Connections Answer is part of a game that’s gaining popularity among the New York Times puzzle lineup. Though I still enjoy old standbys like Wordle and the Mini Crossword, there’s something doubly exciting about completing a Connections puzzle with no mistakes. That feeling of satisfaction you derive from getting it right three times over a two-guess Wordle. And do not even get me started on the purple category—that is always a rough one, but that’s what makes it fun.
What Are Connections?
In Connections, you are given a grid of 16 words and asked to sort them into four groups of four words each. Words can potentially fit into more than one category, and that makes this a challenge because if you believe you’ve spotted four creatures, you’re probably mistaken! The New York Times’s puzzle editor is wicked that way, leading you astray, spinning webs of logic between words that also aren’t as closely related as they seem.
The Four Difficulty Levels
Each Connections puzzle has four unique difficulty tiers: yellow (least difficult), green, blue, and purple (most difficult). It happens to be quite tricky—purple, in particular. If you can decode the purple category, then you’re definitely a puzzle master. When you’ve made four mistakes, the game ends, and the correct answers are revealed to you. And believe me, finding your way to the correct Connections answer can be more difficult than it seems.
Getting the Right Connections Reply: Tips and Tricks
So here are my best tips to guide you to the Connections answer—and then improve your odds of solving puzzles without mistakes.
- Crowdsource Associations If you’re stalled, speak the words — in your mind or out loud. So, when you encounter the word “litter,” your mind might automatically jump to “box” (if you’re a cat owner, especially). You can then go up and see if other words work in that category, like “jewelry” or “trash.” And if you know this simple association, it may guide you to one of the right group and perhaps help you solve a Connections answer more quickly.
- Don’t fall for the obvious It can be very tempting to assign a group of words like “colors” or “numbers” because they are an obvious match. But Connections loves to mess with you. If it seems too easy, then rethink. See further behind the words to not get caught in an easy trap.
- Shuffle the Grid Use the shuffle button if you get stuck. If you randomize the positions of your words, you could open up some synapses that you’ve overlooked. Doing this can offer your brain a different way of thinking, possibly evoking ideas for your next Connections answer.
- Don’t Shuffle (If It Works For You) Some players choose not to shuffle the grid. A friend of mine swears by the fact that they never need to shuffle the board. Starting in the bottom right, he examines each row to see if he can detect any groupings. You can also skip the shuffle if this method works for you.
- Segment Longer Words If you get compound or longer words, break them down into smaller parts. For example, both “Journeyman” and “Rushmore” begin with the names of famous rock bands. These connections may help you crack the group.
- Learn From Mistakes Each time you play Connections, try to learn from your mistakes. The more you play, the more adept you’ll become at recognizing patterns and making rapid associations. One puzzle, for example, led me to discover four words that could be spelled with numbers on an upside-down calculator, including “Eggshell” and “Boob.” This kind of connection is what you’ll feel with practice.
- Should you get a “One away!” message, reconsider after receiving a “One away!” message; try not to simply replace a single word. In lots of instances, dropping certainly one of the words would lead to a wrong guess. Instead, wipe the slate clean by removing all four of your guesses and giving a whole new set of words a try. This can help save you the unnecessary mistakes.
Connections vs. Only Connect
If you know the BBC quiz show Only Connect, you may see some parallels between it and Connections. Both types involve putting words together in a way that surprises your associations. In fact, the Only Connect host herself highlighted the resemblance on social media. Although its structure is similar to Wordle, Connections has its own style, and its contents are uniquely curated by the New York Times puzzle team.
Final Thoughts: Connections Are on the Rise
Wordle might still be the top dog for many puzzlers, but Connections is quickly shooting up the rankings. It is a different skill set, one that involves connecting words together as opposed to strictly using the memory of the dictionary. It makes this a fun, entertaining way to get some exercise for your brain while enjoying yourself.
Eventually, as you keep playing and practicing, you’ll begin to identify the editor’s style. The more you play, the better you’ll get at these puzzles. So, don’t be afraid to play around with different strategies, and eventually you will learn how to crack the code to finding the right Connections answer each time.
Further Tips to Find Connections Answer:
- Replay Older Puzzles If you find yourself struggling to solve puzzles, then revisit previous ones to see if you can figure them out. That best helps you get acquainted with the sort of categories and tricky links that can come up a lot.
- Find Hidden Connections If some of the hardest riddles in puzzles task you with thinking outside the box. Look for more abstract links, too, such as words that have the same spelling, historical references or even pop culture links.
- Take Breaks Connections can be draining mentally. If you’re stuck for a prolonged period of time, take a break that is short. Sometimes all you need is a new way of looking at things to identify the correct Connections answer.
With these tips and strategies, you’ll be on the path to dominating connections. The more you practice, the faster you will be able to find the answers, as well as improve your overall puzzle-solving ability. Happy puzzling!
