Mastering The Game: Your Guide To The New York Times' Connections

It's the end of the working week so if you need help with today's Connections, there's no judgment here. If you’ve not played it before, Connections is the latest word game from the New York Times to hit the internet, and it has taken social media by storm. The game was launched by the Times in June 2023 and has quickly achieved viral success. It is now the news outlet's second most-played brainteaser after the hugely popular word game Wordle.

Understanding the Gameplay of 'Connections'

Players of Connections are presented with a grid of 16 different words. The challenge is to arrange these words into four distinct groups of four by identifying the common theme or connection among them. This requires not only a good vocabulary but also the ability to think critically about the relationships between words.

For every group of four words placed correctly, those words will be eliminated from the board. However, caution is advised! Each incorrect guess contributes to a growing mistake tally. Players are limited to just four mistakes before the game comes to an end. This unique mechanic adds a layer of strategic thinking to the game, making every choice count.

Sometimes players may find themselves stuck and unable to figure out the connections. To aid in this, there is an option to shuffle and rearrange the board, making it easier to guess the connections. The game also employs a color-coding system indicating the difficulty of each group. Yellow signifies the easiest level, followed by green, blue, and purple. The colors will only be revealed once the words in a group are correctly connected, adding an element of suspense!

Strategies for Success in 'Connections'

In the spirit of enhancing your gameplay experience, Connections editor Wyna Liu, who has been curating puzzles for the New York Times since 2020, offers valuable advice. She suggests that if you find yourself with five or more words clustering around a single category, consider pivoting to a different category before making your first guess. This strategy may help eliminate some of the extra cards from contention, thereby making other categories easier to decipher.

“Doing so might take one of those extra cards out of contention, or at least remove a few cards from the board, making other categories easier to see,” Liu said, emphasizing the importance of strategic thinking in the game. With practice and a keen eye for connections, players can significantly improve their performance and enjoy the game to its fullest.

Today's Connections Hints and Answers

For those eager to tackle today's challenge, Newsweek has some helpful hints to guide you through the Connections categories:

• Yellow: Ways to attach something.
• Green: The work of a writer.
• Blue: How a diamond is judged.
• Purple: All of these words can be preceded by the same letter in the alphabet.

Now, let's unveil the answers for today's puzzle:

• Yellow Category: ATTACH WITH ADHESIVE
• Adhere
• Glue
• Paste
• Stick
• Green Category: PUBLISHED LINES
• Copy
• Text
• Words
• Writing
• Blue Category: DIAMOND QUALITIES
• Carat
• Clarity
• Color
• Cut
• Purple Category: A-___
• List
• OK
• Plus
• Rod

Did you manage to guess the answers correctly? If so, congratulations! If not, don't worry—there will be another chance to crack the puzzle tomorrow. Connections releases at midnight in your local time zone, so be prepared for the next round!

As the popularity of Connections continues to rise, players can expect to see more challenging puzzles, tips, and tricks from Newsweek to aid in their gameplay. Happy puzzling!