Daily New York Times Crossword Clue Solutions for Thursday, 13th March, 2025
Revamped Guide:
Hey there, it's time to unravel the Connections for March 13, 2025! I'll dish out some tantalizing hints for the themes of each category, and, of course, the solutions. But be warned, if you're still working on the puzzle yourself, you might want to stop here to avoid those dreaded spoilers.
Bookmark this page to access our hints daily, or delve into our archives for clues you may have missed in previous puzzles.
Let's dive right in! Here are the hints for the themes in today's Connections:
- Yellow category - A journalist or a political strategist's insider intel.
- Green category - Grabbing someone's attention in public.
- Blue category - A card game based on poker.
- Purple category - Shakespearean language used in plays.
Spoiler Alert
As we approach the unveiling, be aware of the following nuances:
- ANON is not an anonym, it means "soon"
- FLAG is a verb, as in "to wave a flag"
- SPIN is a term relating to manipulating a narrative
- WILT does not refer to a wilted flower
What are the colors and words in today's Connections?
- Yellow: BIAS, SLANT, SPIN, ANGLE
- Green: FLAG, HAIL, WAVE, WHISTLE
- Blue: FLOP, HOLE, RIVER, TURN
- Purple: ART, THOU, WILT, ANON
De-coded and ready for glory! Read on for the full solutions.
Yellow Words Decoded
The yellow grouping offers up straightforward categories. Today's yellow theme is PARTIALITY, and the words are: ANGLE, BIAS, SLANT, SPIN.
Green Code Cracked
The green grouping is designed to be a tad challenging. The theme for today's green category is SIGNAL DOWN, AS A TAXI, and the words are: FLAG, HAIL, WAVE, WHISTLE.
Blue Words Uncovered
Unlocking the blue grouping is a bit tricky. The theme for today's blue category is CARDS IN TEXAS HOLD 'EM, and the words are: FLOP, HOLE, RIVER, TURN.
Purple Language Decoded
The purple grouping can be quite the conundrum. The theme for today's purple category is SHAKESPEAREAN WORDS, and the words are: ART, THOU, WILT, ANON.
How I Solved the Puzzle
I started by observing that ART, THOU, WILT, and ANON are all Sumerian words. However, upon reconsideration, it became apparent that ANON is used more commonly in contemporary English, with its meaning as "soon."
I noticed the four words related to hailing a taxi in green-FLAG, HAIL, WAVE, WHISTLE.
SPIN, BIAS, ANGLE, and SLANT were the trickiest, but I managed to narrow it down to SPIN as the odd one out since the remaining words are related to altering the direction or tilt of something.
Focusing on the blue category, I recognized that FLOP, HOLE, RIVER, and TURN seemed connected to a card game, and considering the "Connections" theme, I instantly recognized them as relating to the popular card game we all know as Texas Hold 'Em.
How to Play Connections
Go find the Connections game on the New York Times website or in their Games app. Your goal is to identify a grouping of four tiles with a commonality in their meanings or interpretations. This could include several variations of a specific type of thing (e.g. different weather conditions) or different aspects of a particular theme (e.g. items associated with a poker game).
If your guess is correct, the category and color are revealed. If you make four mistakes before solving all the connections, the game ends and the answers are presented to you.
How to Win Connections
The key to success lies in acknowledging that the groupings are designed to be tricky. Expect overlapping groups and multiple potential connections. One strategy is to consider words that do not obviously fit in with the others.
When I solved this Connections puzzle, I initially wondered whether WHISTLER might refer to the famous painting "Whistler's Mother." And when I came across CLOSE, I had to ponder whether there was a painter with that name.
If you find yourself stuck, don’t hesitate to seek out helpful hints, like the ones we provide here every day. Keep at it, and good luck! Catch you tomorrow!
- Today's Connections in the yellow category require understanding partiality, with hints including bias, slant, spin, and angle.
- In the green category, the hints point towards signaling a taxi, with words like flag, hail, wave, and whistle.
- The blue category features words related to the popular card game Texas Hold 'Em, with hints such as flop, hole, river, and turn.
- The theme for the purple category is Shakespearean words, with clues including art, thou, wilt, and anon.
- To play Connections, find the game on the New York Times website or app, and aim to identify a grouping of four tiles with a common theme or interpretation.
