Sunday’s NYT Connections puzzle (#623) delivered a food-themed challenge that left players grinding their teeth – literally. With categories ranging from breakfast staples to proverbial spills, here’s how to conquer February 23’s brain-teaser while keeping your winning streak intact.
The Food-Fueled Challenge Breakdown
Today’s 16-word grid features culinary terms with hidden connections:
| Pickle | Grate | Milk | Tea |
| Jam | Scrape | Can | Butter |
| Grind | Beans | Syrup | Ferment |
| Freeze | Guts | Hot Sauce | Gnash |
Category Solutions Revealed
Yellow (Easiest): Rub Together
Gnash, Grate, Grind, Scrape – verbs describing friction-based actions
Green (Easy): Ways To Preserve Food
Can, Ferment, Freeze, Pickle – food preservation methods
Blue (Medium): Breakfast Condiments
Butter, Hot Sauce, Jam, Syrup – morning meal enhancers
Purple (Hardest): Proverbial Spills
Beans (spill the beans), Guts (spill your guts), Milk (no use crying), Tea (spill the tea)
Pro Tips from Puzzle Experts
- Watch for dual-meaning words: “Pickle” refers to preservation method, not the food
- The purple category required recognizing idiomatic expressions rather than literal meanings
- Breakfast condiments tripped up players – hot sauce inclusion surprised many
