Today’sNew York TimesConnectionsclues include a clever trap related to one of the biggest shows on TV right now, but it’s pretty misleading for fans trying to solve it. You’re going to have to think a little harder about today’s correct solutions.

If you’ve been watching the hit television seriesSeveranceyou’ll recognize some familiar names listed in theConnectionsclues for Friday March 7.The names of each of the four main characters, Dylan, Mark, Irving, and Helena are included, as well as the name of the main company in the show, Lumon. When you first see these names, it seems like a no-brainer thatSeverancewould be an answer for one of the categories, especially if you’re familiar with the characters and have been keeping up with the weekly episodes.

Connections Screenshot March 7

Connections' Clues For March 7, Explained

Who Are The Characters Referenced In Today’s Connections Puzzle?

The clues are a very clever way to tie in an Easter egg for the hit Apple TV+ show. It’s also thematically appropriate with the show, where things appear simple at first at Lumon, but there’s much more than meets the eye. The clues come just in time forSeverance’smost recent episode, “Sweet Vitriol.”

If you’re aSeverancefan who lovesConnections,you likely jumped on “Severance” as one of today’s answers, only to realise that there’s actually five nods to the show in there - “Mark,” “Lumon,” “Helena,” “Irving,” and “Dylan” - whereConnectionscategories require four answers per group.Today’sConnectionsanswers are actually nothing to do withSeveranceat all, and merely serve as a fun Easter egg for fans.It’s a little bit of a trap, or red herring, from theConnectionscreators to fans of the show.

Adam Scott from Severance holding a d20 with D&D characters in the background.

“Subjects of acclaimed musical biopics”

Lumon

“Fruits with their second letter changed”

Severanceis set in a strange and cryptic corporate office building owned by Lumon. The company’s purpose and what they actually do there is a bit of a mystery, and it contains a labyrinth of white hallways leading seemingly nowhere. The Severed technology splits the mind of workers on the Severed floor, essentially making them into two different people, Innies and Outies.

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Connections Continues To Deliver On Smart References

Don’t Be Fooled By These Severed Clues

These clues are yet another savvy move by theNYT Connectionspuzzle creators, where they manage to tie in topical clues from popular television shows or movies. The puzzles tend to give you some obviously connected clues, but these are almost always incorrect. In this case,“Mark” actually belongs with Label, Seal, and Stamp for the Emblem connection, while both Irving and Helena are U.S. cities. Mixing upSeverance-themed clues so that some of them connect and others do not is also a smart move, and will likely trick a lot of players.

Yes, You Should Absolutely Run Severance As A D&D Game

Severance is a uniquely horrifying and compelling television series. All of its thrills can translate to Dungeons & Dragons, and other tabletop RPGs.

Connectionshas managed to deliver another set of intelligent references that will almost certainly trap people. TheSeverancereferences inConnectionsare a great little shout-out to fans of the series who have been mesmerized by this season’s twists and turns. Overall, today’s clues are a further example thatConnectionshas a lot of tricks up its sleeve, and if you’re a fan of the puzzle, make sure you never take anything on face value.