Connections, released by The New York Times in June 2023, has quickly gained a worldwide following, becoming the newspaper’s second most popular game after Wordle. The brainteaser can be challenging at times, but daily clues shared by Newsweek can help players maintain their winning streak. Developed by Wyna Liu, who is also the crossword editor at NYT, Connections requires players to identify and group 16 words into four categories based on a specific theme, with varying levels of difficulty from yellow to purple. Liu’s advice for conquering the game includes waiting as long as possible before guessing and avoiding rushing through the puzzle.
The game of Connections is addicting due to its simplicity and the ability to test players’ cognitive skills as they work to solve the puzzle. Players must carefully choose which words belong together in each category before submitting their final guesses, as they only have four chances to get it right. The game is divided into four categories: yellow, green, blue, and purple, with yellow being the easiest and purple the most difficult. For example, a recent puzzle linked words such as “kidney,” “mung,” “navy,” and “pinto” under the category “Kinds of beans,” which was categorized as yellow.
Newsweek provides daily clues for the Connections game to aid players in their quest to solve the puzzle successfully. The hints include topics for each of the four color categories, such as expensive taste for yellow, creating something for green, famous space missions for blue, and popular games that share a specific connection for purple. The game’s answers for the day are also revealed, allowing players to check their solutions and learn the correct groupings.
The addictive nature of Connections keeps players engaged as they strive to solve each day’s puzzle and maintain their winning streak. The game is released daily at midnight in each player’s local time zone, providing a new challenge to tackle. Newsweek recommends trying other popular word puzzles like Wordscapes and Words With Friends for those seeking additional mental stimulation. Players can test their cognitive abilities and challenge themselves with these brain-teasing games while enjoying the process of solving puzzles and improving their vocabulary and problem-solving skills.
As Connections continues to grow in popularity around the world, players are drawn to the challenge and excitement of solving the daily puzzles. With the guidance provided by Newsweek and the advice from the game’s developer, players can enhance their gameplay and increase their chances of success. By employing strategic thinking, patience, and attention to detail, players can work their way through the puzzle and enjoy the satisfaction of completing each day’s Connections challenge.