Connections, the popular New York Times word game, has captivated audiences with its unique challenge: finding the common thread between four seemingly disparate words. Similar to Wordle, Connections resets daily, presenting increasingly difficult puzzles. This guide offers hints and tips to help you conquer the game.
The game, credited to NYT associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, has become a social media sensation. Accessible on web browsers and mobile devices, Connections presents 16 words, divided into four sets of four. Players must identify the common theme connecting each set, ranging from book titles to country names. Only one correct answer exists for each set, despite potential overlapping themes. Correctly identifying a set removes those words from the board. Incorrect guesses count as mistakes; players have four attempts before the game ends. The game also allows players to rearrange words, and color-codes the difficulty of each set: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest). Like Wordle, results can be shared socially.
Need a hint without revealing the categories? Try these:
* Yellow: Chill
* Green: Cheddar reception
* Blue: Clicker options
* Purple: Same last name
Still stuck? Here are more direct clues:
* Yellow: Hardly bustling
* Green: Earn
* Blue: Remote control functions
* Purple: Words before “drum”
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to solve the puzzle before the solution is revealed.
The solution to Connections #574 is:
* Hardly bustling: CALM, QUIET, SLEEPY, SLOW
* Earn: GROSS, MAKE, NET, YIELD
* Remote control functions: HOME, MUTE, STOP, VOLUME
* Words before “drum”: EAR, KETTLE, OIL, SNARE
Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t solve it! A new Connections puzzle awaits tomorrow. We’ll be back then with more helpful hints. For other NYT games, check out our hints and answers for today’s Strands. Looking for more puzzles? Visit Mashable’s games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. For yesterday’s Connections solution, [link to yesterday’s solution].