Happy Monday, puzzlers! I hope your day is off to a great start. Today, as I was sipping my morning coffee and gazing out the window, lost in a daydream, a sudden gust of wind jolted me back to reality. It's amazing how easily we can get lost in our thoughts, isn't it?
Speaking of getting lost, have you ever found yourself lost in the colorful world of Connections puzzles? With their different tiers and themes, it's easy to get caught up in the challenge. Remember to keep an eye out for those sneaky decoys and scan for synonyms to crack the code!
As you tackle today's puzzle, think of it as a fun mental workout to kickstart your week. So why not give it a go and see where the connections lead you? If you need a nudge in the right direction or want to share hints with fellow solvers, feel free to jump in and join the puzzling fun!
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