Entertainment · Puzzles
Connections hints that work every day
A spoiler-free method for sorting 16 words into four groups, from the first guess to the purple group.
NYT Connections hints are among the most searched puzzle tips every morning, because the daily game from The New York Times is easy to learn and hard to finish. Instead of handing you today’s answers, this guide gives you a method that works on any board, so you can solve it yourself and keep your streak honest.
Connections launched in beta on June 12, 2023, and it is written by Wyna Liu, a puzzle editor at The New York Times, according to Wikipedia. It has become the Times’ second-most-played game after Wordle. A Sports Edition with The Athletic followed; Wikipedia dates its beta to Sept. 24, 2024, and the Times promoted its official launch for Feb. 9, 2025.
How NYT Connections works
Each puzzle shows 16 words. Your job is to sort them into four groups of four that share something in common. You select four words and submit. A correct group locks in and shows its category; a wrong guess costs one of your four mistakes. Make four mistakes and the game ends.
The groups are color-coded by difficulty, which you see after solving:
The four Connections colors
| Color | Difficulty | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Easiest | A plain category, such as types of fruit |
| Green | Medium | A clear link with a twist or a broader idea |
| Blue | Harder | Specialized knowledge or a less obvious meaning |
| Purple | Hardest | Wordplay: hidden words, sounds, or words that complete a phrase |
10 NYT Connections hints that work on any puzzle
A method for every board
- Read all 16 before you clickSay each word out loud and note every meaning. Many words are nouns and verbs, or names and objects.
- Find the red herringsThere are usually five or six words that fit an obvious category. The extra one belongs somewhere else. If you see five, wait.
- Start with the group you’re surest ofLock in a confident group to shrink the board. It does not have to be yellow.
- Hunt purple earlyLook for wordplay: words hiding smaller words, words that sound like others, or words that all go before or after the same word (fire___ or ___ball).
- Check parts of speechIf a word only works as a verb, the group might be about actions, not things.
- Think in phrasesTry adding a common word in front or behind: “___ cake,” “spring ___.”
- Look for proper nounsCapitalized ideas such as brands, famous people, places or sports teams often form one group, even when the board shows them in caps.
- Use the shuffle buttonRearranging the grid breaks the patterns your eyes locked onto.
- Solve by eliminationWith two groups left, the last eight words must split cleanly. If they don’t, one of your earlier groups was wrong in your head.
- Guess only when the odds are good“One away” means three of your four are right. Swap one word, not two.
The tricks the puzzle uses most
- Overlap. Five words fit the same easy category, but only four belong.
- Double meanings. A word like “bass” can be a fish or a music term.
- Hidden words. A group where each word contains a smaller word, such as an animal or a body part.
- Sound-alikes. Homophones or words that rhyme with something.
- Fill in the blank. Words that all complete the same phrase.
- Pop culture. Movie titles, band names or characters that look like ordinary words.
Connections is more fun when you solve it, and answers change every day. Inksight sticks to tips that work on every puzzle. If you want the official answers, the game shows each category after you finish.
A worked example (illustrative)
Say the board includes: Apple, Mercury, Python, Amazon, Jaguar, Mars, Shell, Saturn. Your first thought might be planets (Mercury, Mars, Saturn) and tech companies (Apple, Amazon). But Jaguar is a car brand and an animal, Python is a snake and a programming language, Shell is an oil company and a sea creature’s home, and Mercury, Saturn and Mars are also car or candy brands. A strong solver writes down every meaning before guessing. This example is made up to show the method; it is not a real puzzle.
How a board breaks down (illustrative)
Illustrative only. The number of decoy words varies by puzzle.
How to improve over time
- Play every day. You start to recognize the editor’s favorite patterns.
- Review the categories after you finish, especially the purple one.
- Try the Sports Edition from The Athletic if you know sports trivia.
- Read widely. Word knowledge from news, music and movies pays off.
- Slow down. Most lost games come from a fast first guess on an obvious group.
Why word games are good for your work brain
Daily puzzles are a short, focused break. Sorting words by meaning, spotting decoys and checking your assumptions are the same habits that help with reading contracts, reviewing data and making decisions. If you are looking for other ways to sharpen your thinking at work, see our guide to using AI tools at work, where checking assumptions matters just as much.
Common mistakes
- Guessing the first obvious group. It often has a fifth decoy word.
- Ignoring second meanings. Most purple groups hide there.
- Changing two words after “one away.” Change one at a time.
- Forgetting the shuffle button. A new layout reveals new links.
- Rushing the last two groups. If eight words don’t split cleanly, rethink an earlier group.
Key terms
- Red herring: a word that seems to belong to a group but does not.
- Purple group: the hardest category, usually based on wordplay.
- One away: the game’s message when three of your four words are correct.
- Homophone: a word that sounds like another word with a different meaning.
- Streak: the number of consecutive days you have solved the puzzle.
The bottom line: the best NYT Connections hints are habits, not answers. Read every word, count the decoys, hunt for wordplay early and change one word at a time after a near miss. Use them daily and the purple group stops feeling impossible.
Key takeaways
- NYT Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four, with four mistakes allowed.
- Groups are color-coded: yellow is easiest, then green, blue and purple, the hardest.
- Look for five or six words that fit an easy group; one of them is a red herring.
- Purple groups usually use wordplay such as hidden words, sound-alikes or fill-in-the-blank phrases.
- Connections launched in beta on June 12, 2023 and is written by Times puzzle editor Wyna Liu.
Frequently asked questions
What are good NYT Connections hints?
Read all 16 words first, look for five or six words that fit one easy group, hunt for wordplay early, use the shuffle button and change only one word after a one away message.
What do the colors mean in Connections?
Yellow is the easiest group, green is medium, blue is harder and purple is the hardest, usually based on wordplay.
How many mistakes can you make in Connections?
You can make four mistakes. On the fourth wrong guess, the game ends.
Who writes NYT Connections?
Wyna Liu, a puzzle editor at The New York Times, writes the puzzles. The game launched in beta on June 12, 2023.
Is there a sports version of Connections?
Yes. Connections: Sports Edition is made with The Athletic. Wikipedia dates its beta to Sept. 24, 2024, and the Times promoted its official launch for Feb. 9, 2025.
Sources
- Wikipedia: The New York Times Connections (viewed Nov. 8, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Wyna Liu (viewed Nov. 8, 2026)
- The New York Times Games: Connections
- The New York Times on TikTok: Connections: Sports Edition launch with The Athletic (Feb. 2025)
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