NYT Connections April 13, 2025 #672 Hints & Answers
Need help with the New York Times Connections puzzle for April 13, 2025? PuzzHelp offers a complete guide with progressive hints, full answers, and insights for today's NYT Connections game #672. Our step-by-step approach helps you learn category patterns and solve challenging word groups without spoiling the fun. Explore hints, answers, and interesting facts about each category below.
Today's Connections Hints
General Hints
Click to reveal a helpful hint about each category in today's game.
One Word from Each Category
Click to reveal one word from each color group to help you get started.
Today's Connections Answers
STEAL
NICK, PINCH, POCKET, SWIPE
ATTENDANCE STATUS
ABSENT, EXCUSED, LATE, PRESENT
FONT-MODIFYING WORDS
GOTHIC, ROMAN, SANS, TYPEWRITER
___BERRY
CAPER, ELDER, GOOSE, LOGAN
Answer Explanations
Word-by-Word Analysis
NICK
To steal or take something, especially in a quick and sneaky manner
PINCH
To steal or take something, often used in casual or slang contexts
To take and keep something dishonestly, often by placing it in one's pocket
SWIPE
To steal something with a quick, sweeping motion, often used for shoplifting or petty theft
The term 'nick' as slang for theft has been used since the 1600s in British criminal underworld slang, known as 'thieves' cant.' This specialized vocabulary was developed specifically to allow criminals to communicate without being understood by law enforcement or potential victims, and many terms from this underground language, including 'nick,' eventually made their way into common usage.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ABSENT
Not present at a place where one is expected to be, such as a class, meeting, or workplace
EXCUSED
Absence that has been officially approved or deemed acceptable by an authority figure
LATE
Arriving after the expected or scheduled time
PRESENT
In attendance or at the specified location at the appointed time
The practice of taking formal attendance in schools dates back to the 19th century when compulsory education laws began to be enacted. The term 'excused absence' gained importance during this period as schools needed to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable reasons for missing class. Today, some educational systems are moving away from traditional attendance-taking in favor of 'engagement metrics' that measure student participation rather than mere physical presence.
Word-by-Word Analysis
GOTHIC
A typeface style characterized by thick, blocky letterforms, often with a medieval or ornate appearance
ROMAN
An upright (non-italic) typeface style based on classical proportions, typically with serifs
SANS
Short for 'sans serif,' indicating typefaces without the small projecting features called serifs at the end of strokes
TYPEWRITER
A monospaced font style designed to mimic the appearance of text produced on a mechanical typewriter
The term 'Gothic' in typography has a curious historical misattribution. When Renaissance scholars discovered classical Roman writing, they considered it superior to the medieval blackletter script that was common in Europe. They mistakenly associated this medieval style with the Goths, the Germanic people who contributed to the fall of Rome, and so named it 'Gothic' as a pejorative term suggesting it was barbaric and uncivilized compared to the 'refined' Roman letterforms. Despite this negative origin, Gothic typefaces remain popular in various contexts, particularly for newspaper mastheads and ceremonial documents.
Word-by-Word Analysis
CAPER
Forms 'caperberry,' the fruit of the caper bush (Capparis spinosa), often pickled and used as a condiment
ELDER
Forms 'elderberry,' dark purple berries from the elder plant, commonly used in jams, wines, and medicinal preparations
GOOSE
Forms 'gooseberry,' a small, tart berry with a translucent skin, often used in desserts and preserves
LOGAN
Forms 'loganberry,' a hybrid berry resembling a dark red raspberry, created by crossing a blackberry with a raspberry
The loganberry has a fascinating origin story in horticultural history. It was accidentally created in 1881 by American horticulturist James Harvey Logan in Santa Cruz, California. Logan was experimenting with cross-breeding different raspberry and blackberry varieties in his garden when he discovered this unique hybrid. Unlike many hybrid plants that are sterile, the loganberry could reproduce, allowing it to be commercially cultivated. This chance discovery demonstrates how some of our most valued food plants came into existence through both deliberate experimentation and fortunate accidents.
Today's Red Herrings
Action Verbs
SWIPE, PINCH, POCKET, and PRESENT could all be interpreted as physical actions or gestures, potentially drawing players away from recognizing the 'STEAL' and 'ATTENDANCE STATUS' categories.
Time-Related Terms
LATE, PRESENT (as in 'the present time'), and potentially ROMAN (as in Roman numerals used in clocks) might create a false temporal grouping.
Clothing/Fashion Terms
POCKET (as in a pocket on clothing), GOTHIC (as in Gothic fashion), and SANS (misinterpreted as related to style) could mislead players toward a fashion or clothing category.
Geographical/Cultural References
ROMAN, GOTHIC, LOGAN (as in Logan Square or Airport), and potentially ELDER (as in Elder Avenue) might be mistakenly grouped as place names or cultural references.
Physical Objects
TYPEWRITER, POCKET, GOOSE, and potentially CAPER (as capers the food) could be misconstrued as everyday physical objects rather than their intended categorizations.
Today's Learning Moments
Linguistic Versatility
Many words in this puzzle serve multiple functions in English. For instance, 'NICK' can be a small cut, a prison, a nickname, or to steal something, highlighting how context dramatically shifts meaning in English vocabulary.
Typography Awareness
The 'FONT-MODIFYING WORDS' category introduces players to basic typography terminology, potentially sparking interest in design concepts and the historical evolution of written communication.
Botanical Knowledge
The berry category reveals that not all 'berries' are botanically true berries, and the term is often applied more broadly in culinary contexts than in scientific classification, demonstrating the gap between common usage and technical terminology.
Word Formation Patterns
This puzzle highlights compound word formation with the '___BERRY' category, showing how English frequently creates new terms by combining existing words to create more specific meanings.
Slang Evolution
The 'STEAL' category demonstrates how English has developed numerous euphemisms and slang terms for illicit activities, reflecting both linguistic creativity and social taboos around directly naming socially disapproved behaviors.
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