Connections tips that actually help
Good Connections solvers are not people who know more words. They are people who are harder to fool. These habits cut down wasted guesses in the daily NYT Connections puzzle and make the tricky days far more manageable.
1. Read all sixteen words before touching anything
The first group you notice is often the bait. Read the whole grid once, then again, and say out loud any word that could belong to two places.
2. Count the candidates
If you find five or six words that fit a category, the puzzle is testing you. Exactly four belong, and the extra ones are needed elsewhere. Don't submit until you know which one to leave out.
3. Hunt for double meanings
A word that is both a noun and a verb, a fruit and a slang term, or a brand and an animal is almost always doing double duty. Write down both meanings and see which group needs it more.
4. Solve the tightest group first
Start with the group where you can name the link precisely and no fifth word competes. Removing four words shrinks the board and exposes the rest.
5. Leave purple for last
With twelve words placed, the final four are forced, and seeing them together often reveals the wordplay. If you are going to guess, guess late.
6. Use "one away" as information
A "one away" message means three of your four words belong together. Don't abandon the idea. Swap the word you were least sure of for the best alternative on the board.
7. Check spellings, not just meanings
When a word has no clear partner, look at its first or last three letters, hidden words across spaces, or repeated chunks. Our guide to category types lists the patterns that come up most.
8. Think in sets, not synonyms
Many blue groups are members of one specific set: models from one carmaker, films from one studio, terms from one industry. If four words feel oddly specific, ask what list they could all appear on.
9. Take a break
Walking away for a few minutes genuinely helps. Fresh eyes are the best defence against a red herring you have already committed to.
When you need a nudge
If you'd rather keep your streak, our today's Connections hint page gives two nudges for each group before revealing its name, so you only see as much as you need. Every past puzzle stays available in the archive.