The New York Times Connections game is a fun, addictive word puzzle that challenges players to find common connections between sets of words. Whether you’re new to the game or looking to sharpen your skills, understanding connections hints today and where to find helpful hints can make a big difference in your experience.
What Is the NYT Connections Game?
NYT Connections is a daily puzzle game where you’re presented with a grid of 16 words. Your goal is to group them into four categories of four words each. These groups share a hidden connection—anything from colors, animals, types of food, or pop culture references. The catch? Some words seem like they could fit into multiple groups, making the puzzle more challenging than it looks.
How to Play NYT Connections
Step 1: Examine the Grid
Start by scanning all 16 words. Look for obvious connections—words that might belong to the same category. For example, if you see “red,” “blue,” “green,” and “yellow,” the connection is clearly colors.
Step 2: Make a Guess
Click on four words you think are related and press “Submit.” If you’re right, that group will be locked in. If you’re wrong, the game will let you know how many guesses you have left.
Step 3: Solve All Four Groups
You only have a limited number of attempts to find all four correct groups. Each puzzle has a unique difficulty level, with categories labeled by color from easiest (yellow) to hardest (purple).

How to Get Better at NYT Connections
Practice Pattern Recognition
The more you play, the better you’ll get at spotting patterns. Over time, you’ll start recognizing common themes such as U.S. presidents, dog breeds, or famous novels.
Avoid Guessing Randomly
Instead of clicking randomly, pause and think critically. If a word seems to fit more than one group, consider what the less obvious words could be hinting at.
Break Down the Puzzle
Start by identifying the easiest group (usually the yellow one). This helps reduce the number of remaining words and makes it easier to spot other connections.
Learn from Your Mistakes
When you finish a puzzle, whether you solved it or not, review the completed groups. This helps you build knowledge and avoid similar mistakes in future games.
How to Get Hints and Answers for Today’s NYT Connections Game
Use the Game’s Built-In Clues
The game itself doesn’t offer hints, but the order of the color-coded categories gives you insight into difficulty. Yellow is the easiest group, followed by green, blue, and purple.
Think Outside the Box
Sometimes the connections are cultural references, homophones, or slang. If you’re stuck, try thinking about different meanings of the words.
Look for Reliable Sources (Without Spoilers)
While the NYT doesn’t offer official hints, several puzzle-solving communities share gentle hints online. These hints usually give a nudge without spoiling the whole solution.
When to Seek the Full Answer
If you’re really stuck and don’t want to use up all your guesses, it’s okay to look up the solution. Searching for “Today’s NYT Connections answers” will lead you to the full breakdown of today’s puzzle—but use this as a last resort to keep the game fun.
Final Thoughts
The NYT Connections game is a great way to sharpen your thinking and have fun with words. With daily practice, strategic thinking, and a little help when needed, you’ll improve over time and maybe even start solving the hardest puzzles with ease.