It’s finally the weekend—but that doesn’t mean there isn’t another Connections puzzle to solve! And Newsweek is here to help.
The New York Times released the word-based puzzle in 2023, following on from the extraordinary success of Wordle, which the publication purchased in January 2022 for an undisclosed low seven-figure sum.
Connections can be quite challenging, and a little nudge can sometimes make all the difference. If you’re here for a hint, we’ve got you covered. The answers for Saturday’s puzzle are at the bottom of this article, so proceed with caution if you prefer to solve it on your own.
How to Play ‘Connections’
Players are tasked with grouping 16 words into four categories based on association. For example, Friday’s game linked the words “gold,” “diamond,” “glitter” and “sequin,” which all came under the category “sparkling things.”
Each of the four categories is labeled with a color, which also indicates the level of difficulty. Yellow is the easiest category, followed by green, blue and then purple. The puzzles are rarely straightforward, using homophones and wordplay, among other techniques, to keep things interesting.
Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images
If a player guesses incorrect groups of words four times, the game ends and they are defeated. There is no time limit for the game.
At any point in the game, players can shuffle the board so that the 16 words are randomly repositioned. Players must be careful as, sometimes, the game contains red herrings, making it seem like some words are connected when they are not. Sometimes, a word can belong to more than one category—but there is only one correct answer.
Wyna Liu, a crossword editor at The New York Times who was asked to develop Connections, gave Newsweek sometips for playing the game.
“My best piece of advice is to wait as long as you can before guessing,” Liu said.
“You may see the board and have completely identified the category, seeing five words that could belong in that category,” she added. “Don’t try to guess the four words in that category because, even though you know what the fifth member is, you won’t know which of the four it might not be,” which would ultimately waste a turn.
“Don’t do what I do, which is ‘rage solve,'” Liu said.
‘Connections’ #447 Clues for Saturday, August 31
Newsweek has some hints to help you figure out today’s Connections categories.
Yellow: These are all headers you would find in the New York Times.
Green: Words that are associated with saplings and conifers.
Blue: A type of food that often includes lettuce, tomatoes and dressing.
Purple: Symbols you would see on American money.
‘Connections’ #447 Answers for Saturday, August 31
Yellow Category: NEWSPAPER SECTIONS
Yellow Words: Arts, Business, Comics, Sports
Green Category: TREE FEATURES
Green Words: Bark, Crown, Rings, Roots
Blue Category: KINDS OF SALAD
Blue Words: Chef, Garden, Greek, Wedge
Purple Category: SEEN ON BACK OF U.S. COINS
Purple Words: Eagle, Monticello, Shield, Torch
Did you work out the answers? If so, congratulations; if not, please don’t be put off the game. Practice makes perfect, and the next Connections puzzle will be published on Sunday.
Connections is released at midnight in your local time zone, and Newsweek will be back tomorrow with another round of hints and tips.
If you can’t wait, why not try some other popular online word puzzle games, such as Typochondria and Spellspire?