If you woke up and immediately felt personally attacked by the New York Times, you're probably looking at the NYT Connections hint Aug 18 grid. Honestly, it’s one of those days. You see the words. You see the "obvious" link. And then the game just... laughs at you.
It's puzzle #799. One more and we hit the big 800. But before we celebrate, we have to survive this specific minefield.
The Red Herring That's Ruining Your Morning
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the pool table.
If you're staring at CUE, POOL, POCKET, SHOT, and BREAK, you aren't crazy. You've found the most devious red herring Wyna Liu has thrown at us in weeks. It looks like a perfect "Billiards" category. It screams "pool hall lingo."
But it’s a trap. A total, utter trap.
In Connections, if you see five words that fit a theme perfectly, one of them (or several) is lying to you. Today, these words are scattered across three different categories. Using your guesses on "pool things" is the fastest way to see that "Gamer Over" screen.
NYT Connections Hint Aug 18: Cryptic Clues for Every Color
Sometimes you don't want the answers. You just want a nudge. A little "hey, look over there" so you can feel the satisfaction of solving it yourself.
- Yellow: These are the little sparks that get something started or show you the way.
- Green: Think about a window of time where things might actually go your way.
- Blue: If you're staying at a Marriott or a Hilton, you’re looking for these on the website before you book.
- Purple: This is a classic "fill in the blank" or "word that comes before" situation. Think about something you wear on your wrist... or keep in your pocket.
Breaking Down the Difficulty
Most people find the yellow category first, but today the green one is slippery.
The Yellow Group: Indication
This is the most straightforward group, though CUE and SIGNAL might make you think of theater or tech. Basically, these are all ways to tell someone "go ahead" or "it's your turn."
- CUE
- NOD
- PROMPT
- SIGNAL
The Green Group: Opportunity
This is where the billiards trap starts to hurt. SHOT and BREAK feel like they belong with a pool cue, but here they mean "a chance." If you get a "lucky break," you've got an "opening."
- BREAK
- CHANCE
- OPENING
- SHOT
The Blue Group: Hotel Amenities
If you've traveled lately, this one should click. It’s a list of things you expect when you check into a hotel. POOL finally finds its home here, away from the cues and pockets.
- BREAKFAST
- PARKING
- POOL
- WI-FI
The Purple Group: Words Before "Watch"
Purple is usually the "wordplay" category. Today, it’s actually quite literal if you can get past the other distractions. Every word here is a type of watch. DIGITAL and STOP are the giveaways.
- DIGITAL (Digital watch)
- POCKET (Pocket watch)
- STOP (Stopwatch)
- WRIST (Wristwatch)
Why This Puzzle is Actually Genius
The way the words overlap is what makes NYT Connections hint Aug 18 so frustratingly good.
Take the word BREAK. It could be a rest at work. It could be a "lucky break" (Green). It could be the start of a pool game (Red Herring). Or it could be part of BREAKFAST (Blue).
The NYT editors know exactly how your brain works. They know you'll see CUE and POOL and stop looking for other connections. The trick is to always find all four words for a category before you hit submit. If you only have three, you’re probably falling for a trap.
Actionable Tips for Tomorrow's Grid
- The "One-Away" Rule: If you get a "one away" message, don't just swap one word and try again immediately. Usually, that means you've fallen for a red herring. Step back. Look at the words you haven't used yet.
- Say Them Out Loud: Sometimes saying "Pocket Watch" vs. "Pocket Billiards" helps you realize which connection is stronger.
- Shuffle is Your Friend: The grid is laid out to trick you visually. Hit that shuffle button until the words stop looking like they belong together.
If you survived today without losing all your lives to the pool table trap, consider yourself a pro. If not? There's always tomorrow's puzzle.
📖 Related: Putt-Putt Joins the Parade: Why These Point-and-Click Classics Still Work
Next Steps for Your Daily Puzzle Streak:
- Check your Spelling Bee progress; today's "Panagram" is surprisingly common but easy to miss.
- If you're still in a gaming mood, try today's Strands; the theme is much more relaxing than this Connections grid was.
- Make sure to screenshot your "Reverse Rainbow" if you managed to solve Purple first!