Looking for today's Connections answer for puzzle #433 from August 17, the Connections companion rated this puzzle 1.8 out of 5 for difficulty, a significant decrease in difficulty compared to yesterday's answer.

We update our Connections hints and tips daily. And if the hints aren't enough, you can see all four solutions along with the category title and related words. In addition, for those of you reading this in another time zone, I have included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle, #432.

There are spoilers for connection #433. 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 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 just want the answer, scroll down further.

Here's a bigger hint: Give your partner a canoodle when you are discussing housing construction and where to put the first aid kit.

Now, what's the answer to today's game #433 Connection?

Drum roll please.

Maybe it's because I have a date with my partner tonight, but the green category popped up first. French, kissing, flirting, neck, etc., caught on quickly.

The yellow category stood out next, getting dialect, language, conversation, and tongue.

It was like a coin flip, but I chose cottage, craftsman, prairie, ranch and what appeared to be residential style.

The blue category was first aid kit items like bandages, dressings, scissors, and tape, and I simply filled in from there.

Simple stuff today, enjoy and have a good weekend.

Are you reading this late in the day? According to Connections Companion, the difficulty level was 3.4 out of 5.

The difficulty level for the last couple of days has been in the 3-point range, and for the most part, it was no more difficult than the previous day's 2 points. Nevertheless, today's puzzle might make you pause as you solve its connections.

I solved the yellow category early, but skipped it to follow the other categories. So the first thing I got were the state abbreviations: HI (Hawaii), MA (Massachusetts), OR (Oregon), PA (Pennsylvania); OK might remind you of Oklahoma, but don't fall for that little trap.

Having passed up yellow again, I saw Ankle High and Momo High and thought it was the sock connection, which I did again last week. Fortunately, cowboy and go-go were easy spots.

Knowing the yellow category, I chose the ones that went up and down: elevator, sun, tide, and yo-yo. I think it worked, but so what?

Then I hooked up average, so-so, so-so, so-so, and finished with Meh.

Again, this puzzle was no harder than any other puzzle this week. If anything, it was so-so.