It may only have launched in summer 2023, but Connections is already The New York Times’ second most-popular word puzzle game, right behind the beloved viral sensation Wordle.
Connections challenges players to group 16 words into four categories based on association. That may sound simple, but according to Wyna Liu—one of the NYT crossword editors that devised Connections—the game has many tricks designed to stump players.
“The game has evolved with the solvers, and responds to solvers’ experience and expectations,” Liu told Newsweek in June.
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In Connections, each category is represented by a color, which also signifies its difficulty level. Yellow is the easiest category, followed by blue, green and then purple.
Liu said that she now sometimes “clusters” words on the board, tricking players into thinking they don’t belong together due to the close proximity.
Another trick she uses is synonyms, choosing words that may fit into more than one category.
Since players get only four guesses before it is game over, Liu recommends waiting “as long as you can before guessing.”
“You may see the board and have completely identified the category, seeing five words that could belong in that category,” Liu said.
“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.”
Instead, Liu recommends figuring out the other categories first, as you are less likely to waste a turn. Players can also use the “Shuffle” button, which rearranges the answers and can make the links between words more obvious.
If you need a hand solving today’s Connections puzzle, Newsweek has gathered a few hints to help you out.
‘Connections’ #408 Hints for Tuesday, July 23
Here are Newsweek’s clues for today’s Connections puzzle.
- Yellow: To fool someone.
- Green: Don’t make a…
- Blue: You’re such a poser.
- Purple: Characters in famous cartoon that began in the 1930s.
‘Connections’ #408 Answers for Tuesday, July 23
Yellow Category: IMPOSTER
Yellow Words: Charlatan, Fraud, Quack, Sham
Green Category: UTTERANCE
Green Words: Noise, Peep, Sound, Word
Blue Category: ONE WHO LIKES SHOWING OFF
Blue Words: Ham, Hot Dog, Peacock, Showboat
Purple Category: LOONEY TUNES CHARACTERS MINUS A LETTER
Purple Words: Bug, Pork, Speed, Tweet
How many did you get right? Don’t worry if you found today’s puzzle difficult, as you can always try again when Connections resets at midnight in your timezone.
Or, why not give Wordle a go? Newsweek has also put together a few hints to help you solve the daily brainteaser.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.