June 9, 2024: Sunday's New York Times Crossword Clues and Answers
If you're searching for the answers to the "Connections" puzzle for June 9, 2024, you're in the right place. I'll provide some helpful clues, tips, and strategies to help you solve all four categories. Plus, I'll explain the meanings of the trickier words along the way. Be warned: there are spoilers ahead for the June 9 edition of "NYT Connections" - #364! Read on if you're looking for hints and the eventual answer to this day's challenge.
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Here are some spoiler-free hints about the themes in today's "Connections":
- Yellow: If you're feeling down or upset, you might describe your mood with these words.
- Green: What you might do with birdseed, breadcrumbs, or ice cream toppings.
- Blue: These things all share a common structural element.
- Purple: A fill-in-the-blank, with a word referring to a common, starchy root vegetable.
SPOILERS AHEAD: Answers Revealed
We're about to share the answers to today's "Connections" puzzle. Scroll carefully if you don't want everything spoiled. (The full solution is below.)
A quick heads-up about the tricky parts
Despite there being many flavor words on the board (SALTY, SWEET, BITTER), there's no taste-related category today.
PEPPER is a verb.
If you recall a scene from Shrek where the character compares himself to an ONION, it'll make the blue category a bit easier.
If you're stuck on STREW, it's the verb form of "strewn," meaning "distributed or spread about in a haphazard way."
What are the categories in today's "Connections"?
- Yellow: FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY
- Green: THROW HERE AND THERE
- Blue: THINGS WITH LAYERS
- Purple: ___ POTATO
DOUBLE SPOILERS: The Solution is Below
Ready to learn the answers to today's "Connections" puzzle? I'm about to reveal them all.
What are the yellow words in today's "Connections"?
The yellow grouping is the easiest. The theme for this category, FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY, has the words: BITTER, SALTY, SORE, UPSET.
What are the green words in today's "Connections"?
The green grouping is a bit harder. The theme for this group, THROW HERE AND THERE, has the words: PEPPER, SCATTER, SPRINKLE, STREW.
What are the blue words in today's "Connections"?
The blue grouping is the second-hardest. The theme for this category, THINGS WITH LAYERS, has the words: CAKE, EARTH, ONION, PLYWOOD.
What are the purple words in today's "Connections"?
The purple grouping is the hardest. The theme for this category, ___ POTATO, has the words: BAKED, COUCH, HOT, SWEET.
How I solved today's "Connections"
I began by trying to link SALTY, SWEET, and BITTER, but they're not related to tastes. PEPPER and HOT came close, but the former needs to be PEPPERY to match the other adjectives, and HOT simply refers to temperature. STREW seemed odd at first, but it's the verb form of "strewn," meaning "scattered." Aha, it goes with SCATTER, SPRINKLE, and PEPPER as words related to spreading or throwing stuff.
SALTY and BITTER connect, but not because they're tastes; they're both words that describe negative emotions (like being sad or angry).
Seeing SWEET, BAKED, and COUCH next to each other gave me the idea that this is the "___ POTATO" category. HOT finishes it.
Lastly, EARTH, PLYWOOD, ONION, and CAKE share a common feature: they all have layers.
How to play "Connections"
I've written an extensive guide on how to play "Connections," but here's a quick refresher about the rules:
Locate the "Connections" game on the New York Times' website or through their "Games" app (previously known as the "Crossword" app). The board consists of 16 tiles, each containing a word or phrase. Your objective is to pinpoint and select a cluster of four tiles; these may share a common characteristic (e.g., all involve water with RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW) or involve wordplay (e.g., BUCKET, LIST, TEN, and WISH are types of lists such as bucket list, guest list).
Choose four words and hit the "Submit" button. If your answer is correct, the category and color will appear. (Yellow is the least difficult, followed by green, blue, and purple in order of increasing challenge.) If your answer was incorrect, you'll have another opportunity to try.
You automatically win once you've successfully matched all four groups. However, if you've committed four blunders prior to completion, the game concludes, and all the answers are disclosed.
Strategies for Winning "Connections"
The key to success in "Connections" is recognizing that the groupings can be deceptive. Don't be surprised if overlapping groups are present. For instance, one puzzle featured six breakfast options: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. However, on closer examination, BACON became part of a group of painters alongside CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG was associated with things coming by the dozen, including JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH. To prevent premature submission, confirm that your chosen group of four exclusively comprises those particular items.
When in doubt, consider words that seemingly possess no connection to the others. If all you can think of regarding WHISTLER is the painting "Whistler's Mother," it could indeed be a clue. In my experience, I had to inquire online about the existence of a painter named Close, since Close didn't match any discernable themes.
An alternative approach when perplexed is to consult some helpful hints. This is why we share these tips every day. Please check back tomorrow for a new puzzle!
