‘Cask’ meaning: NYT Connections Nov. 10 answer and hints

Today’s Connections puzzle in the New York Times features a tricky word in the easiest group, and while the puzzle is solvable even if you have no clue what it is, it is still worth asking—what does “cask” mean, and how does it fit the solution? We’ve got you covered with the answers and hints you need.

What is ‘Cask’ in Connections hints and answer (Nov. 10)

Per Merriam-Webster, a cask is “a barrel-shaped vessel of staves, headings, and hoops usually for liquids,” or the quantity contained within a cask. Odd and rarely-used the word may be, it is actually part of the yellow group of words in today’s Connections puzzle, the easiest of the bunch. Unsurprisingly, many players today ended up finding other groups first in this one. I personally got the purple one first because of how much the words involved stood out in their sheer oddity, figuring out the yellow group in third place.

A red herring in today’s Connections is a set of references to Edgar Allan Poe’s works: The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Raven, and The Cask of Amontillado. I’m not sure how exactly they justified not making this a valid group: I suppose The Raven is a poem, but this is still a set of notable works by the same author, with Connections Bot also not listing it as a possible mistake in my post-play analysis. Still, it is worth noting, if only for reading list purposes!

Even if you have no idea what a cask is, you can solve today’s Connections (it has a 1/5 difficulty rating) by process of elimination as the rest of the groups are also not that difficult to figure out.

Connections hints and answer (Nov. 10)

As for the rest of today’s Connections puzzle, here’s how it shakes out:

• 🟨 Barrel-shaped container: CASK, CYLINDER, DRUM, TANK
• 🟩 Guide: PILOT, SHEPHERD, STEER, USHER
• 🟦 N.F.L. team member: COWBOY, JET, RAM, RAVEN
• 🟪 Things that swing: GOLFER, PENDULUM, SALOON DOORS, SWING

We also have the full Connections archive available to you, with hints and answers to past puzzles, should you need them.

Crosswords, Strands, Spelling Bee: More word games to play

If you want further brain teasers in your day, we suggest the NYT Mini Crossword or today’s Spelling Bee. The LA Times and the Washington Post also offer excellent crosswords.