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Updated · Lifehacker · Jul 20NYT Connections #1,135 Reveals 4 Categories for July 20 Puzzle
3 articles · Updated · Lifehacker · Jul 20Summary
- Puzzle #1,135 grouped the 16 words into ANNOUNCE, THINGS TO CLICK, ASSOCIATED WITH PEARLS, and STARTING WITH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
- Yellow answers were BLARE, HERALD, SOUND and TRUMPET; green answers were BUTTON, ICON, LINK and MENU.
- Blue used pearl-related links—BUBBLE TEA, OYSTER, SWINE and WISDOM—while purple hid drink starts in ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO and SAKES.
- Several decoys drove the difficulty: TRUMPET, PORTOBELLO, BUTTON and OYSTER can all suggest mushrooms, but split across different groups.
Insights
As word games expand to television, what is the next frontier for the New York Times' burgeoning puzzle empire? What is the creative secret to designing daily word puzzles that successfully captivate and challenge millions of players? How did the New York Times pivot from a legacy newspaper to a dominant force in the digital gaming industry?