Connections
Here are all the Connections games I've built over at Anthony Kenzo Salazar's DIY website. These were inspired by the NYT game (rules and explanation are here), which itself was inspired by the connecting wall from the BBC's Only Connect.
(Note: unlike in the NYT version, I don't use the colors to rank the categories by difficulty.)
Connections #1
After playing the NYT game for a week, a fun connection popped into my head so I built a puzzle around it. This one has some niche pop culture references, so if those don't land for you, sorry!
Hint
One category is chracters from a long-running HBO show, and one relates to the chracters of a very famous (dead) actor.
Animals, mostly
A fun constraint to put on oneself while making these Connection puzzles is seeing if you can make all 4 sets out of a superset. In this one, it's almost all animals, but I also include a potato, to give you somewhere to start.
Hint
These are all cultural, pop or otherwise. (Hopoefully not too niche.)
Hint 2
Potato goes with Dinosaur.
Missed Connection #1
I added another layer to the next two. Here's some flavor text (which the website doesn't have a space for) for this one:
After you solve the connections, consider the four categories. Each is a clue for something in a well-known five-item set. Figure out the set, and then name what fifth category could possibly join the four shown.
Answer
These four categories clue The Spice Girls, and the missing one is Sporty Spice, so any category that is about SPORT or SPORTS would be fine.
Missed Connection #2
Same as above, but with slightly different instructions:
After you solve the connections, consider the four categories. Find another element for each category, which, when taken together, feature 4 elements in a well-known 5-item set. What's missing?
Answer
The four additional items are Manhattan, Bronx (as in RON), Brooklyn (as in Brooklyn Nine-Nine), and Queen's (as in The Queen's Gambit. The missing item is Staten Island.
Connections #5
This one is silly and hopefully much easier than the ones above.
Hint
Pharoah goes with Carpenter
Connections #6
This is a little tougher because I decided to get cute with the categories.
Hint
It should be easy to find four groups of 3. For the remaining items, think about what they famously aren't.
Connections #7
Back to straightforward categories with a fun connection.
Hint
We're looking for a specific Coldplay album name here.
Characters
This one is a little cruel. Note that the character that looks like a table is a Ο.
Hint
^ and Ο go together.
Playlist
Having a goof. Don't overthink it.
Hint
One category should be clear. For the others, match them up stylistically.
Presidents, mostly
Batman will always be my president.
Hint
One is language, one is cultural, two are pop cultural.
Connections #11
π€
Hint: two that go together
"Straw of War" and "Con About Town" go together
Animal Collectives
No knowledge of which animals these describe is required to solve this puzzle.
Hint: two that go together
Kindle and Galaxy go together.
Connections #13
Inspired by a recent NYT crossword theme.
Hint
Breakaway goes with Around the World
Identity Theft
Just having a goof.
Typing Test
Hint
Canada goes with Ring
So Much To See
I'm being a bit cheeky here, as you might expect.
Hint
"See" is a hint.
Names
You don't need to know anything about these folks. (I've been told this one is tough.)
Hint
Some of these, like Taylor Swift, could be in a couple categories.
Hint #2
Many of these names are made up of common English words. But they all sound like common English words.