The New York Times’ Connections, a wildly popular word puzzle, challenges players to categorize sixteen words into four groups of four, each united by a common theme. Launched in June 2023, Connections has quickly risen to become the second-most-played game on the NYT platform, trailing only the ubiquitous Wordle. The game’s success is a testament to its simple yet engaging design, offering a different kind of mental workout than its word-guessing counterpart. The game’s creator, Wyna Liu, attributes its popularity to its resonant design, capturing a desire for a brainteaser that blends vocabulary knowledge with conceptual thinking.
Playing Connections is straightforward. Presented with a grid of sixteen words, players must identify the underlying connections linking groups of four. Once a group is identified, the player selects the four words and clicks "Submit." Correctly categorized words flash in a designated color and are removed from the grid. Incorrect guesses leave the words on the board. With only four guesses allowed, strategic thinking is key. A "Shuffle" button can rearrange the word order, potentially sparking new insights, but Liu advises restraint, suggesting players exhaust their initial analysis before resorting to shuffling.
The absence of a time limit allows players to ponder the connections at their own pace. This encourages deeper consideration and eliminates the pressure associated with timed games. Liu’s tip emphasizes a patient approach, recognizing that some categories might initially appear obvious, with more than four words seemingly fitting. This underscores the importance of identifying the most appropriate groupings, a nuance that adds a layer of complexity to the game.
Saturday, January 11th’s Connections puzzle (#580) presented players with four distinct categories: Yellow represented “DISPLAY OF ROWS AND COLUMNS” and included the words Array, Grid, Matrix, and Table. The Green category, “THINGS TO DO AT A WORK EVENT,” encompassed Circulate, Converse, Mingle, and Network. Blue designated “OLYMPIC EVENTS SINCE 2000” with Breaking, Surfing, Taekwondo, and Trampoline. Finally, the Purple category, “___ COURT,” comprised Food, Kangaroo, Supreme, and Tennis. These categories demonstrate the game’s range, covering everything from technological terms to social activities, sporting events, and compound words.
The hints provided for the Saturday puzzle guided players toward these solutions. The Yellow category hint, "Terms often associated with a spreadsheet," clearly directed players to words related to data organization. "How you might behave at a professional event" for the Green category pointed toward social interaction verbs. The Blue category hint, "Popular Olympic sports in the last 25 years," narrowed the focus to relatively recent additions to the Olympic roster. Lastly, "Words that come before ‘Court’" for the Purple category provided a straightforward structural clue.
Connections, with its daily release schedule, provides a consistent mental challenge. Each puzzle offers a fresh set of words and categories, ensuring ongoing engagement for players. For those who enjoy word puzzles and seek a slightly different challenge from the letter-guessing format of games like Wordle, Connections offers a compelling alternative. Its blend of vocabulary recognition, conceptual association, and strategic deduction creates a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Furthermore, its availability within the New York Times Games suite provides easy access for those already engaged with the platform’s other offerings. For those seeking additional word-based challenges, games like Wordscapes and Lexigo offer further opportunities to exercise their linguistic skills.
