Connections hub
Group the 16 words.
Four categories. Yellow easy, purple tricky. We'll help you spot the pattern.
Today's groups →How Connections works
Every day NYT publishes 16 words that sort into 4 groups of 4. Difficulty goes Yellow → Green → Blue → Purple. You get 4 mistakes before it's game over.
Strategy tips
- Solve purple first. The hardest group often hinges on wordplay — puns, sound-alikes, hidden themes. Figure it out and the others fall.
- Beware the red herrings. NYT plants 1–2 words that fit multiple groups. Hold them loose.
- Read all 16 before grouping. Patterns pop when you scan, not when you force pairs.
- When stuck, swap. Move a borderline word between groups until both feel airtight.