<p data-start=”89″ data-end=”421″><em><strong>NYT Connections Answers:</strong></em> Think you’ve cracked the code for <em data-start=”123″ data-end=”141″>Connections #717</em> on Thursday, May 29? If not, don’t worry — you’re not alone. The daily New York Times puzzle is designed to test your lateral thinking, often hiding the obvious in plain sight. Today’s game was a real brain-bender, packed with deceptive wordplay and more than a few red herrings.</p>
<p data-start=”423″ data-end=”538″>So, if you’ve been scratching your head over words like “Muscular,” “Sprinkle,” or “Polish,” we’ve got you covered.</p>
<h3 data-start=”545″ data-end=”573″><span style=”color: #ba372a;”>A Puzzle That Bites Back</span></h3>
<p data-start=”575″ data-end=”962″>The <em data-start=”579″ data-end=”592″>Connections</em> game, one of NYT’s most popular offerings after <em data-start=”641″ data-end=”649″>Wordle</em>, asks players to sort 16 seemingly unrelated words into four connected categories. The goal? Spot the hidden links — whether thematic, linguistic, or conceptual — and group the words correctly. But there’s a catch: make four mistakes and the game ends abruptly, revealing the answers whether you’re ready or not.</p>
<p data-start=”964″ data-end=”1137″>Today’s set included the following 16 words: <strong data-start=”1011″ data-end=”1137″>Frost, Right, Muscular, Honor, Hail, Fit, Polish, Powder, Proper, Enthusiast, Nude, Applaud, Sprinkle, Praise, Apt, Glaze.</strong></p>
<p data-start=”1139″ data-end=”1279″>As always, the four colour-coded difficulty levels added an extra twist: Yellow (easiest), Green (easy), Blue (medium), and Purple (hardest).</p>
<h3 data-start=”1286″ data-end=”1325″><strong><span style=”color: #ba372a;”>Hints That Helped (But Also Misled)</span></strong></h3>
<p data-start=”1327″ data-end=”1584″>To keep things spicy, NYT offered a few subtle clues for today’s edition.</p>
<ul>
<li data-start=”1327″ data-end=”1584″>Yellow: “Think of a standing ovation.”</li>
<li data-start=”1327″ data-end=”1584″>Green: “Similar to ‘qualified’.”</li>
<li data-start=”1327″ data-end=”1584″>Blue: “Needed to prepare a policeman’s favourite snack.”</li>
<li data-start=”1327″ data-end=”1584″>Purple: “One word, four different meanings.”</li>
</ul>
<p data-start=”1586″ data-end=”1788″>Additional nudges pointed out that ‘Buff’ and ‘Fit’ do <em data-start=”1643″ data-end=”1648″>not</em> belong together, despite what the gym-goers among us might think. Another clue? Each group had one word that started with the letter “P.”</p>
<h3 data-start=”1795″ data-end=”1833″><strong><span style=”color: #ba372a;”>And The Winning Categories Were…</span></strong></h3>
<p data-start=”1835″ data-end=”1927″>If you’re here just for the final verdict, here are the four groups that cracked the puzzle:</p>
<ul>
<li data-start=”1931″ data-end=”1984″><strong data-start=”1931″ data-end=”1951″>Yellow – Salute:</strong> <em data-start=”1952″ data-end=”1982″>Applaud, Hail, Honor, Praise</em></li>
<li data-start=”1987″ data-end=”2036″><strong data-start=”1987″ data-end=”2008″>Green – Suitable:</strong> <em data-start=”2009″ data-end=”2034″>Apt, Fit, Proper, Right</em></li>
<li data-start=”2039″ data-end=”2112″><strong data-start=”2039″ data-end=”2077″>Blue – Verbs For Finishing Donuts:</strong> <em data-start=”2078″ data-end=”2110″>Frost, Glaze, Powder, Sprinkle</em></li>
<li data-start=”2115″ data-end=”2188″><strong data-start=”2115″ data-end=”2151″>Purple – What “Buff” Might Mean:</strong> <em data-start=”2152″ data-end=”2188″>Enthusiast, Muscular, Nude, Polish</em></li>
</ul>
<p data-start=”2190″ data-end=”2394″>Yes, you read that right — “Buff” isn’t just about being jacked. In today’s puzzle, it flexed its full range of meanings: a fitness fanatic, a muscular physique, a nude colour, and even a polishing method.</p>
<p data-start=”2401″ data-end=”2647″ data-is-last-node=”” data-is-only-node=””>Whether you breezed through it or needed a lifeline (or three), today’s <em data-start=”2473″ data-end=”2486″>Connections</em> puzzle proves once again that words can be slippery creatures. Ready to take on tomorrow’s challenge? Better bring your thinking cap — and maybe a donut or two.</p>
