Connections
Connections shows sixteen words. Your job is to split them into four groups of four that share something, before you make four mistakes.
Opens the real game on nytimes.com. Free, in a new tab.
Connections rules in short
- Find four that belong together
Look for a link shared by exactly four words. It can be a meaning, a sound, a hidden word or a phrase they all finish.
- Select and submit
Tap four words and press Submit. If you are right, the group locks in with its color and name.
- Watch your mistakes
A wrong group costs one of your four mistakes. One away means three of your four were right.
- Clear the board
Find all four groups to win, then share a grid that shows the order you solved them in.
- Use your mistakes wisely
Four wrong guesses end the game, so save them for the last two groups.
Connections at a glance
- Made by
- The New York Times, edited by Wyna Liu
- Words
- 16, in four groups of four
- Mistakes allowed
- 4
- New puzzle
- Every day at midnight, your local time
- Price
- Free in the browser and the NYT Games app
- Category
- Word games, groups and links
A beginner method for Connections
The New York Times puts sixteen words on the board and hides four groups of four. The puzzle is edited by Wyna Liu, and most days are built so that at least one word seems to fit two groups. A steady method beats rushing.
- Read every word before you tap anything. Say each one out loud, because some links are about sound.
- Find the group with exactly four possible members and lock that in first. Leave anything with five or six candidates for later.
- Look for hidden words, fill in the blank phrases and words that can follow the same word. Those are usually the blue and purple groups.
- Use One away as information. Three of your four were right, so swap just one word.
Connections vs Wordle
| Wordle | Connections | |
|---|---|---|
| What you find | One five letter word | Four groups of four words |
| Mistakes | Six guesses in total | Four wrong groups end the game |
| Skill used | Spelling and letter odds | Meaning, wordplay and general knowledge |
| New puzzle | Daily | Daily, at midnight your local time |
Connections Sports Edition
There is also a sports version, made with The Athletic, with sixteen sports words and the same four group rules. If you like the main game but know your teams and players better than your wordplay, it is worth a try.
Hints for today without spoilers
Before you look up a hint, try naming the yellow group in your own words. Yellow is the most direct link, so if you can describe it, you can usually find its four words, and the board gets much easier with only twelve left.
Group types that come up often
- Words that follow or come before the same word
- Hidden words inside longer words
- Sound alikes
- Members of one category
Questions people ask about Connections
What do the colors in Connections mean?
They show difficulty. Yellow is the most direct group, then green, blue and purple, which is the most tricky.
How many mistakes can you make in Connections?
Four. On the fourth wrong guess the game ends and shows the answer groups.
Is Connections free?
Yes. The daily puzzle is free to play in the browser and the NYT Games app.
Is there a Connections hint today on Megadle?
Yes, on the Connections answer today page, where each color group has its own hint before the full answers. This guide stays spoiler free.
Is the Connections game made by the NYT?
Yes. The New York Times runs it, edited by Wyna Liu.
Ways to get better at Connections
- Yellow is the easiest group and purple the hardest. Purple is often wordplay, such as words that hide another word.
- Most puzzles have a trap: five or six words that seem to fit one group. Find the group with no extra candidates first.
- Use Shuffle when you are stuck. A new order breaks the pairs your eyes keep making.
- Say the words out loud. Sound alike groups and words that come before or after the same word are easier to hear than to see.
Facts checked on 2026-11-03. Connections belongs to The New York Times. Megadle is not linked to it.