Hey there, fellow puzzle enthusiasts! It's Thursday, the day that somehow manages to feel both like a sprint to the weekend and a marathon in itself. As I dodged a sudden downpour this morning, I couldn't help but think of how our daily challenges often mirror these unpredictable weather patterns.
Speaking of unpredictable challenges, today's "Connections" puzzle is like a puzzle mixed with a game of telephone – you never know where a clue might lead you! Remember to scan for loose synonyms and watch out for cross-category decoys as you navigate through the colorful tiers of clues.
As I wrestled with my rebellious umbrella, I couldn't help but appreciate the analogy to solving a puzzle – sometimes our tools don't behave as expected, but we find a way to make it work. So, what's your strategy for today's puzzle? Are you ready to dive in and connect the dots?
Don't let the overcast weather dampen your spirits. Grab a warm drink, curl up in your favorite spot, and let's tackle this puzzle together. Need hints or just want to share your progress? The comments section is waiting for your insights. Let's solve this puzzle, one connection at a time!
How to Play NYT Connections
Overview
Connections is a daily word puzzle game from The New York Times. The goal is to find groups of four words that share something in common. You’re presented with 16 words arranged in a 4×4 grid, and you must identify four groups of four related words.
Basic Rules
- You have 16 words total, arranged in a 4×4 grid
- There are exactly 4 groups of 4 related words each
- Each word belongs to exactly one group
- You must find all four groups to complete the puzzle
- You have 4 mistakes allowed before the game ends
How to Play
- Look at all 16 words and try to identify patterns or connections
- Select 4 words you think belong together by clicking/tapping them
- Click “Submit” to check if your group is correct
- If correct, those 4 words will be removed and grouped together
- If incorrect, you lose one of your 4 allowed mistakes
- Continue until you find all 4 groups or run out of mistakes
Difficulty Levels
The four groups are color-coded by difficulty:
- 🟨 YELLOW: Easiest – usually straightforward categories
- 🟩 GREEN: Easy-Medium – slightly more complex connections
- 🟦 BLUE: Medium-Hard – trickier associations or wordplay
- 🟪 PURPLE: Hardest – often involves puns, multiple meanings, or very subtle connections
Strategy Tips
- Start with the most obvious connections first
- Be careful of red herrings – words that seem to fit multiple categories
- If you’re unsure, try to eliminate what doesn’t belong first
- The purple group often involves wordplay, homophones, or very creative connections
- Don’t guess randomly – you only have 4 mistakes
Scoring
- Complete the puzzle to see your results
- Mistakes are tracked but don’t affect your final score
- Share your results with friends using the share button
- Results show how many mistakes you made for each group
Reveal Hint
Used for digging and watering
Reveal Answer
GARDENING TOOLS
- HOSE
- RAKE
- SHOVEL
- SPADE
Reveal Hint
Lacking movement or motion
Reveal Answer
UNMOVING
- FROZEN
- STATIC
- STATIONARY
- STILL
Reveal Hint
Small, thin, flat pieces
Reveal Answer
THINGS THAT COME IN FLAKES
- CEREAL
- DANDRUFF
- SALT
- SNOW
Reveal Hint
Created from the combination of two male names
Reveal Answer
WORDS FORMED BY TWO MEN’S NAMES
- JACKAL
- LEVITATE
- MELTED
- PATRON