You're staring at a grid. It’s early. Maybe you’re on the subway or nursing a lukewarm coffee, and the New York Times Connections or Crossword is staring back at you with that smug, digital silence. One specific clue keeps popping up in the search bars: misbehave or malfunction nyt. It sounds simple enough. But in the world of the NYT Games department, "simple" is usually a trap designed by Wyna Liu or Joel Fagliano to make you feel like you've forgotten how the English language works.
Words are slippery. That's the whole point of these games.
When people search for misbehave or malfunction nyt, they aren't usually looking for a dictionary definition. They are looking for the common thread. They are looking for the "aha!" moment that connects a bratty toddler to a glitchy toaster. If you’ve played the NYT Connections game long enough, you know that the "purple" or "blue" categories love to play with synonyms that look different but act the same.
The Core Answer: What Links Misbehave and Malfunction?
Honestly, the answer is usually ACT UP.
Think about it. When a kid starts throwing a tantrum in the middle of a grocery store, you say they are acting up. When your 2018 MacBook Pro starts freezing because you have seventy-four tabs open, it’s acting up. This is a classic NYT move—finding a phrasal verb that bridges the gap between human behavior and mechanical failure.
But it’s not always "act up." Sometimes the NYT is looking for more specific synonyms like GO ON THE BLINK or MISFIRE. In the context of a crossword, you might be looking for a four-letter word like ERRS or a five-letter word like FAILS.
The New York Times Games ecosystem thrives on these linguistic overlaps. They take a concept—let’s call it "Failure to Perform"—and they split it into different flavors. You have the "naughty" flavor (misbehave) and the "broken" flavor (malfunction). Finding the word that lives in both houses is the key to winning.
Why the NYT Loves This Specific Clue
The NYT Crossword has been around since 1942. They've used every word in the book. Twice. To keep it fresh, editors rely on "misdirection."
When you see misbehave or malfunction nyt, your brain might go to "broken." But "broken" doesn't describe a person misbehaving unless you're being really metaphorical. You need a word that carries the weight of intent (misbehaving) and the weight of technical error (malfunctioning).
- GO HAYWIRE: This is a favorite. It describes a system failing, but we also use it to describe a person losing control.
- CUT OUT: Does a child "cut out"? Not really. But an engine does. This one is more slanted toward the mechanical side.
- PLAY UP: This is a very British-inflected way of saying something is wrong. "My knee is playing up" or "The students are playing up for the substitute teacher."
The nuance matters. If the category is "Ways to Describe a Broken Car," you won't see "misbehave." But if the category is "Phrases for Not Working Correctly," both are fair game.
Understanding the Connections Meta
If you found this clue in Connections—the game that has taken over the internet’s morning routine—you have to look at the other three words.
Let's look at a hypothetical (but very realistic) grid. You have ACT UP, CARRY ON, CUT OUT, and GO ON.
At first glance, these all look like they could mean "continue." To carry on is to continue. To go on is to continue. But ACT UP sticks out. It doesn't mean continue. This is where the NYT gets you. You have to realize that "CARRY ON" can also mean to throw a fit (misbehave).
Suddenly, the category isn't "continue." It’s "To behave badly or fail."
This is why the search for misbehave or malfunction nyt is so common. The games aren't testing your vocabulary as much as they are testing your ability to see a word's "secret identity." You know that "crane" is a bird, but do you remember it's also a piece of construction equipment and a way to stretch your neck?
The Linguistic Science of Being Wrong
There is a technical term for words that sound the same but have different meanings: homonyms. But the NYT loves polysemy—where one word has multiple related meanings.
Take the word GLITCH. In the 1960s, it was mostly used by astronauts and engineers to describe a sudden change in voltage. Now, we use it to describe everything from a video game error to a mistake in a legal document. Does a person "glitch"? Not biologically, but we might say someone "glitched" if they tripped over their words.
The NYT editors are experts at tracing these etymological shifts. They know that "misbehave" is a social construct while "malfunction" is a technical one. The bridge between them is usually slang or colloquialisms.
How to Beat the NYT Game Designers at Their Own Game
If you’re stuck on a clue like this, stop looking at the screen. Seriously.
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When you stare at the words for too long, your brain "locks" the meaning. This is called functional fixedness. You see "malfunction" and you only think of a robot or a toaster.
Try these three things:
- Say the word out loud in a sentence. "My phone is _____." "That toddler is _____."
- Look for the "Invisible" Word. Often, the NYT clue is half of a phrase. If the clue is "misbehave," the invisible word might be "UP" (as in act up).
- Check for parts of speech. Is the clue a verb or a noun? "A malfunction" (noun) is a FAULT. "To malfunction" (verb) is to FAIL. The NYT is very strict about matching the part of speech in the answer to the part of speech in the clue.
Real Examples from Recent Puzzles
In past puzzles, we’ve seen the "misbehave" theme show up in various disguises.
One notable Connections category was "Words that mean 'to act out'." The words were MISBEHAVE, CARRY ON, CUT UP, and ACT UP.
Wait, CUT UP?
Yeah. To "cut up" is an old-school way of saying someone is being a class clown or acting inappropriately. If you're under the age of 40, you might never use that phrase. But the NYT crossword audience skews older, and the editors love these mid-century colloquialisms.
Another one? REBEL.
A person can rebel (misbehave). A piece of software can rebel against its programming (malfunction). It’s a bit of a stretch, but in a Saturday crossword, that’s exactly what they’ll throw at you.
Action Steps for Your Next Game
Next time you see a clue related to misbehave or malfunction nyt, don't just guess.
- Look for the phrasal verbs. Most English synonyms for "not working right" involve a verb and a preposition (up, out, on, down).
- Check the letter count. If it’s a crossword and you have 4 letters, it’s probably ACTS or ERRS. If it’s 5, try FAILS.
- Identify the category color. In Connections, if you see "misbehave" and "malfunction," you are likely looking for the Blue or Purple category. Don't waste your easy guesses on it until you've narrowed down the simpler categories like "Types of Cheese" or "Words ending in -BOARD."
- Think about the "Who." Is the subject a person or a machine? If the synonym works for both, you've found your winner.
The NYT games are designed to be a conversation between the constructor and the player. They want you to struggle a little bit because the dopamine hit when you finally solve it is what keeps you coming back. So, the next time your brain feels like it’s about to malfunction while trying to describe someone misbehaving, just remember: it’s probably just ACTING UP.
Check the surrounding clues. If you see a word like "misdemeanor" or "faulty," you're on the right track. If you see "tantrum," you're definitely in the "misbehave" camp. Trust your gut, but verify with the grid.