Connections

The New York Times Tech Guild is on strike and asking people to boycott the paper’s online puzzles. I stopped doing Wordle a while ago as it was no longer finding it satisfying but I usually do the mini crossword and Connections.

If you usually do them and too and are lacking a daily puzzle here is a Connections/Only Connect/puzzle grid of my own devising below. You can also play in on Puzzgrid.

Grove	Paradise	Park	Cave
Windy	Seaside	Beach	Hills
Night	Turquoise	Street	Coast
Forest	Altar	Radiant	Mushroom

If you’re unfamiliar with this sort of puzzle: There’s sixteen words that make up four groups of four words through some sort of connection. Here is some easy ones on Puzzgrid to get the idea.

This one has a specific theme running through the whole puzzle and it does require some specialised knowledge on that subject. Check the hint to see what that is.

Inspired by BCJ doing the same which I saw via Mike Egan.

Hint

It is Sonic the Hedgehog-themed.

Hint 2

All the answers are the names of Sonic the Hedgehog levels.

Answers

1. Cave, Forest, Hills, Grove
2. Radiant, Beach, Altar, Coast
3. Mushroom, Windy, Turquoise, Seaside
4. Park, Paradise, Night, Street

Explanation

1. Sonic levels named Green ___.
2. Sonic levels named Emerald ___ or ___ Emerald.
3. Sonic levels named ___ Hill.
4. Sonic levels named Casino ___.

Extra comment (spoilers)

I wanted to do a group with the levels Mecha Green Hill Zone, Neo Green Hill and Green Hills Zone with the hints being “Mecha, Neo, s” but I don’t think there’s a fourth level with a name that’s a variation on Green Hill Zone to make a group.