Connections Hints
Connections, a daily word puzzle from the New York Times, challenges players to group words based on subtle links. The game has become one of the Times’ most popular games, second only to Wordle. Its editor, Wyna Liu, shares tips on how to play with Newsweek.
Each word grouping is labeled a color, from yellow (the easiest) to blue and purple. This article contains hints for the four correct groups, so scroll with caution.
Groups of words with a common theme
The New York Times’ word game Connections is a new challenge that requires players to find connections between seemingly disparate words. It’s a bit like the classic category game with a twist, and it’s quickly become one of the Times’ most popular games—second only to Wordless. But it can be tricky to figure out the right groups.
Each group of four words shares a common theme. This can be anything from types of weather (RAIN, SLEET, and HAIL are all kinds of rain) to things you might find in a kitchen (BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, and OMELET are breakfast foods). Some groups may also include words with similar sounds or syllables.
Players can shuffle and rearrange the grid of words to help them spot potential connections. But be warned: a wrong guess counts as a mistake, and you can only make four mistakes per round. This makes it important to stay focused and try not to rage solve.
Groups of words with a common word
A daily game from the New York Times, Connections presents players with a grid of 16 words that must be grouped into four categories. The categories can be anything from book titles to software to country names, and while multiple sets of words may seem connected, there is only one correct grouping. Each group is color-coded and reveals its answer as you complete it.
Each day’s word puzzles have a different theme that connects the words together. Sometimes, overlapping groups are included to trick players and throw them off track. For example, a previous grouping included breakfast foods like BACON and EGG along with things that come by the dozen like PANCAKE and OMELET.
A good way to solve Connections is to look for word families. These are a group of words with the same base, but have different prefixes and suffixes. For example, the word dissented is part of a family that includes the concepts dissension and dissenter.
Groups of words with a common letter
Developed during the New York Times’ annual game jam, Connections has become one of the newspaper’s most popular games. Players are given 16 words and tasked with grouping them into four groups that share a common theme. The groups are color-coded, with Yellow being the easiest and Purple being the hardest. Often, groups of words will overlap and seem to fit multiple themes, but there is only one correct answer for each group.
To solve the game, you must identify the common threads among the words and find patterns. This may require a bit of imagination, but it is possible to narrow down tricky groups. Look for obvious clues like synonyms, homophones, and word forms. In addition, try to focus on the abstract connections between the words. For example, CRASH and PLACEBO could both be referring to car accidents, but CRAWL and DRAG are more likely to be associated with body movements. The more you think, the more you’ll find clues to help you crack the code.
Groups of words with a common sound
Groups of words with a common sound are a great way to help children improve their reading and spelling skills. These groups can include words with the same letter combination and sound such as at, eat, cat, and fat. They can also include words that share a similar meaning, such as hat and mat.
Developed in June 2023, Connections has become one of the Times’ most popular games (only surpassed by Wordle). Edited by Wyna Liu, it challenges players to group 16 words into four sets of four that have a common theme.
Each day’s puzzle resets at midnight in your time zone. The hints below may contain spoilers for today’s puzzle, so be sure to scroll with caution!
