When I was little, I remember my dad playing a game with us on long road trips. He’d ask us, “What do these things all have in common?”
When we were very young, they started out simple (apple, orange, pear and kiwi… they’re all fruit), but as I got older, the questions got harder (airplane, bee, hot air balloon and mosquito… they all fly) and harder (water, dog, potato, wheels… they can all be “hot”). And as they did, I felt myself becoming wiser and wiser.
There’s something thrilling about the eureka moment when you figure out how things are related. Which is why The New York Times’ new game Connections is wildly popular. It’s also why I decided to make my own version, for the High Holidays.
In case you haven’t played Connections yet (definitely try it out!), you’re given a grid of 16 squares. The challenge is to group them into four sets of four, threading the words together by a common theme.
It’s a great game to play with kids, because it encourages creative thinking, develops critical thinking skills and leads to interesting discussions.
Learning moments happen, too. Occasionally, when I’m playing my daily round of Connections, I come across a word or phrase I’m unfamiliar with. And that sends me on a mini research hunt, as I find out new things about the world.
Enjoy trying these High Holiday puzzles on your own or with your family. If you’re playing with young kids, help them out by giving them the category one at a time and seeing how many items they can find.
The answers are at the end. Only peek when you’re ready!
Best wishes for a shana tova, a sweet new year, to you and your loved ones. And may this year bring about all sorts of positive connections. And also some high scores.
Answer Key (no peeking!)
Rosh Hashanah Edition #1:
Challah: Egg, Round, Braided, Bakery
Blow: Shofar, Bubbles, Nose, Horn
Honey: Cake, Comb, Pot, Mustard
New: Leaf, Year, Born, Moon
Rosh Hashanah Edition #2:
High: Five, Holidays, Spirits, Regard
Apples: Jazz, Gala, Empire, Honeycrisp
On the table/RH symbols: Pomegranate, Fish, Carrot, Date
Rosh Hashanah “activities”: Meals, Shofar, Prayers, Tashlich
Rosh Hashanah Edition #3:
Sefer Hachaim: Book, Of, Good, Life
Tzimmes Ingredients: Carrots, Raisins, Prunes, Honey
The Akeidah: Bind, Ram, Test, Mountain
___ of the Shofar: Blast, Wail, Toot, Sound
Rosh Hashanah Edition #4:
Seven Days of Creation: Shabbat, Animals, Light, Trees
The Birthday of…: Earth, Globe, Planet, World
Products of Bees: Venom, Honey, Wax, Propolis
Shanah Tovah Umetukah: Good, And, Sweet, Year
Yom Kippur Edition #1:
Holy: Day, Cow, Socks, Macaroni
Activities of the Day: Pray, Fast, Atone, Forgive
Re-: Flect, Turn, New, Pent
White: Lie, Noise, Glove, Flag
Yom Kippur Edition #2:
Sorry: Sight, State, Note, Charlie
Jonah: Storm, Fish, Boat, Prophecy
The Power of Teshuvah: Erase, Delete, Redact, Undo
Goat: Kid, Billy, Scape, Old
