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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11NYT Connections puzzle #221 is the game from January 18, 2024. Start with the spoiler-light hints below; the category names and all 16 answers are farther down.
Spoiler-light hints for Connections #221
Try to identify each connection before opening the full solution. The clues grow more direct as you read.
- Yellow: Flaunt it!
- Green: Lead the way.
- Blue: Samba time.
- Purple: Snail mail.
A broader nudge: although the grid may bring streaming services to mind, these clues point instead toward ways people communicated before digital communication became dominant. The color-by-color clue wording is also reported by Tom’s Guide and Parade.
Full answers for January 18, 2024
Spoilers ahead: The categories and words below reveal the complete solution.
#1 Best Overall
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | SHOW OFF | GRANDSTAND, PEACOCK, POSTURE, STRUT |
| Green | FOREMOST | MAIN, PARAMOUNT, PRIME, SUPREME |
| Blue | COLORS IN BRAZIL’S FLAG | BLUE, GREEN, WHITE, YELLOW |
| Purple | ___ LETTER | CHAIN, COVER, LOVE, SCARLET |
These four groupings are reported by both Tom’s Guide and Parade.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to approach the trickiest connections
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four. A word can appear to fit more than one possible category, so test competing interpretations before locking in a group; Forbes notes this ambiguity as a feature of the puzzle.
Rank #2
- Use the easiest-looking cluster as a starting point, but check that all four words share the same precise relationship.
- Keep plausible decoys in mind. A word that seems to fit a broad theme may belong to a narrower connection with three other words.
- The colors indicate difficulty, from yellow as the easiest to purple as the most challenging, according to Tom’s Guide. The game reveals the answers after four mistakes.
Tom’s Guide reported a difficulty rating of 3.5 out of 5 from Connections Companion for puzzle #221 in 2024. That is a rating for this particular puzzle, not a general measure of Connections difficulty.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #3
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