Today's NYT Connections Hints and Answers
Welcome to our daily Connections hints page! NYT Connections has become one of the most popular puzzle games, challenging players to find four groups of four words that share a common connection. Our Connections hints today help you solve the puzzle without immediately spoiling the answers.
Each day, the New York Times releases a new Connections puzzle with 16 words arranged in a 4x4 grid. Your goal is to identify the four groups, each containing four words that share something in common. The categories range from straightforward (yellow - easiest) to tricky (purple - hardest).
How to Play NYT Connections
If you're new to Connections, here's how the game works:
- 16 Words: You're presented with 16 words in a grid
- Find 4 Groups: Group the words into four categories of four words each
- 4 Mistakes Allowed: You can make up to 4 incorrect guesses before losing
- Color-Coded Difficulty: Yellow is easiest, then green, blue, and purple (hardest)
Connections Strategy Tips
Here are proven strategies to improve your Connections game:
- Start with Yellow: The yellow category is always the most straightforward. Look for obvious connections first.
- Beware of Red Herrings: Some words might seem to fit multiple categories. The puzzle is designed to trick you!
- Save Purple for Last: The purple category often has the trickiest connection - hidden patterns, wordplay, or obscure references.
- Look for Patterns: Categories might involve prefixes, suffixes, phrases, pop culture, or word associations.
- Use Process of Elimination: Once you've found 2-3 categories, the remaining words become easier to group.
Common Connections Categories
Understanding common category types can help you solve today's Connections puzzle:
- Synonyms: Words that mean the same thing (e.g., happy, joyful, pleased, glad)
- ___ + Word: Words that can follow a common word (e.g., BALL: basket, foot, base, beach)
- Word + ___: Words that can precede a common word
- Pop Culture: Movie titles, TV shows, celebrity names, song lyrics
- Hidden Words: Words containing a hidden element (letters spelling something else)
- Double Meanings: Words with multiple interpretations
Understanding the Purple Category
The purple category is notoriously difficult. Common purple category tricks include:
- Words that all contain a hidden element (like animal names spelled within)
- Words from a specific phrase or saying when combined with another word
- Obscure pop culture references
- Technical or specialized vocabulary from a specific field
Connections vs Other NYT Games
How does Connections compare to other New York Times puzzle games?
- vs Wordle: Connections tests categorization skills while Wordle tests vocabulary and deduction
- vs Strands: Both involve finding groups, but Strands uses a letter grid
- vs Crossword: Connections is quicker but requires lateral thinking
Frequently Asked Questions
NYT Connections resets at midnight Eastern Time. Our hints page updates shortly after with today's Connections hints and answers.
You get 4 incorrect guesses before the game ends. Each time you select 4 words that aren't a valid category, you lose one life. Choose carefully!
The colors indicate difficulty: Yellow is easiest, Green is easy-medium, Blue is medium-hard, and Purple is the hardest. Start with yellow categories first!
NYT subscribers can access the Connections archive to play past puzzles. Our archive page also tracks previous answers for reference.
The purple category often involves wordplay, hidden patterns, or obscure connections. Common tricks include words containing hidden elements, phrases that complete with another word, or specialized references.
The puzzle is intentionally designed with misleading connections. Words are chosen to potentially fit multiple categories, making you think carefully before guessing. This is what makes Connections so engaging!