Art's Brain Blows Up On Wordle, Strands, And Connections

Art's Brain Blows Up On Wordle, Strands, And Connections // Solving the NYT trifecta of word games for Wednesday, June 19, 2024

[@RisetotheEquation]

One of the most agonizing Connections solves ever, for both you and me! Share your results below!

[@UTU49]

Oh, weird, Art. You made exactly the same mistake I made for the bottom of Strands. We both focused too hard on the letters in the puzzle, when all we had to do was look at the objects around us. All three items were within 2 feet of me as I worked on the puzzle. As soon as I tried to guess what words might be in there, I immediately got all three.

[@chinareds54]

@@UTU49 Me too at first. I actually didn't understand the meaning of the spangram until after I completely solved it. It's not a literal desktop, even though the spangram was kinda shaped like one.

[@chinareds54]

They had a version of the multitude category before. SEA was part of it, but I think the rest of the words were different. (After some research, it was Connections #266: MASS, SEA, SLEW, TON)

[@Maniz9]

Lost my streak in wordle… didn’t know the word and found myself in a trap :( so disappointed

[@hopechazz]

The typical outstanding players had no trouble with Connections today, Art, and did quite well. You were still OK, however, since you were able to light up all four categories.

[@rajfuture]

I found mouse first in strands and spent 5 minutes looking for animals that helped Cinderella clean.

[@LadyAndreaRose]

Love this!

[@Tsteinlauf]

@rajfuture This is my favorite comment of all that I read today. 🐁

[@idabsopeoplecantseemecry3835]

I remembered tea divination from a scene in Harry Potter lol - you drink the tea then read the shape of the tea leaves left over in the cup

[@chinareds54]

"You have.... THE GRIM!"

[@ellensassani]

I keep all my tea leaves IN THE BAG. 🙂

[@dora.7873]

"Reading tea leaves," "reading auras," and "reading palms" (of hands) are traditional, mystical ways of predicting the future, as are Tarot cards.

[@TomCee53]

Sometimes aye means aye. 😮 Reading tea leaves.

[@slbagwell]

I just have to... there are times Art says, "Connections was easy. Everyone should get it." and I can't get it and then I feel really stupid. So turn around time. Today connections was easy. Everyone should get it!

[@hopechazz]

I do not like alternate meanings of words like DROVE meaning grouping of things and slang words like SICK also meaning cool/awesome! 😂😂😂

[@hopechazz]

Despite your small struggles, Art, you were able to light up all four categories which is the intention of Connections. I am not surprised that the unusually outstanding players had no difficulty with this game today.

[@hopechazz]

I was able to get the purple category in Connections and was OK in Wordle/Strands.

[@ruthg3732]

Hi Art, I absolutely did not mean you could not express an opinion about the puzzle and I definitely don't want you to feel censored. The point I was trying to make was the universal vs. the personal. I don't have any issue with you saying "Today's Connections was easy *for me*" The issue is more when you say "I think everyone will have an easy time with today's puzzle." People have very different experiences and bases of knowledge so one person's impossible is another person's easy solve. Like today, I also saw Community first in Strands but, since I've watched that show probably 3x at least, immediately knew it was sitcoms. You had not heard of it so it took you a bit longer to get there. But I understood that lots of people wouldn't know that category. It's just a matter of appreciating that your experience is not going to be everyone's experience. And I'm still watching!

[@RisetotheEquation]

Thanks - I prerecorded a few videos so just ignore a few more "mildly salty" comments I made about this.

[@dora.7873]

YEA (as in "YEA or NAY") is pronounced "YAY" (not "YEE" or "YAH.") It means "yes" and is usually used in a formal setting, such as a Senate vote. The informal word "YEAH" (also meaning "yes") is usually spelled with an "H" at the end.

[@UTU49]

That's very quirky. YEA is fairly formal YES. YEAH is a fairly casual YES.

[@BigAsciiHappyStar]

Let’s just say that “rhymes with vegetables” was not my finest guess

[@Chris-vw2tl]

That will be a category in tomorrow’s puzzle

[@oscebe2691]

That was mine too! I've heard of divining water with a pair of rods, but tea?

[@christiana6018]

@@Chris-vw2tlI’ll be back tomorrow to confirm this

[@Tsteinlauf]

Interesting. It seems like several people doing Strands were thinking "desktop" as the top of your desk. I remember "desktop" as being the big hulking form of computers before the laptop came along. All these words referred to parts of the desktop, of which I have had 3 in my life.

[@joeybearden3120]

Connections GGGB - Discuss a potential relationship GGGG - Discuss a potential relationship BPYY - Forms a word when you add M BBPP - Groups of animals BBBB - A lot of something YYYY - Words to show support PPPP - ???? I felt lucky to have gotten this Also had to use a hint (technically two hints) on Strands just to get speakers, even though it was the last one left

[@auldfouter8661]

I think it should have said tea leaves , no one reads tea stains ! Seeing someone sounds 50s or 60s language to me.

[@PaulRoehl-fi1iw]

Took me quite awhile to get everything but the Blue, so I lost again.

[@LadyAndreaRose]

I was pretty happy with this; Scoredle 4/6* 14,855 🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩 TAUPE (57) 🟩🟨⬜⬜🟩 TRIBE (10) 🟩⬜🟩⬜🟩 TORTE (6) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 TERSE Strands took me a long time. I saw Mouse and then if clicked. I was looking for house holdy things. Speakers nearly stumped me. Connections. At first glance it was so hard, I decided to go to bed instead and face it fresh. I was still stumped but pulled it out. Connections Puzzle #374 🟩🟨🟩🟩 words you can add a D to. 🟩🟩🟩🟩 in a relationship 🟦🟨🟪🟨 acronyms 🟪🟪🟪🟪 things you read in fortune telling. 🟦🟦🟦🟦 a grouping 🟨🟨🟨🟨 positive votes Being a Harry Potter fan, I should have said divination. As an aside, one of my favorite HP quotes comes from that class. "From now on, if my tea leaves spell out, Die, Ron, Die, I'm going to chuck them in the bin where they belong. " Ronald Weasley.

[@Tsteinlauf]

That is a great HP quote!! 🧙

[@piggybakkers]

Well done Art. AUGER, TRIBE, TERSE for me.

[@geowiz9436]

Wordle in 4 TAUPE TROVE THREE TERSE (Almost got it in 3 but I chose THREE over TERSE. Oh well...) Connections: No mistakes, but I couldn't figure out that darn Blue category. Never heard that definition of DROVE before. Strands: I totally blanked on this. Got the Spangram before the other words, but had to hint first. Does that technically count as "Spangram first"? Honestly, not sure. Either a 6 or a 5 for me. Not that great.

[@frajoladellagato]

MANIC-DOUBT-ZESTY-TERSE

[@BigAsciiHappyStar]

There seems to be some controversy with today's connections. Doug and Oranje both report solving a different puzzle.

[@retiredump7038]

Some creators get advanced puzzles to make their vids. And sometimes the puzzles change at the last minute. This will make for a disconnect between what is recored and what we see on the day of the puzzle.

[@TalbotCoxOfficial]

​@@retiredump7038 creators get advanced puzzles? I always thought they just changed the time zone on their device to get tomorrow's puzzle

[@UTU49]

9/10. Connections Puzzle #374 🟩🟩🟩🟩to engage with romantically 🟨🟨🟨🟨 ways of expressing approval (in a voting situation, for example) 🟪🟪🟪🟪things that a psychic could read 🟦🟦🟦🟦WTCM “a large amount” RIOT: 4401. 9/10 Time: 4:48 DIFFICULTY as reported by testers: 2.8/5 All those short words rattled me for a little while, but then I settled down and just incrementally took care of one category at a time.

[@UTU49]

Strands #108: “Home work helpers” 🟡🔵🔵🔵 🔵🔵🔵 7:17 I got stuck on the bottom half of the puzzle. I got too focused on the letters in the puzzle. All I had to do to finish the puzzle in half the time was look at the objects that were within 2 feet of me. All 3 of them were literally within 2 feet. As soon as I thought of words that I should look for, I immediately saw all 3 in the puzzle.

[@hopechazz]

I see you doing well competing with the 3 Musketeers being Lisa, Ellen, and Dora in future tournaments. 😊

[@georgesthibaudeau1533]

TAUPE THERE (strong chance of a TH or TR word) TERSE

[@allistergorman724]

Same sequence as mine.

[@steve_aventura]

Tea leaves

[@Joe-lb8qn]

TAUPE THEME TENSE TERSE

[@dora.7873]

Today was a good puzzle day for me. (Sorry, Art!) Got Wordle in 2 and 10's in the other games.😃 STARE TERSE (a 4+1 unscramble) Strands #108 “Home work helpers” 🟡🔵🔵🔵 🔵🔵🔵 For some reason, spotting the spangram was easier than finding the other words. That took a while. Connections Puzzle #374 🟪🟪🟪🟪 Things you "read" to predict the future 🟦🟦🟦🟦 A whole lot of something, an overabundance 🟩🟩🟩🟩 Pursue a romantic relationship 🟨🟨🟨🟨 Ways to say you're in favor something

[@ellensassani]

Well done!

[@dora.7873]

@@ellensassani Thanks!

[@hopechazz]

Never down play your talents. Your old brain was a WHIZ today and again, I think you will do well in future tournaments, Dora! I see you, Ellen, and Lisa as being the 3 Musketeers.

[@dora.7873]

@@hopechazz My old brain says thanks!

[@hopechazz]

☺️

[@chinareds54]

WORDLE: TAUPE LYNCH ROIDS TERSE Thought about abandoning the three word start after the first turn, but there were still way too many options available (THINE, THESE, THYME, TWICE, TROVE, etc). STRANDS 108, 10 Super hard mode turkey! I saw DESK first and then realized it was part of the spangram and locked it in before finding any of the other theme words, so it was tricky for a while, especially those two Ks at the bottom seeming to make words like BAKE and CAKE. Eventually I found the theme words on the top which helped me get an idea what to look for for the words on the bottom. But it really wasn't until I found all the words that I realized what the spangram actually meant. Total solve time 2:35 (not including understanding the spangram). CONNECTIONS 374, 9 Perfect base, time bonus Things Read by Fortunetellers Yes Vote Large Unspecified Number Go Out With Color order was a disaster. I pegged the Fortuneteller category as the yellow. Then since I accidentally started with the hardest, I tried the Yes Votes as the blue since it was the last one I figured out (and weakest described). After that I didn't care about the order, but I probably would have said the Large Unspecified Number was easier than Go Out With.

[@mtarvon3577]

Scoredle 3/6 14,855 🟨⬜⬜🟨🟩 ROUTE (37) 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ SLAIN (1) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 TERSE

[@christiana6018]

Taupe toile terse 🟡🔵🔵🔵 🔵🔵🔵🔵 🟨🟨🟨🟩 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟪🟪🟪 🟩🟪🟪🟪 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟩🟩🟩🟦 Great strands and Wordle horrible connections made a stupid mistake going for yellow wasted 2 guesses going for purple and then just couldn’t think of green or blue hope I do better tomorrow

[@Tsteinlauf]

Strands #108 “Home work helpers” 🟡🔵🔵🔵 🔵🔵🔵 8. Found all but 2 theme words before the Spangram, but I held out for it. 😊 Not terribly long, but >5 minutes. Wordle 1,096 4/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟨⬜⬜🟨🟨 🟩🟨🟨🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 ADIEU - SNORT - TRESS - TERSE Connections Puzzle #374 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦 ROMANCING = 1 SUPPORTIVE = 1 WAYS TO TELL A FORTUNE = 1 HAVING TO DO WITH AN OCEAN CRUISE = 0 STYLE: 0 TOTAL: 7

[@randolpho-]

Wordle 1,096 5/6 🟨⬛⬛⬛🟩SAUCE ⬛⬛⬛🟩🟩POISE 🟩⬛🟨🟩🟩THESE 🟩🟩⬛🟩🟩TENSE (I was going to go with TERSE first. I didn't make a mistake this time, but didn't go with instinct.) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩TERSE Strands #108 “Home work helpers” 🟡🔵🔵🔵 🔵🔵🔵 Connections Puzzle #374 🟪🟪🟪🟪Psychic Tools 🟨🟩🟩🟨[I didn't form a good category, I was thinking things you shout or say twice] 🟩🟩🟩🟩To go out / go steady 🟦🟦🟦🟦Group of people 🟨🟨🟨🟨??? [Blanked on this]

[@subodhcsingh]

Wordle 1,096 4/6 ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟩GRAPE ⬜⬜🟨🟨🟩LITRE 🟨⬜⬜🟨🟩ROUTE 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩TERSE

[@TwoBuckToll]

Wordle 1,096 4/6 🟩⬛⬛⬛🟩 TAUPE 🟩⬛⬛⬛🟩 TINGE 🟩🟨⬛⬛🟩 TROVE 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 TERSE Close to Art. Strands #108 “Home work helpers” 🔵🔵🟡🔵 🔵🔵🔵 Had to stare for a while after getting MOUSE. Connections Puzzle #374 🟩🟩🟩🟩 couple up 🟪🟪🟪🟪 used by fortune tellers 🟨🟨🟨🟨 to signify support 🟦🟦🟦🟦 rappers Had to bail on blue. If I had realized DROVE could be a noun I would have gotten it but I did not so realize.

[@michellelam6561]

TAUPE THERE TERSE Strands #108 “Home work helpers” 🔵🟡🔵🔵 🔵🔵🔵 Connections Puzzle #374 🟨🟨🟨🟨 Affirmative 🟩🟩🟩🟩 Go out with 🟪🟪🟪🟪 Used to tell the future 🟦🟦🟦🟦 Groups of something

[@tclark8205]

TAUPE, TWICE, TENSE, TERSE Wordle 1,096 4/6* 🟩⬛⬛⬛🟩 🟩⬛⬛⬛🟩 🟩🟩⬛🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

[@lisag8476]

Wordle 1,096 4/6 🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩 taupe 🟩🟨⬜⬜🟩 tribe 🟩⬜🟨🟨🟩 there 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 terse Strands #108 “Home work helpers” 🔵🔵🟡🔵 🔵🔵🔵 Hoo boy I was all kinds of messed up on this puzzle. I saw mouse first and I thought it was referring to those little mouse helpers in Cinderella because they literally helped her with work at home. So I was looking for other household chore helpers, or disney sidekicks, like elves or fairies. Could not find a thing, obv, but eventually I thought of alternate meanings of mouse Connections Puzzle #374 🟨🟨🟨🟨 vote in favor 🟩🟩🟩🟩 go out with 🟦🟦🟦🟦 throngs 🟪🟪🟪🟪 things that tell your future

[@ellensassani]

💛💚💙💜

[@dora.7873]

Well done! Your interpretation of the Strands theme was much more entertaining than the actual theme. 😀

[@hopechazz]

The CONNECTIONS BEAST is still out of its cage! 😂

[@UTU49]

Lisa, I really like your CAT titles. They're worded very differently from mine. I think you were a bit more concise than I was.