Note: Make sure to complete today’s NYT Connections before reading further! We’ll be getting into spoilers for today’s game pretty quickly. If you need some help to complete the grid, you can find my NYT Connections hints and answers column for today via my author page.
Hey there, Connectors! Welcome to my deeper dive into today’s Connections answers. The idea behind this is to help clear things up for anyone who isn’t sure how today’s groups fit together.
If I’ve missed any red herrings or misunderstood something, let me know via email or on Discord. I don’t typically look at X or check the comments here.
I’m going to assume that you’ve already beaten today’s game. We’re going straight into spoiler territory here. So, consider this your one and only warning.
Here are today’s NYT Connections answers explained (and any red herrings I spot) for Tuesday, August 18:
Today’s NYT Connections Answers Explained
Connections – Yellow Group
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🟨 seen at a movie premiere (LIMOUSINE, PAPARAZZI, RED CARPET, VELVET ROPE)
Premieres are often lavish events that are part of a film’s marketing campaign, especially if it’s a blockbuster or high-profile project. The movie’s stars, director and other key crew members are usually in attendance.
The actors might arrive in a LIMOUSINE before walking the RED CARPET to pose for PAPARAZZI who are separated from them by a VELVET ROPE:
Connections – Green Group
🟩 PJs (PETROLEUM JELLY, POETIC JUSTICE, PRACTICAL JOKE, PRIVATE JET)
The idea here is that each of the phrases start with the letters P and J. I’m annoyed I only saw it at the last second.
Connections – Blue Group
🟦 things that are orange (BASKETBALL, ORANGUTAN, SWEET POTATO, TRAFFIC CONE)
I don’t think there’s a lot of ambiguity about the color of a BASKETBALL, ORANGUTAN or (peeled) SWEET POTATO.
However, it’s news to me that there are lots of different colors of TRAFFIC CONE, even if orange is the most common one. Earlier this year, Guinness World Records said the person with the largest collection of these cones is David Morgan, who has more than 500 of the things in a variety of shapes, sizes and – yes – colors.
Connections – Purple Group
🟪 things that are gritty (COWBOY COFFEE, FILM NOIR, FLYERS MASCOT, SANDPAPER)
I had never heard of COWBOY COFFEE until now. It simply involves brewing coffee grounds in water without using something like a French press to strain the liquid. I can see how that can be gritty.
FILM NOIR is a movie genre that’s often described as “gritty.” As Merriam-Webster puts it, a FILM NOIR is “a type of crime film featuring cynical malevolent characters in a sleazy setting and an ominous atmosphere that is conveyed by shadowy photography and foreboding background music.” Such films often focus on private detectives and the police.
FLYERS MASCOT refers to the mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers, which is called Gritty. Arguably one of the most famous sports mascots – I’m familiar with him, which is telling – Gritty is a fuzzy orange… thing:
SANDPAPER is coarse and gritty, and is typically used to smooth rough surfaces.
Connections – Red Herrings
Gritty is orange, as are some types of SANDPAPER. So those could have fit in with the blues. That’s the only red herring-ish thing I saw this time.
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I’ll be back with another set of NYT Connections hints and answers tomorrow, as well as another edition of this one, all going well. You’ll be able to find both of those on my Forbes author page when the time comes (following me there helps me out too!). As for the weekend editions of my NYT Connections hints and answers column, I’m currently doing that via my newsletter, Pastimes.