Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is fun but challenging. I was entertained by the green category, but then I’ve played a few video games in my day. Read on for hints and today’s Connections answers.

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Build.

Green group hint: Luigi.

Blue group hint: Not vegetables.

Purple group hint: Happy fun time.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Construct.

Green group: Super Mario figures.

Blue group: Fruits plus starting letter.

Purple group: Starting with merriments.

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is construct.

The four answers are fashion, model, mold and shape.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Super Mario figures.

The four answers are dinosaur, mushroom, plumber and princess.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is fruits plus starting letter.

The four answers are dapple (apple), Jdate (date), slime (lime) and spear (pear).

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starting with merriments.

The four answers are Cheerios (cheer), fungus (fun), gleek (glee) and joystick (joy).

CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.

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