Happy Monday, puzzlers! I hope your morning has been off to a great start. As I sat down with my steaming cup of coffee, ready to tackle the day, a sudden power outage plunged my room into darkness. The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, adding an unexpected twist to the morning routine. The storm outside seemed determined to shake things up, much like the colorful tiers in today's Connections puzzle.
Speaking of which, have you noticed how the puzzle's categories form a delightful web of interconnections? As you dive in, keep an eye out for those sneaky decoys that might lead you astray. Scan for loose synonyms and watch out for cross-category traps—it's all part of the fun!
So, what do you say—ready to embark on this puzzle adventure and unravel the intriguing links between the clues? Don't be shy to ask for hints or jump right in and see where the colorful threads lead you. Let's kick off the week with a mental workout that's as entertaining as it is rewarding. Happy puzzling!
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