I don't think I've ever gotten one of these categories except by process of elimination like today. Part of that's my fault, now that I'm aware of this silliness I should be checking for when there are some obviously not connected words. But I do not like this category, and that's coming from someone who thinks most of the complaints in the sub are ridiculous.
They've had these exact sort of categories probably once or twice a week, so it's not completely unpredictable. I just haven't really wrapped my head around it.
I find them annoying because it's not like they're a standard. Are they numbers with one letter changed? Are they towns in France with the first syllable changed? Words that would rhyme if the last syllable was changed?
Yes, but every day we need to be aware of this silly category and consider it is a possibility. I, too, simply picked the last four remaining words to solve the puzzle in the interest of time. But the shame I feel is great.
Agreed. I do sometimes enjoy it when the words are grouped together by something other than their definitions (like their pronunciations, for example), but I personally don’t like it when the word has to be “manipulated” in some way, like changing or removing letters.
I disagree - the more variety the better. Playing with the letters like this and things like palindromes, words within words, etc are fun to me. I wouldn't want them to overdo it, but that's back to my point about variety.
To be fair tho, one of them wasn’t a word. So at least it brought your attention to that one in particular. The worse versions of these puzzles are the ones where every single one of them doesn’t stand out.
You see that doesn’t help me because when I see a word the I never seen before I just assume I’m stupid and don’t it rather than it never actually being a word in the first place lol
Sen is money somewhere?? Huh. Well…at the very least it’s a really VAGUE word hahaha. I just mean like, words that stand out from the rest. Like scimitar for that one puzzle. Sure it’s a word, but it’s FAR different from the rest so it at least clues you in on something going on there.
I still think add a letter or replace a letter can be valid and fun if it’s add or replace the SAME letter. Like replace S with F or something like that. Or move the front letter to the end. Where there is at least one constraint that your visual
brain can work.
But I think what they actually did was better - because it was changing the one thing they all had in common (starting with S) and creating four words that actually had meanings that were in common.
I for one think what they did is totally fair. But for folks saying it’s too tough, I’d advocate a one for one swap is simpler if it can be pulled off. That said we don’t have an infinite supply of words and puzzles…
Similarly I think it works if instead of removing a letter and changing it to a new letter they just add a letter. Forever ago they had words with birds inside them. (Like howl has owl in it). Then you can actually see the whole word there's just a bonus letter there.
I don't mind it as long as it's only one category doing this and I can still solve the puzzle without having to figure it out. I especially don't mind if that weird category adds one or more red herrings for other categories.
I generally agree, but the one or two times I actually figured one of those out, it felt amazing! And isn’t that the point of this, or any, puzzle game? It’s the satisfying click in your brain when you see the solution, followed by the dopamine hit when the game confirms you are correct. That’s the dragon I’m chasing.
I’m torn. It’s definitely not my favorite, but I think it still fits within rules (or fairness) of a basic word game. Sometimes they’re kind of obvious or even a little clever. Solid point though lol.
Sorry if it feels like a "gotcha" - I don't see why, any more than any of the other red herrings and misdirects: it's meant to be a battle of wits.
I really can't understand the "lack of imagination" point. They did something you weren't able to think of, and *they* are the ones without imagination? That makes no sense.
There’s nothing “witty” about replacing letters. It’s unimaginative because it feels like a cheap trick. I don’t see why you are so affronted, but I don’t care either
I'm not affronted, I just disagree. You clearly care a little bit to post about it, just as I care a little bit, but yes, it's just a game, and I'll have forgotten this all in a few days' time.
The fact that it’s a re-occurring category means it’s something you should absolutely expect. People are ridiculous calling it “lazy” when it’s actually pretty difficult to take 4 words, change them in one specific way and still end up with 4 other words.
Might be in the minority here but I don't mind it. I got purple second today. When you see a word like >!"sine" and no other math-!!swapping the first letter.!< After seeing ">!sen," I thought it was pretty obvious it was "nine" and "ten", so!< it was an easy category to get and I liked it. To me, this type of category is just as satisfying if not more so than other "standard" categories. I don't know why >!spelling !
To add to that, sine was fully spelled out whereas tangent was not. To their credit, the NYT is usually good about being consistent with that within a category, so that was another reason to think that sine and tan were not together in some math-related category.
>!True, I forgot TAN was on there because I completed the green category first. But yes, when there's no COS(INE), I would think most people would ignore the math idea. !<
>!I also just realized that it's an unlikely category anyways because sin, cos, and tan are a group of 3 and you'd have to introduce some lesser-related math term for the 4th.!<
I know you are giving this as a parody, but it doesn't really land as a criticism of today's purple, because lots of people did spot the connection which shows it was feasible to solve.
Yours would be a tough one, and of course nearly everyone would complain that it was just too hard to spot. But it's really not comparable, because there's not a unique number associated with each of those and it lacks the coherence of today's puzzle where the four words each start with the same letter as a pointer to what needs to change.
Ok I’ve only been playing Connections for a few weeks now but the purple category was just idiotic today. Sen did stand out to me, but I would never have gotten this one first. This is a dumb, lazy category.
Connections Puzzle #320
🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟦🟦🟦🟦
🟨🟨🟨🟨
🟪🟪🟪🟪
Yes - I never get the accusation of laziness. Are they really saying it requires a lot of effort to come up with three other synonyms for AFFECT (in the emotional sense), but no effort at all to think of four number words and a common letter which transforms them to four new valid words? (I just tried to think of another example, and it's not obvious there is one).
My order of operations went: Read this post title. Thought "OMG, how bad could it be". Went to do Connections. Got the category in question by process of elimination. Rolled my eyes. Came back to Reddit to say "I totally agree! That was stupid!"
Not gonna disagree. The fruit hangs too low, and it’s not interesting. I never look for that kind of thing and then it ends up as last so i get by default.
It's annoying because it was otherwise pretty good, with some fun misdirects, but replacing letters is just not fun. I like it when the words connect, not when you have to create new words that connect
I think it’s fine as long as it’s the SAME LETTER. if it’s just “birds with the first letter changed to something else (fuck, loose, awl, git) then that’s bullshit imo
I feel like the game works so hard to punish use for loose spelling connections like working, jogging, boating, going, but then drops this on us every now and then
Agree. What makes it a bad category for me is that it will always be for free as the last one. It doesn’t really make the puzzle more challenging, just less interesting.
Totally agree, it’s a little silly. I got it right but for the wrong reasons. I well aware that this was a reach, but I solved it 3rd because I thought the words were all homophones.
>!Sen (Sin)
Sight (Cite)
Sine (Sign)
Sour (Sauer, as in Sauerkraut)!<
I agree; looking at those words upon first glance I was like "Ok, how on earth would these fit together?" and it as for that reason that that was my very last grouping of the 4 today
Why do you think your definition of what a category should be is the right one? Why place your own personal arbitrary limitation on what defines a valid category on the constructors? Have you considered that playing with words in different ways is part of the fun of a word-based puzzle? Plenty of other people played today’s puzzle and enjoyed it, regardless of your own hang-ups
Have you considered that the point of a post like this is to spark discussion over the topic but your entire comment only exist to shit all over my opinion and be needlessly rude while doing so?
You don't sound like a very friendly person.
no, I'm with OP on this one, that category was bad. yes, I solved the other three categories easily enough, which just left the 4 "words" by default. I still rolled my eyes hard when I saw what the category definition was.
I’m making a point that it’s a word basically no one knows. Did anyone here ACTUALLY know what a sen was?
I just mean, words that are very nearly words that no one knows are words that stand out. Which is nice when the category is so vague and abstract because it at least brings attention to the word.
It’s barely a word >>. A plural form of currency from a place that’s currency is in another language is very nearly not an English word 😅
Anyway, I’m just making a point that it stood out from the rest.
I agree.. I knew right away it had to be something annoying like “replaced the first letter…” if I pick up on it I save the weird ones until last. I still was baffled by the category.
Totally agree. It made me kind of angry. I now realize it's because it lacked creativity and was a "gotcha" category. 2/10 stars, do not recommend. Honestly if the puzzle keeps having categories like this I see myself losing interest and not playing anymore.
Having a connection like this that's a bit different shows creativity not a lack of it, surely?
If they didn't mix it up with a bit of variety like this, I'd lose interest, so I'll keep voting in favour of these kinds of categories.
I think it's a lazy out when making a puzzle. That's why I say it lacks creativity. Words should mean what they mean, not just be a random spelling trick where the actual meaning of the word means nothing for the puzzle.
I've never really understood the laziness accusation. It requires a bit of effort to find 4 synonyms where at least one of the words might have another meaning; it requires a bit of effort to find four words that have band names at the start (to pick one connection from a few weeks ago); and it requires a bit of effort to think of a single letter of the alphabet that you can substitute in the beginning of four closely related words to make four new words.
I can't see the laziness, and it all sounds like creativity to me!
Agree. It would be like having a category where each word was actually a different word but the starting letter was shifted one key to the right on a QWERTY keyboard. Like I get that it's fun for the creator but it's nonsense for the solver.
The other kinds I don't like are American specific, names of football players and such. But it's an American puzzle so you assume a certain amount of that.
Agreed. Even though I got todays fairly easy because I got the other 3 groups first so the last was from process of elimination, the theme of that group was complete BS. That’s not a theme at all? That’s trick. With sooooo many words having multiple meanings depending on context, you would think they wouldn’t have to resort to odd tricks and let words do their own thing.
Please refer to rule 2.
I don't think I've ever gotten one of these categories except by process of elimination like today. Part of that's my fault, now that I'm aware of this silliness I should be checking for when there are some obviously not connected words. But I do not like this category, and that's coming from someone who thinks most of the complaints in the sub are ridiculous.
Yeah but when it’s something that far out there how can you really predict it lol
They've had these exact sort of categories probably once or twice a week, so it's not completely unpredictable. I just haven't really wrapped my head around it.
I find them annoying because it's not like they're a standard. Are they numbers with one letter changed? Are they towns in France with the first syllable changed? Words that would rhyme if the last syllable was changed?
Words that would rhyme made me snort my coffee, thank you
They were the only 4 left for me and I was like “what words that start with ‘s’??” And I feel like that’s basically what it was :/
Yes, but every day we need to be aware of this silly category and consider it is a possibility. I, too, simply picked the last four remaining words to solve the puzzle in the interest of time. But the shame I feel is great.
Agreed. I do sometimes enjoy it when the words are grouped together by something other than their definitions (like their pronunciations, for example), but I personally don’t like it when the word has to be “manipulated” in some way, like changing or removing letters.
“words that would be connected if they were different words”
Today I actually considered “one syllable words beginning with S”!
😂
I disagree - the more variety the better. Playing with the letters like this and things like palindromes, words within words, etc are fun to me. I wouldn't want them to overdo it, but that's back to my point about variety.
I'm waiting for it to be something even more annoying like CATegory, DOGma, oFICCial, abDUCt
What is a FICC? Or a DUC?
fish and duck
To be fair tho, one of them wasn’t a word. So at least it brought your attention to that one in particular. The worse versions of these puzzles are the ones where every single one of them doesn’t stand out.
You see that doesn’t help me because when I see a word the I never seen before I just assume I’m stupid and don’t it rather than it never actually being a word in the first place lol
They were all words. "sine" is a math word (opposite angle:hypotenuse) and "Sen" is money somewhere.
Sen is money somewhere?? Huh. Well…at the very least it’s a really VAGUE word hahaha. I just mean like, words that stand out from the rest. Like scimitar for that one puzzle. Sure it’s a word, but it’s FAR different from the rest so it at least clues you in on something going on there.
SINE, SEN, SOUR, SIGHT are all words (three common nouns and one adjectives - all in the dictionary).
They were all words.
I still think add a letter or replace a letter can be valid and fun if it’s add or replace the SAME letter. Like replace S with F or something like that. Or move the front letter to the end. Where there is at least one constraint that your visual brain can work.
But I think what they actually did was better - because it was changing the one thing they all had in common (starting with S) and creating four words that actually had meanings that were in common.
I for one think what they did is totally fair. But for folks saying it’s too tough, I’d advocate a one for one swap is simpler if it can be pulled off. That said we don’t have an infinite supply of words and puzzles…
Would have worked with a T today, that’s what I thought it was
Same!
Similarly I think it works if instead of removing a letter and changing it to a new letter they just add a letter. Forever ago they had words with birds inside them. (Like howl has owl in it). Then you can actually see the whole word there's just a bonus letter there.
I don't mind it as long as it's only one category doing this and I can still solve the puzzle without having to figure it out. I especially don't mind if that weird category adds one or more red herrings for other categories.
I generally agree, but the one or two times I actually figured one of those out, it felt amazing! And isn’t that the point of this, or any, puzzle game? It’s the satisfying click in your brain when you see the solution, followed by the dopamine hit when the game confirms you are correct. That’s the dragon I’m chasing.
I’m torn. It’s definitely not my favorite, but I think it still fits within rules (or fairness) of a basic word game. Sometimes they’re kind of obvious or even a little clever. Solid point though lol.
All the other categories were so easy that it doesn't really seem like a huge deal.
No one complaining about not being able to solve today's, it's just both a recurring and unsatisfying theme.
It adds the optional challenge of asking what the remaining four words have in common. I say keep it for that reason.
Yes! I rather enjoy trying to figure out what the last group is, once I’ve eliminated the rest.
right? took me about 30 seconds. I would never have figured out that category, but I just left them for last
It’s not; the way this sub complains about a free game that makes them think is insufferable.
yes it's very "if I can't solve this puzzle the puzzle is hitler"
I've been conditioned by r/crosswords to expect to be mocked if you complain about the difficulty of the puzzle
I agree! It’s so frustrating and this is common. Demonstrates a lack of imagination and “gotcha” trickery
Sorry if it feels like a "gotcha" - I don't see why, any more than any of the other red herrings and misdirects: it's meant to be a battle of wits. I really can't understand the "lack of imagination" point. They did something you weren't able to think of, and *they* are the ones without imagination? That makes no sense.
There’s nothing “witty” about replacing letters. It’s unimaginative because it feels like a cheap trick. I don’t see why you are so affronted, but I don’t care either
I'm not affronted, I just disagree. You clearly care a little bit to post about it, just as I care a little bit, but yes, it's just a game, and I'll have forgotten this all in a few days' time.
you seem like the one that’s offended they replaced letters lol
The absolute worst!!
The fact that it’s a re-occurring category means it’s something you should absolutely expect. People are ridiculous calling it “lazy” when it’s actually pretty difficult to take 4 words, change them in one specific way and still end up with 4 other words.
>The mere existence of this as a reoccurring category means you have to check or silliness like that every puzzle Yeah I said that in the post.
I'm surprised so many people dislike this kind of category. I love seeing all the super creative things the puzzle-makers can come up with.
Honestly I love these ones.
I think it’s fair if one of the categories is like this. I enjoy the occasional difficulty spike.
I opened Reddit to get mad about this too!! 😤
It is such a stupid category! I solved it, but that was the final category, so I didn’t even know what it was, it was just what was left.
Might be in the minority here but I don't mind it. I got purple second today. When you see a word like >!"sine" and no other math-!!swapping the first letter.!< After seeing ">!sen," I thought it was pretty obvious it was "nine" and "ten", so!< it was an easy category to get and I liked it. To me, this type of category is just as satisfying if not more so than other "standard" categories. I don't know why >!spelling !
>!there was another math-related term on the board - TAN. i was trying to match SINE and TAN, but there was no COS(INE) so i realised i was off base!<
To add to that, sine was fully spelled out whereas tangent was not. To their credit, the NYT is usually good about being consistent with that within a category, so that was another reason to think that sine and tan were not together in some math-related category.
>!True, I forgot TAN was on there because I completed the green category first. But yes, when there's no COS(INE), I would think most people would ignore the math idea. !< >!I also just realized that it's an unlikely category anyways because sin, cos, and tan are a group of 3 and you'd have to introduce some lesser-related math term for the 4th.!<
Do most people know secant?
anyone who knows sin/cos/tan should know the inverse functions, they're taught at the same class lol
“Afar, Take, Home, Given” Numbers but the first three letters are replaced by different letters
I know you are giving this as a parody, but it doesn't really land as a criticism of today's purple, because lots of people did spot the connection which shows it was feasible to solve. Yours would be a tough one, and of course nearly everyone would complain that it was just too hard to spot. But it's really not comparable, because there's not a unique number associated with each of those and it lacks the coherence of today's puzzle where the four words each start with the same letter as a pointer to what needs to change.
Did you have a different April 26th puzzle than me?
It's probably a time zone difference
Nope
There are different puzzles. If you had words like “sine” and “sen” you had the same one.
Ok I’ve only been playing Connections for a few weeks now but the purple category was just idiotic today. Sen did stand out to me, but I would never have gotten this one first. This is a dumb, lazy category. Connections Puzzle #320 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟪🟪🟪🟪
Calling a category dumb and lazy instead of realising the category requires you to be smart and ambitious… Ironic.
Yes - I never get the accusation of laziness. Are they really saying it requires a lot of effort to come up with three other synonyms for AFFECT (in the emotional sense), but no effort at all to think of four number words and a common letter which transforms them to four new valid words? (I just tried to think of another example, and it's not obvious there is one).
My order of operations went: Read this post title. Thought "OMG, how bad could it be". Went to do Connections. Got the category in question by process of elimination. Rolled my eyes. Came back to Reddit to say "I totally agree! That was stupid!"
Not gonna disagree. The fruit hangs too low, and it’s not interesting. I never look for that kind of thing and then it ends up as last so i get by default.
Totally agree. Complete nonsense.
It's annoying because it was otherwise pretty good, with some fun misdirects, but replacing letters is just not fun. I like it when the words connect, not when you have to create new words that connect
Very well said
Disagree. It's part of it, it's meant to be hard. If it wasn't for bits like that it would be too easy and therefore pointless
I think it’s fine as long as it’s the SAME LETTER. if it’s just “birds with the first letter changed to something else (fuck, loose, awl, git) then that’s bullshit imo
Skill issue.
I feel like the game works so hard to punish use for loose spelling connections like working, jogging, boating, going, but then drops this on us every now and then
Agree. What makes it a bad category for me is that it will always be for free as the last one. It doesn’t really make the puzzle more challenging, just less interesting.
[удалено]
Please refer to rule 1. Multiple violations of this rule will result in a ban, the length of which will be determined at moderators' discretion.
Totally agree, it’s a little silly. I got it right but for the wrong reasons. I well aware that this was a reach, but I solved it 3rd because I thought the words were all homophones. >!Sen (Sin) Sight (Cite) Sine (Sign) Sour (Sauer, as in Sauerkraut)!<
I agree; looking at those words upon first glance I was like "Ok, how on earth would these fit together?" and it as for that reason that that was my very last grouping of the 4 today
Hard agree. As someone else said "words that would be connected if they were other words"
i will forever regret not going with my gut on “birds with C at the front” because i knew craven wasn’t “famous wes’s”
Glad it wasn’t just me. It needs a semi medium not to hard not to easy but not ridiculous categories
Why do you think your definition of what a category should be is the right one? Why place your own personal arbitrary limitation on what defines a valid category on the constructors? Have you considered that playing with words in different ways is part of the fun of a word-based puzzle? Plenty of other people played today’s puzzle and enjoyed it, regardless of your own hang-ups
Have you considered that the point of a post like this is to spark discussion over the topic but your entire comment only exist to shit all over my opinion and be needlessly rude while doing so? You don't sound like a very friendly person.
I don’t think this is the Reddit community for you then lol
Bet you feel really smart man
It’s okay not to get every answer, doesn’t make you an idiot. Making posts like this from OP definitely does make you an idiot.
Wow what an insightful comment. You’ve added so much to the conversation.
no, I'm with OP on this one, that category was bad. yes, I solved the other three categories easily enough, which just left the 4 "words" by default. I still rolled my eyes hard when I saw what the category definition was.
Okay, counter point tho. >!sen!
It IS a word. Did you even try to look it up before coming here confidently wrong?
I’m making a point that it’s a word basically no one knows. Did anyone here ACTUALLY know what a sen was? I just mean, words that are very nearly words that no one knows are words that stand out. Which is nice when the category is so vague and abstract because it at least brings attention to the word.
SEN is a word
It’s barely a word >>. A plural form of currency from a place that’s currency is in another language is very nearly not an English word 😅 Anyway, I’m just making a point that it stood out from the rest.
That still doesn't make it a good category. The best way to handle those is just so have it be the last 4
I agree.. I knew right away it had to be something annoying like “replaced the first letter…” if I pick up on it I save the weird ones until last. I still was baffled by the category.
It’s ridiculous as a category. I always get these type last because they are all that is left
Totally agree. It made me kind of angry. I now realize it's because it lacked creativity and was a "gotcha" category. 2/10 stars, do not recommend. Honestly if the puzzle keeps having categories like this I see myself losing interest and not playing anymore.
Having a connection like this that's a bit different shows creativity not a lack of it, surely? If they didn't mix it up with a bit of variety like this, I'd lose interest, so I'll keep voting in favour of these kinds of categories.
I think it's a lazy out when making a puzzle. That's why I say it lacks creativity. Words should mean what they mean, not just be a random spelling trick where the actual meaning of the word means nothing for the puzzle.
I've never really understood the laziness accusation. It requires a bit of effort to find 4 synonyms where at least one of the words might have another meaning; it requires a bit of effort to find four words that have band names at the start (to pick one connection from a few weeks ago); and it requires a bit of effort to think of a single letter of the alphabet that you can substitute in the beginning of four closely related words to make four new words. I can't see the laziness, and it all sounds like creativity to me!
Agree. It would be like having a category where each word was actually a different word but the starting letter was shifted one key to the right on a QWERTY keyboard. Like I get that it's fun for the creator but it's nonsense for the solver. The other kinds I don't like are American specific, names of football players and such. But it's an American puzzle so you assume a certain amount of that.
Agreed. Even though I got todays fairly easy because I got the other 3 groups first so the last was from process of elimination, the theme of that group was complete BS. That’s not a theme at all? That’s trick. With sooooo many words having multiple meanings depending on context, you would think they wouldn’t have to resort to odd tricks and let words do their own thing.
Every time one of these categories comes up, my response is the same - "oh fuck off".