamous title for how difficult it was to beat. Your character's family using OXEN to pull a wagon into the Wild West would constantly die from DYSENTERY before you could reach important areas, like a FORD. Only through the pain I experienced trying that game once did I learn what the answers might be.

Purple Answers: Revealed & Explained

WHAT "FORD" MIGHT REFER TO
ACTOR	CAR	DIRECTOR	PRESIDENT

The big trick of this puzzle is using FORD twice, seen best here as an entire subject of a category. I was able to associate FORD and CAR together, but I did not realize that FORD was not part of this topic as one of the words needed at first. Despite this, I eventually realized that the Ford company for CAR pairs with Harrison Ford, the ACTOR. Looking up the names of a famous Ford-associated DIRECTOR and PRESIDENT helped me complete the rest of the puzzle.

Other Games Like Connections

If you are looking for another puzzle to play, check out one of the ones in the box below.

Game Name	How To Play	Is It Free To Play?
Wordle (NYT)	Solve a random five-letter word by using color clues. Every Wordle answer can be found in our daily updated list.	Yes
Primel	Guess a five-digit number in six attempts.	Yes
Crosswordle	Find the two words that intersect each other like a crossword puzzle.	Yes
The Password Game	Create a password in this ever-changing, not-so-simple game. You can find some helpful tips in our Password Game guide.	Yes

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Connections

Systems

Released

June 12, 2023

ESRB

e

Developer(s)

The New York Times Company

Publisher(s)

The New York Times Company

Platform(s)

Web Browser, Mobile

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