Unlocking The Fun Of Connections: Your Guide To Today's Puzzle And Tips

Happy hump day, Connections players! Newsweek is back with another round of hints and solutions for today's puzzle from The New York Times. Following the widespread success of Wordle—a word-based game that captured the hearts of millions, and that the Times bought in early 2022—the newspaper introduced Connections in 2023. The game has quickly become a favorite among brainteaser enthusiasts, with fans across the globe eagerly sharing their daily progress and strategies on social media. Wednesday's answers are at the end of this article, so scroll with caution if you'd like to solve the puzzle yourself.

Understanding the Game Mechanics of Connections

Connections tasks players with grouping 16 words into four categories based on association. Each category is named after a color, which also signifies its difficulty. Yellow is the easiest category, followed by green, blue, and purple. If a player guesses incorrect groups of words four times, the game ends, and they are defeated. There is no time limit for the game, allowing players to take their time and think through their choices.

The uniting themes can come from various categories—be it Halloween costumes or music genres. If all four words are correctly placed into a set, those words will be removed from the board. Each incorrect guess counts toward the mistake tally, adding a layer of challenge to the game.

Tips for Playing Connections Effectively

Wyna Liu, a crossword editor at the Times who was asked to develop Connections, previously shared her recommended tips for playing the game. According to her, "My best piece of advice is to wait as long as you can before guessing." This strategy allows players to analyze the board thoroughly before making a decision.

You may see the board and have completely identified the category, seeing five words that could belong in that category. Don't try to guess the four words in that category because even though you know what the fifth member is, you won't know which of the four it might not be, which would ultimately waste a turn. Liu also humorously advised not to engage in "rage solving," which often leads to hasty mistakes.

Today's Connections Clues and Answers

Newsweek is here with some hints to help you identify today's Connections categories. The clues for the game are divided into four color-coded categories:

• Yellow: Words that convey the way you apply things like icing, paint, and butter.
• Green: Objects that are filled with air.
• Blue: Ways numerical information can be presented.
• Purple: Words that relate to a certain type of alcoholic beverage.

Answers for Connections #437 on August 21

For those who want to know the answers, here they are:

Did you work out the answers? If so, congratulations! If not, please don’t be put off the game. Practice makes perfect, and the next Connections puzzle will be published on Thursday. Connections is released at midnight in your local time zone, and Newsweek will be back tomorrow with another round of hints and tips. If you can't wait, why not try these other popular online word puzzle games?