Connections is a popular word game from the New York Times that has gained significant popularity since its launch in June 2023. The game consists of 16 words divided into four categories, with players needing to correctly connect the words in each set to progress. If all four words in a group are correctly placed, they are removed from the board. Players are allowed up to four mistakes before the game ends, and they can shuffle and rearrange the board to help them guess the connections. The board uses a color-coding system to indicate the difficulty level of each group, with yellow being the easiest and purple posing the most challenge.
Wyna Liu, the associate puzzle editor at The Times, is credited with bringing Connections to life. She has been editing puzzles at The Times since 2020 and offers advice to players struggling with the game. One tip she suggests is to pivot to a different category if a player notices that there are five or more words that belong to that category when making selections. This can help narrow down the options and make it easier to guess the connections. Sometimes a word can belong to more than one category, but there is only one correct answer. Liu’s guidance aims to help players navigate the game more effectively and improve their chances of solving the puzzles successfully.
Each day, a new set of Connections puzzles is released at midnight in the player’s local time zone. Newsweek provides hints and tips to assist players in solving the puzzles, helping them to work out the connections between the words in each group. The game is engaging and challenging, requiring players to think critically and make strategic choices to progress through the levels. By providing guidance and support, Newsweek aims to enhance the player’s experience with Connections and encourage them to continue playing and improving their skills.
The game features a wide range of themes for the word groups, including types of plants, popular movie franchises, and verbs. This variety keeps the game interesting and engaging for players, as they encounter different types of words and categories in each puzzle. The color-coding system on the board helps players gauge the difficulty level of each group, allowing them to prioritize which groups to focus on first. By successfully connecting the words in each set, players can advance through the game and challenge themselves to improve their puzzle-solving skills.
Players must use logic and deduction to identify the connections between the words in each group, leveraging their knowledge and vocabulary to make informed guesses. The game encourages critical thinking and problem-solving, as players work to decipher the relationships between the words and determine the correct connections. By offering a mix of difficulty levels and categories, Connections provides a stimulating and enjoyable experience for players looking to test their word skills and expand their vocabulary. With daily puzzles and new challenges, players can continue to sharpen their abilities and enjoy the satisfying feeling of successfully cracking each puzzle.
