Connections Today: The NYT Puzzle Game Taking the Internet by Storm

14 January 2026 Games and Puzzles

Understanding Connections Today

The New York Times’ Connections game is one of the trickiest daily puzzles available online. For those playing for the first time, the goal of Connections is to divide a block of 16 words into four common themes. Connections is a daily word puzzle browser game from The New York Times, written by editor Wyna Liu. The game has rapidly become a daily ritual for puzzle enthusiasts worldwide, joining the ranks of other popular NYT games like Wordle.

How Today’s Puzzle Works

The goal is to select four groups of four words, while being mindful of making no more than four mistakes. Each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult. Today’s puzzle is Connections #948 on Wednesday, January 14. Players must carefully analyze the 16 words presented to identify subtle connections, which can range from obvious categories to clever wordplay that requires lateral thinking.

Why Connections Today Matters

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. The puzzle’s appeal lies in its perfect balance of accessibility and challenge. A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone. This daily refresh creates anticipation and keeps players coming back. The game exercises critical thinking, pattern recognition, and vocabulary skills, making it both entertaining and mentally stimulating for players of all ages.

Playing Beyond Today’s Puzzle

While the official NYT version offers one puzzle daily, new challenges are added to Connections Game on a daily basis, and various unofficial versions offer unlimited gameplay options. You can play past games by accessing the archive list and selecting the date that you want to play. For those seeking help, numerous websites now provide daily hints and answers, though purists prefer to solve independently to maintain their winning streaks and share their results with friends on social media.