Today's connections No. 518 Hints and Answer for November 10, 2024

Hint 1: NFL Team Names

Let’s start with a hint that might feel familiar if you’re a football fan. Some words in this list remind me of team names from the NFL—specifically, the singular forms of certain team names. If you follow American football, you might be able to spot them right away!

Hint 2: Synonyms for Guiding or Directing

Next, let’s look at some words that have a common theme related to guiding, driving, or directing. Some of these words are commonly used to describe people or roles associated with leading or showing the way. Think about words that imply helping someone or something move in a certain direction.

Together, these words create a cohesive group focused on the concept of directing or leading. If you’re thinking along the same lines, you’ve got your second group sorted!

Hint 3: Barrel-Shaped Containers or Types of Containers

Now for our third group! This one is centered around types of containers—specifically those that tend to have a rounded or barrel-like shape, often used to store liquids or other items. You’ll notice a few of these words fit that category perfectly. Look for words that describe various containers, especially ones that might hold liquids.

Hint 4: Things That Swing Back and Forth

Our final group focuses on items that swing or move back and forth. It’s a tricky one because the word “swing” itself could refer to multiple things, and here we’re dealing with items that physically have a back-and-forth motion. Look for items in the list that involve swinging, whether in sports or through physical motion.

Connections Puzzle Answer for Today

So, here are answers for today’s Connections puzzle, broken down by each group:

Category One: NFL Teams

Looking at some of these terms, I think we’ve seen this kind of category before: NFL team names! Here’s what stands out:

• Raven (Baltimore Ravens)
• Cowboy (Dallas Cowboys)
• Ram (Los Angeles Rams)
• Jet (New York Jets)

It seems clear that these words match NFL teams in their singular forms. I’ll lock this one in as the blue category. A little heads-up for my non-U.S. friends—this one’s trickier if you don’t follow American football!

Category Two: Synonyms for Guiding

Moving on, I notice a pattern with these words: Shepherd, Pilot, Steer, Usher. Each of these words has a meaning associated with leading, guiding, or directing. Let’s look closer:

• Shepherd guides flocks.
• Pilot directs planes or ships.
• Steer can mean to control or guide.
• Usher leads people to their seats.

I think we’re onto something here with synonyms for guiding or directing. I’ll put this one down as green.

Category Three: Containers

Next up, we have Drum, Tank, Cylinder, and Cask. My first thought is that these are all types of containers. Let’s break it down:

• Drum and Tank both hold liquids or materials.
• Cylinder is a container, especially for gases.
• Cask often holds liquids, like wine or whiskey.

These are definitely container types, some often associated with liquids. I’ll mark this one as yellow.

Category Four: Things That Swing

Finally, we have Golfer, Pendulum, Swing, and Saloon Doors. Each of these seems to involve the motion of swinging:

• Golfer swings a club.
• Pendulum swings back and forth.
• Swing could refer to a playground swing.
• Saloon Doors swing open and closed.

It seems we’re looking at items or actions that involve swinging. I’ll lock this one in as purple.

Also Play Wordle? Find Today's Wordle Hints and Answer.

So, here’s the summary of our categories for today’s Connections:

1. Blue: Raven, Cowboy, Ram, Jet
2. Green: Shepherd, Pilot, Steer, Usher
3. Yellow: Drum, Tank, Cylinder, Cask
4. Purple: Golfer, Pendulum, Swing, Saloon Doors

It’s always a bit of a thrill when we nail all four categories! Sometimes, though, Connections throws in a tricky overlap where one word could fit multiple categories. For example, Swing here works as a noun, while it’s often a verb as well. Connections occasionally features categories with the same word used in different contexts—a unique twist for us to consider!

All in all, today’s puzzle was a success! I hope you enjoyed playing along, and I’m curious to see how your guesses lined up with mine.Thank you for your support, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow for another round of Connections.