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Today's Connections Hints and Answers,sep 09,2025 #821
fishlovecat
author
1. What are today's Connections hints?
Yellow Group Hint
FINISHED
Green Group Hint
THINGS WITH SHELLS
Blue Group Hint
SWIG
Purple Group Hint
___DOG
2. How to understand today's Connections hints?
First Hint: FINISHED
Connections Hint Interpretation:Means a task or thing is done and won't continue—works for small daily stuff (like cooking) or formal tasks (like projects). Used in both casual and formal English; the key is "no more follow-up actions."
Second Hint: THINGS WITH SHELLS
Connections Hint Interpretation: Refers to items with a hard outer layer—could be food, animals, or snacks. As long as “the shell covers what’s inside,” it counts, no matter if the shell is hard or crispy.
Third Hint: SWIG
Connections Hint Interpretation: A casual verb/noun meaning to drink a large amount of liquid quickly—like chugging a soda or beer. The key is “fast” and “big sip.”
Fourth Hint: ___DOG
Connections Hint Interpretation: Means adding a word before “dog” to make a common phrase or compound word. It could be a dog breed, a dog-related action, or slang—any combo people actually use.
3. Connections Answers
4. Connections Hint Matching Logic
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: FINISHED
| Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "FINISHED" |
|---|---|
| COMPLETE | Adjective meaning “fully done”—e.g., “The project is complete”—directly matches “FINISHED’s ‘done’ state.” |
| DONE | Casual “done”—e.g., “Dinner’s done”—everyone gets it in daily chat, a direct synonym for “FINISHED.” |
| OVER | “Over” means “concluded”—e.g., “The meeting’s over”—highlights “the event is done,” fitting “FINISHED’s core.” |
| THROUGH | Casual “done with”—e.g., “I’m through with work”—focuses on “someone finishing something,” matching “FINISHED.” |
Reason for Classification:
All four words—whether formal or casual—mean “something is done or over. None are off-topic, covering daily and formal scenarios.
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: THINGS WITH SHELLS
Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "THINGS WITH SHELLS" |
|---|---|
EGG | Eggs have eggshells—hard shells that protect the yolk and white, the most classic “thing with a shell.” |
HARD TACO | Hard tacos have crispy corn shells that hold meat and veggies—edible shells, fitting the prompt. |
M&M | M&Ms have a thin candy shell around the chocolate to stop it from melting—still “has a shell,” even if it’s thin. |
SNAIL | Snails have spiral hard shells they carry everywhere—representative of “animals with shells.” |
Reason for Classification:
These four items are different types (food, snack, animal), but all have “a shell covering the inside.” They fit “things with shells” perfectly—no forced matches.
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: SWIG
Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "SWIG" |
|---|---|
BELT | Casual “belt sth down” means “chug”—e.g., “Belt down that soda”—matches “SWIG’s ‘chug’ vibe.” |
GULP | “Gulp” means “swallow a big sip”—e.g., “Gulp down water”—the action matches “SWIG’s ‘big sip.’” |
SHOT | “A shot of alcohol” is a small glass of liquor, usually drunk fast—fits “SWIG’s ‘quick drink’ scenario.” |
SLUG | Slang “slug a drink” means “chug”—e.g., “Slug that beer”—a synonym for “SWIG’s ‘chug.’” |
Reason for Classification:
All four are casual terms for “drinking liquid fast and in big sips.” Whether common words (gulp) or slang (belt, slug), they center on “SWIG’s core action—none are unrelated to drinking.
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: ___DOG
| Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "___DOG" |
|---|---|
| BULL | “Bulldog”—a super common dog breed. “Bull + dog” makes a breed name, fitting the prompt. |
| LAP | “Lap dog”—a small dog that sits on its owner’s lap. A fixed phrase, pairs naturally with “dog.” |
| UNDER | “Underdog”—slang for the less likely winner in a competition (like a “weaker dog”). Now used a lot in daily life. |
| WATCH | “Watchdog”—a dog that guards a place, or a “supervisor.” A common pairing with “dog.” |
Reason for Classification:
5. Today's Connections Difficulty Evaluation && Analysis
Overall Difficulty:
Moderate。Group 1 is a total free pass—super easy. Groups 2 and 4 are chill, just need a quick think. Group 3’s the only one that might trip you up, thanks to the slang. But overall, it’s not frustrating—most Westerners would finish this without pulling their hair out. Good mix of easy and “wait, let’s think” groups.
Difficulty Analysis
Low-Difficulty Group (1 stars): FINISHED
- Super Easy！These are all words Westerners use every single day—“done” and “over” are like kid-level easy. Even if you’re new to English, you’d probably guess these go with “finished.” Total no-brainer, first group most people solve.
Low-Difficulty Group (2 stars): THINGS WITH SHELLS
- Easy to Moderate。Eggs and snails are obvious—everyone knows they have shells. But hard tacos? Some might pause like, “Is a taco shell ‘a shell’?” Same with M&Ms—you gotta think about the candy coating. But it clicks fast, so not too hard.
Medium-Difficulty Group (3 stars): ___DOG
- Moderate。Bulldog and watchdog are no-brainers—everyone knows those. Lap dog is easy too, if you’ve ever seen a small dog on someone’s lap. Underdog is the only tricky one—some might forget it’s a phrase with “dog,” but once you think “oh, underdog means the little guy,” it clicks. Not hard, just needs a second.
Medium-Difficulty Group (4 stars): SWIG
- Moderate to Hard。Gulp and shot are easy—everyone knows those. But “belt” and “slug”? Those are more slang, especially for older folks or people who don’t use casual drinking terms. You might stare at “belt” for a sec like, “Wait, belt a drink?” But once you get it, it makes sense.
In summary, the game’s difficulty design is well-balanced: Low-difficulty groups let new players ease in, while medium-high groups test knowledge breadth (culture) and associative skills. This mix keeps the game engaging without being frustrating—most players finish all groups in 10-15 minutes.