NYT Connections is one of the most popular daily word puzzles from The New York Times. Launched in mid-2023, it challenges players to find hidden links between 16 seemingly unrelated words. Here’s everything you need to know to play — and win.
What Is NYT Connections?
Connections presents you with a 4×4 grid of 16 words. Your goal is to sort them into four groups of four, where each group shares a common theme or connection. The groups are color-coded by difficulty: 🟨 Yellow (easiest), 🟩 Green, 🟦 Blue, and 🟪 Purple (hardest).
How to Play: Step by Step
1. Study the grid. Read all 16 words before making any guesses. Look for patterns, categories, or themes that might connect four of them.
2. Select four words. Tap or click on four words you believe share a connection, then hit “Submit.”
3. Check your result. If correct, the group is revealed with its color and category name. If wrong, you lose one of your four allowed mistakes.
4. Continue until solved. Keep identifying groups until all four are found — or until you run out of mistakes.
The Difficulty Colors Explained
🟨 Yellow is the most straightforward group. The connection is usually obvious once you see it — think simple categories like “types of fruit” or “things that are round.”
🟩 Green is slightly trickier but still fairly direct. The connection might require a bit more lateral thinking.
🟦 Blue steps up the difficulty. These connections might involve cultural references, less common meanings of words, or more abstract themes.
🟪 Purple is the hardest. These often involve wordplay, hidden patterns, double meanings, or connections that only become clear once you see the answer. The purple group is where most players get tripped up.
Top Strategies for Solving Connections
Start with the easiest group. Look for the yellow category first. Getting one group right narrows down your options and builds confidence.
Look for trick words. The puzzle intentionally includes words that could fit multiple categories. Be cautious with words that seem too obvious — they might be decoys designed to lead you astray.
Think about word types. Are any words exclusively nouns? Verbs? Adjectives? Grouping by part of speech can sometimes reveal hidden connections.
Consider alternative meanings. Many English words have multiple meanings. “Bank” could relate to finance or rivers. “Bat” could be an animal or sports equipment. The puzzle loves exploiting these ambiguities.
Use process of elimination. Once you’ve identified three groups, the remaining four words must form the last group — even if the connection isn’t immediately obvious.
Save purple for last. Since the purple category is the trickiest, let it reveal itself through elimination rather than trying to solve it directly.
When Does Connections Reset?
A new puzzle is available every day at midnight Eastern Time (ET). That’s 12:00 PM Singapore Time (SGT) or 5:00 AM GMT.
Is Connections Free?
Yes! Unlike some NYT games, Connections is completely free to play. You don’t need a New York Times subscription. Just visit the NYT Games section or download the NYT app.
Need Help With Today’s Puzzle?
We publish daily hints and answers for every Connections puzzle. Check out our Connections Hint Today page for progressive clues that won’t spoil the fun — unless you want them to.