NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Friday, June 7 (game #362)
If you are a fan of crossword puzzles, you are likely familiar with The New York Times crossword, a daily tradition for many puzzle enthusiasts. The Times provides a steady dose of brain-teasing fun with their puzzles, but sometimes even the most dedicated solvers can find themselves stumped. Thankfully, the creators of the NYT crossword understand this, and they offer a unique feature called “Connections” to help out the puzzled puzzler.
Today, let’s take a closer look at the Connections feature provided for game number 362, released on June 7th. This interactive tool offers hints and answers to the trickiest clues in the puzzle, acting as a valuable resource for both novice and experienced solvers.
For those who are not yet familiar with Connections, it’s a feature that connects the challenging existing crossword clues to easier ones, providing helpful hints to push solvers in the right direction. However, it’s important to note that Connections should be used as a last resort, as the true satisfaction of solving a crossword puzzle lies in the sense of accomplishment gained from doing it independently. So, with that in mind, let’s explore today’s hints and answers.
1. “Revise or make additions to.” The five-letter answer here is “amend.” The hint provided by Connections cleverly references a common synonym for “revise” while staying concise to not give away the answer too easily. When dealing with questions like this, it’s important to consider words that not only mean the same but also fit the available spaces in the crossword.
2. “Nickname for Margaret.” This clue hints at a four-letter word, “Peggy.” Sometimes, nicknames can be a bit tricky because they are often unique to the individual and vary from person to person. However, in this case, the puzzle makers have decided to provide “Margaret” as a direct hint, making it easier for solvers to connect the dots.
3. “Partner for holler.” This eight-letter answer is “holler back.” The word “partner” denotes a companion word that often follows the given word in common phrases. By carefully considering this, solvers are more likely to arrive at the answer, as it requires understanding common idioms and expressions.
4. “Love Birds?”. This three-letter answer is “oxy.” This clue employs a clever wordplay. When “Love Birds” is dissected (“Love” and “Birds”), the answer can be derived by fusing the first two letters (O and X) of the word “oxy” and the last letter (Y) to create “oxy.”
5. “Feeling after a run.” The five-letter answer here is “endorphin.” This clue is a bit more challenging, as it requires solvers to contemplate the physiological effects of exercise. However, the hint provided by Connections serves as a gentle nudge toward the answer. By connecting the feeling earned through exercise with the chemical responsible, solvers can infer “endorphin.”
Each of these examples illustrates how the Connections feature can gently lead solvers towards the correct answers, offering just the right amount of help without spoon-feeding the solutions. It serves as a valuable tool for those stuck on a particularly tricky clue or for those who simply enjoy the extra bit of guidance from time to time.
However, it is important to note that the true joy of solving crossword puzzles lies in the anticipation, the struggle, and the satisfaction of cracking each clue individually. So, while Connections can be used as a helpful guide, remember to exercise restraint and use it sparingly to fully enjoy the puzzle-solving experience.
