Looking for today's Connections answer for puzzle #413 on July 28, a little harder than yesterday's answer, this puzzle from Connections Companion has a difficulty rating of 2.7 out of 5.

We update our Connections clues and hints daily. And if the hints aren't enough, you can see all four answers along with the category title and related words. In addition, for those of you reading this in a different time zone, I've included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle, #412.

There are spoilers for connection #413. Only read this if you want to know the answer to today's connection.

Alternatively, see our NYT Connections How to Play Guide for tips on how to solve the puzzle without our help.

While today's wordle solution guide recommends the best wordle starting words as a strategy, the Connections solution depends on identifying the categories that are connected from the 16 words. The difficulty of each category is represented by a color, with yellow being the easiest grouping and purple the most difficult. Hints are helpful as the answer is displayed after four wrong guesses.

If you need a hint to help you solve the groupings, here are each theme in order of difficulty:

If you read these hints, you should at least find the answer to today's connection. If not, please continue reading for larger hints. Also, if you only want the answer, scroll down further.

Here's a bigger clue. Edgar Allen Poe would be a fan of today's puzzle. Or should I say Edgar Allen Potatoes?

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Now for the answer to today's connection in game 413.

Drum roll, please.

I could crack the green category first. I've only heard tortoiseshell used to describe glasses and cats, and once I started thinking along those lines, it was easy to pick out other kinds of feline companions. Isn't it funny how dog breeds have so many different names, but when people ask what kind of cat you have, you just say orange? (That's why his name is Cheeto.)

I first thought Spine and Jitter or Nerve might be related, but Page was a big flag that we could be talking about a book here (or a pager, but that seems unlikely). So Jacket and Cover rounded out the yellow category.

But my initial thinking helped me understand the blue category with all its synonyms for anxiety. I myself am well aware of this.

The purple category had me stumped until I came across the name of that category. Really, Connection Crew. Beethoven. Peacock. Is that a dad gag?

I'm reading this late in the day. According to Connections Companion, the difficulty level was 2.6 out of 5.

I looked at generation, production, and harvest and found the green category first. I was hoping to see more bear and fox animals, but alas. Speaking of bears, the word “bear” is “fruitful”. However, I don't think this word alone fits this definition. The only other word I can think of is “bears young,” but it doesn't seem grammatically correct in this category.

When I put aside, detour, digression, and tangent together, I was very surprised that somehow they fit into the yellow category. I had assumed they were grouped together in blue. I tend to wipe the difficult categories first and try to save the yellow unless I need to use it to clear the board and my mind a bit.

The real blue categories were a little fun with Babe, Fox, Snack, and Ten. The slang category is fun.

When I saw the title of the purple category, my first thought was that it was, frankly, wrong. Radius, R, Reverse, yes, that's another R. Despite knowing that there is such an R, I did not want to accept it. Well, sometimes you have to let go of the first idea and see what comes second or even third.