Looking for the answer to today's Connections puzzle, the difficulty level for puzzle #522 on November 14 took a dive compared to yesterday's puzzle.

We update our Connections hints and tips every day. 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 521.

There are spoilers for connection 522. Only those who want to know the answer to today's connection should read on.

Or 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:

These hints should at least give you an idea of how to 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: Take out your guitar, give treats to the horses, and tip tirelessly at restaurants.

Now, what's the answer to today's game #522 Connection?

Drum roll please.

See Jam and Rock led to Shred and Groove to play music with passion.

I noticed that the tax and tip were close together and the total not too far apart, which pointed to a receipt. The signature stood out to me, so I wrapped it up.

I had been stuck on sap for a while, but I was thinking more of a sugary substance, not a consuming definition. But with only eight words left, it was easy to see sugar cubes, grains, powders, and syrups as forms of sugar.

So today's puzzle was solved with drain, empty, exhaust, and sap as words that deplete.

Are you reading this late in the day? According to Connections Companion, the difficulty level was 3.2 out of 5.

Today Connections is back on the New York Times site. This is because the Tech Guild is back at work at the Times and urging people to return.

We tried the tartar, mustard, Worcestershire, and lemon sauce categories. It was a trap.

Then I saw Wing and Annex, so I moved on to creating add-ons. Extensions and add-ons were quickly found.

I saw Canary and Lemon, so I went back to Mustard. My son loves Minions, so it was an instant hook for me.

Then I was stuck.

I had most of the blue group with cavities, plaque, and tartar. I had never heard of tartar, so it was a wild hunch that it was blue. Tartar is calcified, apparently.

The purple category is “words that seem longer written than spoken.” Colonel, Pharaoh, Wednesday, Worcestershire. I disagree with the Connections crew about this title.