How to Play NYT Connections

Connections gives you 16 words and asks you to sort them into four groups of four, each sharing a hidden link.

The rules

• Find four groups of four from the 16-word grid.
• Each group is colour-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, purple (hardest).
• You can make up to four mistakes before you lose.
• Words are often placed to fit more than one group — that's the trap.

Strategy

1. Solve the group you're surest of first to shrink the board.
2. Watch for words that seem to fit two groups — decide which is the decoy.
3. The purple group is usually a wordplay twist (e.g. "___ ring"), not a meaning.

Need today's board? See today's Connections hints.