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Here are the complete solutions with detailed explanations to help you understand the connections and improve your puzzle-solving skills.
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A common mistake is thinking LAUNCH is only for rockets and not for other new beginnings. INTRODUCTION might be confused with simply meeting someone new instead of the first showing of something. PREMIERE might be associated only with Hollywood movies and not seen as a general word for a first performance. DEBUT could be missed if someone isn't familiar with its meaning as a first appearance.
Look for words that all mean 'the first time' something happens. If you can replace the word with 'first showing' or 'first appearance,' it likely belongs in this group. Think about events, products, or performances and how they begin. This group is about beginnings that are often planned and public.
PRESIDENT might be grouped with other government titles like BISHOP, missing the holiday connection. SAINT PATRICK and SAINT VALENTINE might be seen as just saints or religious figures, not specifically as the reason for a holiday. MOTHER could be mistaken for a family member word and grouped with other family terms. The connection to holidays is the specific key.
Think about the calendar and what special days are named after people. Each of these words can fit into the pattern '[Word]'s Day'. If you can imagine a holiday named after the person or group, it probably belongs here. This group is about people (real or legendary) who are important enough to have a day dedicated to them.
BISHOP might be mistaken for a religious title and grouped with CLERGY MEMBER or POPE. POPE might be seen only as a religious leader and not recognized as the name of a poet (Alexander Pope). LORDE might be confusing because she is primarily known as a musician, but her work is deeply poetic. BURNS could be misinterpreted as injuries from fire.
This group requires some general knowledge about literature and famous writers. Look for words that are surnames that you might see on the covers of poetry books. If you're unsure, think about whether the word is commonly known as a famous name in arts and literature. Not all poets are ancient; some are modern artists.
This is the trickiest group because the words seem completely unrelated. BIRD might be grouped with other animals. CLERGY MEMBER might be grouped with other religious titles like BISHOP or POPE. M.L.B. PLAYER and N.F.L. PLAYER might be grouped together as sports players, missing the specific team name connection. The common link is the word 'Cardinal' itself.
This is a wordplay group. The connection isn't between the words themselves, but in what they can be called. Think about the many meanings of a single word. If you see words that don't seem to fit together otherwise, ask yourself: 'What one word could describe all of these things?' In this case, that word is 'cardinal'.
Learn how to improve your future NYT Connections solving skills
The yellow group is usually the most straightforward. Solve it first to build confidence.
Some words might fit multiple categories. Look for the most specific connection to crack a group.
If you're confident about 3 words in a group, the 4th is likely correct too. Tested countless times.
