Today's NYT Connections: Hints and Solutions for 14th July, Sunday #399 Latest

Welcome to today’s NYT Connections breakdown. Let’s start with a quick tutorial for newcomers before diving into today’s puzzle.

How to Play NYT Connections

NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle that tests your ability to find connections between words. Here’s how to play:

The Basics:

You’re presented with a grid of 16 words.
Your goal is to organize these 16 words into 4 groups of 4.
Each group of 4 words shares a common theme or connection.

Gameplay Mechanics:

Select 4 words you think are related and submit your guess.
If correct, the group will be revealed and color-coded.
Colors are assigned based on difficulty: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (hardest).
You have 4 attempts to find all groups correctly.

Scoring System:

Solving the puzzle in fewer attempts earns you a better score.
The game tracks your winning streak and provides statistics on your performance.

Daily Reset:

A new puzzle is released every day at midnight local time.
All players worldwide tackle the same puzzle each day.

Strategies for Success:

Start with the obvious: Look for words that clearly fit together, like types of animals or colors.
Consider multiple meanings: Words might be connected by less obvious meanings or uses.
Think about categories: Groups could be types of something, like sports or professions.
Look for patterns: Words might be connected by spelling patterns or letter combinations.
Use the process of elimination: If you’re sure about one group, it can help you figure out the others.

Common Theme Types:

Synonyms or related concepts
Items in a category (e.g., types of furniture)
Words that can follow or precede a common word
Idioms or phrases
Pop culture references (movies, books, music)
Homophones or words with similar sounds

Tips for Tough Puzzles:

Take breaks if you’re stuck; a fresh perspective can help.
Try to think outside the box for less obvious connections.
Remember that the purple group is usually the trickiest.
Don’t be afraid to use your guesses strategically to eliminate possibilities.

Ready to play? You can find NYT Connections here: Play the game

Now, let’s tackle today’s puzzle!

Today’s Puzzle at a Glance

Today’s given 16 words are:

Fine
Butter
Mint
Dough
Point
Line
Fair
Trade
Brazil
Pine
Field
Prong
Business
Tip
Good
Tine

Quick Hints

Need a nudge? Here are some spoiler-free hints:

Yellow Group: Thin and pointy.
Green Group: Describes item quality.
Blue Group: Career related
Purple Group: Prefixes to a crunchy snack.

What Are Today’s Connections Groups?

Today’s NYT Connections groups are:

Yellow Group: SLENDER PROJECTIONS
Green Group: CONDITIONS FOR COLLECTIBLES
Blue Group: PROFESSION
Purple Group: WORDS BEFORE “NUT”

Remember, these are just the themes. The specific words and explanations are in the solution section below.

Solution for Today’s NYT Connections

SPOILER ALERT! Full solution below.

Group 1 (Yellow): POINT, PRONG, TINE, TIP.
Connection: They’re slender objects that extend outward from a larger body.

Group 2 (Green): FAIR, FINE, GOOD, MINT.
Connection: They’re often used by collectors and appraisers to assess the value and desirability of various collectibles.

Group 3 (Blue): BUSINESS, FIELD, LINE, TRADE.
Connection: Each word represents a specific professional role or career path that someone might pursue.

Group 4 (Purple): BRAZIL, BUTTER, DOUGH, PINE.
Connection: These words can all precede “nut” to form compound words or phrases.

Today’s Puzzle Insights

Trickiest Connection: Purple Group (Words before ‘nut’) This group likely posed the most challenge as it required players to think beyond the words themselves and consider their potential pairings. The connection isn’t immediately obvious, making it a clever twist.
Easiest Connection: Yellow Group (Slender projections) This group was probably the most straightforward, as the words likely had clear visual or conceptual similarities that players could quickly identify.
Interesting Word: Brazil, as you would not consider a country’s name as a prefix to the word Nut.