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NYT Connections:Today's Connections Hint and Answer,sep 12,2025 #824
fishlovecat
author
1. What are today's Connections hints?
Yellow Group Hint
Entreaty
Green Group Hint
Contact info
Blue Group Hint
Kinds of camera lenses
Purple Group Hint
Bodies of water plus starting letter
2. How to understand today's Connections hints?
First Hint: Entreaty
Connections Hint Interpretation: An act of asking someone for help, approval, or a favor—can be formal or casual. It could be appealing to officials or asking a friend for a favor; the key is “reaching out hoping the other person agrees.”
Second Hint: Contact info
Connections Hint Interpretation: Basic details used to reach a person or organization—used in casual chats, form-filling, or business talks. The key is “key info that lets you connect directly”; nothing complicated or obscure.
Third Hint:Kinds of camera lenses
Connections Hint Interpretation: Lenses attached to cameras for different shooting needs—each has a specific function (e.g., shooting faraway things or close-ups). Photographers or camera users know them; the key is “camera-specific lenses with clear uses.”
Fourth Hint: Bodies of water plus starting letter
Connections Hint Interpretation: Refers to new English words made by adding an extra first letter to a “body of water” term (e.g., river, lake, bay). The key is “new word = first letter + water term”—you need to break down the word to see the link.
3. Connections Answers
4. Connections Hint Matching Logic
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: Entreaty
| Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "Entreaty" |
|---|---|
| APPEAL | As a noun, it means “a formal request” (e.g., a legal appeal to a court, a public appeal for help)—a classic “Entreaty” seeking a response. |
| BID | Means “a request to win a contract (via a price)” or “seek an opportunity” (e.g., bid for a job)—it’s about “asking for approval with terms,” fitting “Entreaty.” |
| CALL | As a noun, it means “a public request” (e.g., a call for donations)—a general/casual “Entreaty” to a group. |
| PETITION | Means “a written request to an authority” (e.g., a petition signed by citizens)—a formal type of “Entreaty.” |
Reason for Classification:
Whether formal (APPEAL, PETITION) or general (BID, CALL), all center on “proactively asking others/authorities for a response”—they fit “Entreaty” perfectly, no exceptions.
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: Contact info
Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "Contact info" |
|---|---|
ADDRESS | Means “address” (home/office)—you can visit or mail someone via it, one of the most basic “Contact info” types. |
Means “email address”—the main way to connect online (casual or work). It’s 100% “Contact info.” | |
NAME | Means “name”—you need a person’s name to confirm who you’re contacting; it’s the foundation of “Contact info.” |
NUMBER | Means “phone number” (mobile/landline)—you can call or text directly via it, the most common “Contact info.” |
Reason for Classification:
All four are the most common “info to reach someone directly”—covering offline (ADDRESS), online (EMAIL), identity confirmation (NAME), and instant communication (NUMBER). None are unrelated to “contacting.”
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: Kinds of camera lenses
Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "Kinds of camera lenses" |
|---|---|
FISHEYE | Means “fisheye lens”—takes ultra-wide shots with edge distortion (e.g., panoramic landscapes). A specific camera lens type, fitting the prompt. |
MACRO | Means “macro lens”—shoots super close-up details (e.g., bugs, flower textures). A common camera lens, fitting the prompt. |
TELEPHOTO | Means “telephoto lens”—shoots distant objects (e.g., wildlife, stage performances). It has a long focal length, a classic camera lens. |
ZOOM | Means “zoom lens”—adjusts focal length (switches from wide to telephoto) without changing lenses. One of the most common camera lenses. |
Reason for Classification:
All four are widely recognized “camera-specific lens types” in photography—each has clear functions and uses. None are lenses for other devices (e.g., phones); they fit the prompt perfectly.
Interpretation of Hint Matching Logic: Bodies of water plus starting letter
| Vocabulary | Matching Logic with "Bodies of water plus starting letter" |
|---|---|
| DRIVER | Breaks down to “D + RIVER” (RIVER = a body of water). Add “D” before “RIVER” to make “DRIVER”—fits “water term + first letter.” |
| EBAY | Breaks down to “E + BAY” (BAY = a body of water). Add “E” before “BAY” to make “EBAY”—matches the prompt. |
| FINLET | Breaks down to “F + INLET” (INLET = a body of water). Add “F” before “INLET” to make “FINLET”—fits the rule. |
| FLAKE | Breaks down to “F + LAKE” (LAKE = a body of water). Add “F” before “LAKE” to make “FLAKE”—matches the prompt. |
Reason for Classification:
5. Today's Connections Difficulty Evaluation && Analysis
Overall Difficulty:
Moderate to Tricky。Group 2’s a free pass, Group 3’s easy if you know cameras, Group 1’s doable with basic vocab. But Group 4? That’s the curveball—most people will get stuck there. Overall, it’s harder than a typical Connections day because of that word-break group. You’ll finish Groups 1-3 fast, then spend half your time on Group 4. Still fun, but not a “quick win” day.
Difficulty Analysis
Low-Difficulty Group (1-2 stars): Contact info
- Super Easy! This is kid-level stuff. Everyone knows you need a name, number, email, or address to contact someone—whether filling out a school form or giving a friend your info. No thinking required—you’ll spot this group in 2 seconds.
High-Difficulty Group (4 stars): Entreaty
- Moderate。PETITION and APPEAL are pretty straightforward if you know formal English (like from news or school). But BID? It takes a sec to link “bid for something” to “a request”—most folks think of “auction bids” first. CALL’s easy (a call for help), but BID might trip up casual English speakers. Not super hard, but not a no-brainer.
High-Difficulty Group (4 stars): Kinds of camera lenses
- Easy if you’re into photography—Moderate if not。ZOOM is a no-brainer (everyone knows “zoom lens”). But FISHEYE or TELEPHOTO? If you’ve ever used a camera (not just a phone), you’ll get them. People who only use phone cameras might pause, but elimination works (the other three scream “camera lenses”). Overall, pretty manageable.
Hard-Difficulty Group (5 stars): Bodies of water plus starting letter
- The trickiest one by far! You gotta stop and break down each word—no one thinks “DRIVER = D + RIVER” at first. EBAY’s maybe a little easier (since “BAY” is obvious), but FINLET and FLAKE? You need to know “INLET” and “LAKE” are water terms, then spot the extra first letter. Even native speakers might take 5 minutes to figure this group out—it’s not intuitive at all.
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.