Midweek brings another challenge for puzzle enthusiasts with the NYT’s popular word grouping game. Players must categorize sixteen terms into four thematic clusters based on hidden relationships, ranging from straightforward associations to more abstract connections.
This brainteaser debuted in 2023 through The New York Times’ experimental game development initiative and has since become a daily ritual for many. Its difficulty hierarchy spans from accessible yellow categories to notoriously tricky purple groupings, often requiring lateral thinking.
Approach Guidance
Consider these category outlines for today’s challenge:
- Yellow – Supernatural entities common in scary stories
- Green – Varieties of premium cuts
- Blue – Key factors in real estate transactions
- Purple – Compound animal names where both parts name creatures
Today’s Linguistic Challenge
Examine these terms while considering the category clues:
| Hobgoblin | Titmouse | Chateaubriand | Insurance |
| Porterhouse | Bogeyman | Appraisal | Wombat |
| Escrow | Seahorse | Flatiron | Mortgage |
| Tomahawk | Phantom | Geoduck | Bugbear |
Solution Breakdown
Today’s successful groupings reveal these connections:
- Mythical Terrifiers – Bogeyman, Bugbear, Hobgoblin, Phantom
- Steak Varieties – Chateaubriand, Flatiron, Porterhouse, Tomahawk
- Home Purchase Elements – Appraisal, Escrow, Insurance, Mortgage
- Double-Animal Names – Geoduck, Seahorse, Titmouse, Wombat
