NYT Connections: It’s Monday, January 27th, 2025, and time for another installment of Connections, the New York Times puzzle game that’s capturing many hearts. Let’s get into today’s word puzzle and see what connections can be uncovered.
The Nyt Connections Word List
Today’s word list includes: Olive, typewriter, extra, sample, bark, bite, axe, scales, twins, oil, shell, virgin, taste, hedge, maze, skin, and mouthful. Quite the assortment! As always the challenge is to group these 16 words into four sets of four, with a common thread for each group.
At first glance, words like “twins” might evoke thoughts of a baseball team, but there are no other teams here. “Bark” and “bite” seem like they might be trying to lead astray. Let’s break it down.
First Connection: Small Quantities
Looking at “taste,” “sample,” “bite,” and “mouthful,” these all represent small quantities of food. Bingo! That’s our first category: small amounts of food to try.
Second Connection: Protective Coverings
Next are “bark,” “skin,” “scales,” and “shell.” These all could potentially be outer coverings. The bark is the outer layer of a tree, the skin of a person, the scales of a fish, and the shell of an oyster. That’s the second group sorted.
Deciphering the Olive Oil Riddle
Now we have “olive,” “virgin,” and “oil” that strongly suggest olive oil. However, it’s wise not to take the obvious bait too quickly. “Hedge” and “maze” seem related to things with turns or dead ends.
Thinking of “extra” and “virgin” as adjectives for oil results in another riddle inside of itself. Extra virgin olive oil is a thing after all—is the game makers really going to make a category out of a single phrase? Well, as it turns out, they are! Extra virgin olive oil it is.
Also read: Wordle Today Hints And Answers 27th Of January 2025: Spoilers For The Answers To Sunday’s Puzzle
The Final Nyt Puzzle: Symbols and The Shining
We are left with “typewriter,” “hedge,” “axe,” and “twins.” These could be symbols of something—specifically elements seen in The Shining. This connection may not be so apparent to all.
These words represent elements from scenes in the movie. It is a wild connection that may not have been guessed without prior knowledge of the film.
Reflections and Revelations
Today’s game was a ride with unforeseen twists. The extra virgin olive oil category was quite unexpected, as is the reference to The Shining in this one. It’s fun and frustrating at the same time how these puzzles tend to work the mind in unique ways.
Even though that last category wasn’t solved independently, it does highlight the journey and process involved in solving puzzles. Thoughts on today’s puzzle are welcome—did anyone else get tripped up by The Shining?
Join Again Tomorrow
Thanks for joining this puzzle-solving adventure! I hope you had as much fun as it offered some head-scratching moments. Be back tomorrow for another round of NYT Connections—until then, keep those brains sharp and curiosity alive!
