Would you ever refer to sex as commerce or congress? (Spoiler alert for today’s puzzle)

[JMSA]

Bloody NYT Connections and the woman who makes them up!
What absolute nonsense.

This one was weird but guessable from the options.

The purple one however 🤯

Commerce isn’t American, it’s from Herodotus. Did none of you take classics?

”and over their maidens they do not keep watch, but allow them to have commerce with whatever men they please”

I always find Connections really tricky. I don't mind this one so much (have ready many starchy historical romance novels 😁) but hate the ones where it's the start/end of the word, swap one letter to make something else, homonyms etc.

Thought the connections was ok today. What annoys me is when they have homonyms that aren’t remotely pronounced alike. Like more and moor.

Sorry not to have had a fancy edukayshun like what you did.

Pronounced exactly the same in my accent.

Congress was in fairly common use in the past.

I remember that generating a lot of mirth in school discussions on the Congress of Vienna following a class trip there.

😂

No, that threw me as well, congress, yes, but commerce, no!

But what about garnish as means both as opposites?! 🫤

I did not know this, but worked it out anyway as seemed logical as sex has been highly transactional throughout history

Congress, yes. But I was scratching my head at commerce!

I was shouting at the App this morning as well. 'Commerce', my aunt Fanny. Pfft.

Prostitution?

Stupid words today

Well quite

Garnish can mean to add something (like adding parsley to a salad) or to take something away (e.g., to garnish someone's wages).

Garnish- add something as a decoration OR Garnish someone’s wages means to take something away.
It’s on days like this I swear I’m not playing connections anymore but I’ll be back tomorrow for more torture I’m sure.

I’m not sure I’ve heard it in real life, but it seemed to be the only one that made sense so I guessed and actually that was the first group I got. I crashed out anyway because couldn’t get two of the groups- the word related and sport related ones.

I am an American and commerce is not used at all afaik. The Herodotus info is enlightening!

A garnish on someone's wages is to take away some of their wages (usually to service a debt or legal obligation) prior to the member of staff receiving it.

So a garnish is both an addition for embellishment and a subtraction (of income)

Edited to add - I got distracted while typing this and @Aznavour and @KingofMay made the same point while I was answering the door - sorry!

@KingofMay @Aznavour @PestoHoliday Well I never knew!!

They need some fresh blood for this puzzle. Someone to alternate with Wyna Liu.

Congress is quite normal in historical texts. And ditto for commerce. Clearly the puzzle setter is better read than the puzzlers.

i wouldn’t use it but congress is definitely a word for it. Commerce, not so much!