Thursday's edition of The New York Times' Connections puzzle sent players hunting through skincare routines, shades of black, precision-related terms and a cluster of tricky two-word phrases before the full board came together. Puzzle number 1,131, edited by Wyna Liu, followed the game's usual color-coded structure, moving from its most straightforward grouping to its most deceptive.

Connections challenges players to sort 16 words or phrases into four hidden groups of four, with each group tied to a shared theme. The categories are ranked by difficulty and color-coded accordingly: yellow for the most straightforward, green for moderately tricky, blue for more abstract connections, and purple for the hardest group, which frequently leans on wordplay or double meanings. Players are allowed four mistakes before the puzzle ends, and the game, launched by the Times in June 2023, has grown into one of the publication's most popular daily offerings, trailing only Wordle in reach.

Thursday's yellow group, the easiest of the day, centered on skincare products: CLAY MASK, EYE CREAM, PEEL and TONER. Each item plays a distinct role in a typical skincare regimen. According to dermatologist Dr. Jeannette Graf, speaking to Byrdie, clay masks offer a range of benefits for the skin, including helping to brighten complexion, absorb excess oil, and support overall skin balance. Eye cream is generally used to brighten and moisturize the delicate skin beneath the eyes while helping to reduce the appearance of dark circles, and a peel is typically........

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