PUZZLE WORDS · SIMPLY EXPLAINED
Go beyond a one-line meaning. Explore a clear explanation, a natural example sentence and extra dictionary meanings for each of the sixteen words, without revealing the groups.
Showing all 16 words
A flowering plant with delicate, cup-shaped blossoms.
Daily puzzle explanationmarine polyps that resemble flowers but have oral rings of tentacles; differ from corals in forming no hard skeleton
any woodland plant of the genus Anemone grown for its beautiful flowers and whorls of dissected leaves
This exact spelling does not have a standard headword in the WordNet 3.1 data or a stored daily explanation. WordNet is a substantial reference, but it does not include every name, abbreviation, inflected form or puzzle-specific spelling.
A single paid performance by a musician or other entertainer.
Daily puzzle explanationa booking for musicians
Example: “they played a gig in New Jersey”
small two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage; with two seats and no hood
tender that is a light ship's boat; often for personal use of captain
long and light rowing boat; especially for racing
a cluster of hooks (without barbs) that is drawn through a school of fish to hook their bodies; used when fish are not biting
an implement with a shaft and barbed point used for catching fish
A short, slim heel, usually under two inches high.
Daily puzzle explanationyoung domestic cat
give birth to kittens
Example: “our cat kittened again this year”
A water plant with large floating leaves and showy pink or white flowers.
Daily puzzle explanationwhite Egyptian lotus: water lily of Egypt to southeastern Africa; held sacred by the Egyptians
native to eastern Asia; widely cultivated for its large pink or white flowers
annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs
A bulb plant with white or yellow flowers; daffodils are one kind.
Daily puzzle explanation(Greek mythology) a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection
bulbous plant having erect linear leaves and showy yellow or white flowers either solitary or in clusters
A sweet, juicy fruit that is rounded at the bottom and narrows toward the stem.
Daily puzzle explanationsweet juicy gritty-textured fruit available in many varieties
Old World tree having sweet gritty-textured juicy fruit; widely cultivated in many varieties
A thick raised sole that lifts the whole foot, often paired with a high heel.
Daily puzzle explanationa woman's shoe with a very high thick sole
a raised horizontal surface
Example: “the speaker mounted the platform”
any military structure or vehicle bearing weapons
the combination of a particular computer and a particular operating system
a document stating the aims and principles of a political party
Example: “their candidate simply ignored the party platform”
A drop of rain.
Daily puzzle explanationa drop of rain
A prickly flowering shrub, or its fragrant blossom, which comes in many colors.
Daily puzzle explanationa dusty pink color
pinkish table wine from red grapes whose skins were removed after fermentation began
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
of something having a dusty purplish pink color
Example: “the roseate glow of dawn”
To move quickly on foot, faster than walking.
Daily puzzle explanationa score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely
Example: “the Yankees scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th”
the act of running; traveling on foot at a fast pace
Example: “he broke into a run”
a regular trip
Example: “the ship made its run in record time”
a short trip
Example: “take a run into town”
(American football) a play in which a player attempts to carry the ball through or past the opposing team
Example: “the defensive line braced to stop the run”
the act of testing something
Example: “in the experimental trials the amount of carbon was measured separately”
an unbroken chronological sequence
Example: “the play had a long run on Broadway”
the pouring forth of a fluid
a row of unravelled stitches
Example: “she got a run in her stocking”
a race run on foot
Example: “she broke the record for the half-mile run”
a race between candidates for elective office
Example: “I managed his campaign for governor”
an unbroken series of events
Example: “had a streak of bad luck”
a small stream
the production achieved during a continuous period of operation (of a machine or factory etc.)
Example: “a daily run of 100,000 gallons of paint”
unrestricted freedom to use
Example: “he has the run of the house”
the continuous period of time during which something (a machine or a factory) operates or continues in operation
Example: “the assembly line was on a 12-hour run”
become undone
Example: “the sweater unraveled”
come unraveled or undone as if by snagging
Example: “Her nylons were running”
reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating
Example: “melt butter”
cause to perform
Example: “run a subject”
progress by being changed
Example: “The speech has to go through several more drafts”
change from one state to another
Example: “run amok”
compete in a race
Example: “he is running the Marathon this year”
run, stand, or compete for an office or a position
Example: “Who's running for treasurer this year?”
pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
Example: “Goering often hunted wild boars in Poland”
pass over, across, or through
Example: “He ran his eyes over her body”
perform as expected when applied
Example: “The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in”
be operating, running or functioning
Example: “The car is still running--turn it off!”
carry out
Example: “run an errand”
cause to emit recorded audio or video
Example: “They ran the tapes over and over again”
A small, light punching bag used in boxing training to practice speed and rhythm.
Daily puzzle explanationA very thin, high heel on a shoe.
Daily puzzle explanationsports equipment consisting of a sharp point on the sole of a shoe worn by athletes
Example: “spikes provide greater traction”
a large stout nail
Example: “they used spikes to fasten the rails to a railroad tie”
any holding device consisting of a rigid, sharp-pointed object
Example: “the spike pierced the receipts and held them in order”
a long, thin sharp-pointed implement (wood or metal)
Example: “one of the spikes impaled him”
a sharp-pointed projection along the top of a fence or wall (or a dinosaur)
each of the sharp points on the soles of athletic shoes to prevent slipping (or the shoes themselves)
Example: “the second baseman sharpened his spikes before every game”
a very high narrow heel on women's shoes
a transient variation in voltage or current
a sharp rise followed by a sharp decline
Example: “the seismograph showed a sharp spike in response to the temblor”
(botany) an indeterminate inflorescence bearing sessile flowers on an unbranched axis
fruiting spike of a cereal plant especially corn
manifest a sharp increase
Example: “the voltage spiked”
add alcohol to (beverages)
Example: “the punch is spiked!”
bring forth a spike or spikes
Example: “my hyacinths and orchids are spiking now”
secure with spikes
pierce with a sharp stake or point
Example: “impale a shrimp on a skewer”
stand in the way of
A small pendant fleshy lobe at the back of the soft palate.
Daily puzzle explanationa small pendant fleshy lobe at the back of the soft palate
A shoe heel that continues the sole in one solid, sloping piece.
Daily puzzle explanationa block of wood used to prevent the sliding or rolling of a heavy object
something solid that is usable as an inclined plane (shaped like a V) that can be pushed between two things to separate them
(golf) an iron with considerable loft and a broad sole
a heel that is an extension of the sole of the shoe
a diacritical mark (an inverted circumflex) placed above certain letters (such as the letter c) to indicate pronunciation
a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States
any shape that is triangular in cross section
squeeze like a wedge into a tight space
Example: “I squeezed myself into the corner”
put, fix, force, or implant
Example: “lodge a bullet in the table”
One of the long, stiff hairs on the face of a cat or other animal, or a hair on a person's face.
Daily puzzle explanationa long stiff hair growing from the snout or brow of most mammals as e.g. a cat
a very small distance or space
Example: “they escaped by a hair's-breadth”
furnish with whiskers
Example: “a whiskered jersey”
The first explanation is written to make the word easy to understand in ordinary English. Where available, an original example sentence shows how the word can be used. Additional entries are separate senses from Princeton WordNet 3.1, not alternative answers to the puzzle.
WordNet is a lexical reference rather than a complete dictionary of every name, slang term, abbreviation or new expression. A missing entry does not mean a word is invalid.
Daily puzzle record: Puzzle number, sixteen entries and four category groupings were cross-checked against independent daily puzzle coverage. Hints and group explanations on this site are original.
Lexical reference: Princeton WordNet 3.1, hosted on this site. About WordNet · License and attribution.
The example sentences in the daily explanations are original illustrations. Wordle Hint is an independent puzzle helper and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times.
It lists all sixteen words from the selected daily Connections board. Each entry includes a plain-English meaning, a fuller explanation and an illustrative example where available, followed by other dictionary senses and related words. It does not show the four categories or group answers.
The main word meanings and expanded explanations are editorial descriptions written for this page. Additional meanings, parts of speech, examples and related terms are drawn from the locally hosted Princeton WordNet 3.1 lexical database and labelled separately. The example sentences in the main entries are original illustrations.
Words often have different meanings depending on how they are used. A word can also function as more than one part of speech. The page separates the daily explanation from WordNet senses so you can compare them without confusing one meaning for another.
WordNet does not cover every name, abbreviation, inflection or puzzle-specific form. When there is no direct headword, the page says so rather than inventing a dictionary meaning.
Yes. Open the additional WordNet meanings under a word or follow its dictionary link to search the full English Dictionary, including parts of speech, synonyms and examples.
Open Connections Hints for the same daily puzzle. This page deliberately keeps category names and group answers out of view.