Connections Answers
Monday, October 13, 2025
1
METAPHORS FOR POTENTIALLY VOLATILE SITUATIONS
These phrases are all metaphors used to describe a situation that, once initiated or disturbed, will lead to many difficult, unpleasant, or dangerous problems.
Individual words:
•CAN OF WORMS: Opening this means starting a small problem that quickly creates many new, complicated, and unpleasant difficulties.
•HORNET’S NEST: Disturbing this means causing a lot of anger and trouble from many people, like poking a real nest of stinging insects.
•MINEFIELD: This is a situation with many hidden dangers. One wrong action can cause big trouble or a lot of damage, like stepping on an explosive.
•PANDORA’S BOX: From an old story, opening this means releasing many unexpected and serious problems or troubles that are hard to stop once they've started.
2
BAR EVENTS
These are common and fun events or special times that happen at a bar or pub in America.
Individual words:
•HAPPY HOUR: A special time, usually in late afternoon, when a bar offers cheaper prices on drinks and sometimes food. It's a popular way to relax after work.
•KARAOKE: At a bar, people take turns singing popular songs into a microphone with the music playing. The words show on a screen to help you sing along.
•LIVE MUSIC: Musicians play instruments and sing songs in person at the bar, not from a recording. People enjoy listening or dancing to the performance.
•TRIVIA NIGHT: A quiz game played in teams at a bar. A host asks questions about different topics, and teams try to get the most correct answers to win small prizes.
3
WORDS AFTER A WELCOME DEPARTURE
These are phrases people say when someone or something unwanted finally leaves, and they are happy about it. A 'welcome departure' means you are glad they are gone.
Individual words:
•ABOUT TIME: This phrase expresses that something should have happened much sooner, and you are relieved or impatient that it took so long to occur. It implies a sense of 'finally!'.
•FINALLY: Used when something long-awaited, desired, or that took a long time to happen, has now occurred. It often shows relief or satisfaction after a delay.
•GOOD RIDDANCE: This is a strong, informal phrase showing you are very happy that an annoying, unpleasant, or unwanted person or thing has gone away. It means 'I'm glad they're gone!'.
•SAYONARA: This is a Japanese word for 'goodbye'. In English, it's often used informally to mean 'goodbye for good' or 'good riddance' to someone you don't want to see again.
4
ENDING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "SWINDLE"
Each phrase ends with a word that is a synonym for 'swindle' or 'to cheat someone'.
Individual words:
•AMERICAN HUSTLE: 'American Hustle' is a movie about con artists in the US. To 'hustle' can mean to trick someone, often for money.
•COMIC CON: 'Comic-Con' is a large event for fans of comic books and pop culture. 'Con' is short for convention, but also means a trick or scam.
•GOLDEN FLEECE: The 'Golden Fleece' is a famous object from ancient Greek myths. To 'fleece' someone means to cheat them out of money.
•LUCKY STIFF: A 'lucky stiff' is an informal way to say someone is very lucky. To 'stiff' someone means to cheat them, usually by not paying.