Connections is a popular puzzle game from The New York Times that challenges players to group words based on hidden connections like homophones, synonyms, and clever wordplay. Since its debut in June 2023, it has quickly gained a large following and has become the second-most popular game on the platform, right behind Wordle. The game requires a mix of logic and language skills, making it a challenging but rewarding experience for players. In this guide, tips and strategies are provided to help players sharpen their puzzle-solving skills and tackle Sunday’s challenge.
The game of Connections requires players to categorize 16 words into four groups based on their associations, with each group color-coded based on difficulty. The puzzles are designed to be challenging by featuring techniques like homophones, wordplay, and other clever connections to keep players engaged. If players find themselves stuck, they can use the shuffle button to rearrange the words on the screen and hopefully gain a fresh perspective on the puzzle. The game offers a unique and stimulating experience for players looking to exercise their brains and test their vocabulary skills.
Wyna Liu, a crossword editor at The New York Times who developed Connections, shared some tips for playing the game with Newsweek. Her advice includes waiting as long as possible before guessing the categories, as prematurely guessing could result in wasting a turn and hindering progress. Liu emphasizes the importance of carefully considering all possible options before making a decision, as each move could make or break the game. With its challenging nature and intricate connections between words, Connections offers players a rewarding puzzle-solving experience that requires patience, strategy, and critical thinking.
For players looking for hints to solve Sunday’s Connections puzzle, Newsweek provides some clues to help categorize the words. The clues are color-coordinated based on difficulty, with each category corresponding to a specific theme. By using the provided hints and carefully analyzing the words, players can work towards solving the puzzle and uncovering the hidden connections between the words. The Sunday puzzle included categories like “Heading for the exit,” “Associated with a tasty dairy treat,” “Words seen when starting work in the morning,” and “Associated with our furry friends,” each requiring a different level of thinking to correctly categorize the words.
Sunday’s Connections puzzle provided players with a fun challenge to categorize words based on their associations. The answers revealed categories such as “Turn tail” for the yellow category, “Type of cheese” for the green category, “Pages on a website” for the blue category, and “Things cats do” for the purple category. By correctly identifying the connections between the words and placing them into the appropriate categories, players can test their puzzle-solving skills and enjoy the satisfaction of cracking the puzzle. Those who guessed correctly can celebrate their success, while those who didn’t can look forward to another opportunity to tackle the puzzle on Monday and improve their skills.