NYT Connections Answers: The Daily Word Puzzle Taking the Internet by Storm

The Rise of NYT Connections

Connections is a daily category-matching puzzle developed and published by The New York Times as part of The New York Times Games. It was released on June 12, 2023, during its beta phase and is the second-most-played game published by the Times, behind Wordle. The puzzles are written by editor Wyna Liu.

The game has quickly captured the attention of word puzzle enthusiasts worldwide, with players eagerly searching for daily answers and hints. This year alone, the total number of puzzles solved across NYT Games reached 11.1 billion. The phenomenon demonstrates how Connections has become an essential part of many people’s daily routines, much like its predecessor Wordle.

How the Game Works

In Connections, the goal is to divide a grid of sixteen terms into four groups of four such that the terms in each group belong to a specific category. Players must identify common threads linking words together, which can range from straightforward associations to complex wordplay involving homophones and palindromes.

When a player successfully identifies a group, its category is revealed along with a color-coded difficulty level: categories are rated yellow, green, blue, or purple, with yellow being the most straightforward and purple being the most difficult. The NYT Connections daily puzzle is refreshed at midnight local time.

Why Players Seek Answers

The challenge of Connections lies in its deceptive simplicity. While some categories are obvious, others require lateral thinking and extensive knowledge. Players are allowed only four mistakes before the game ends, adding pressure to each guess. This has created a thriving community of players who share hints and solutions online.

The most common mistake in Connections was grouping ‘bolt,’ ‘nail,’ ‘nut,’ and ‘screw’ together, demonstrating how the puzzle deliberately misleads solvers with words that seem related but belong to different categories. This clever misdirection is what makes the game both frustrating and addictive.

The Expanding Connections Universe

On September 24, 2024, The Athletic, in partnership with The New York Times Games, launched a sports edition of Connections in beta. The sports edition features the same gameplay as the regular version, with each grouping sports-themed. The game was officially launched on February 9, 2025, to coincide with Super Bowl LIX.

For players seeking assistance, numerous websites now provide daily hints and complete answers. Whether you’re stuck on a particularly challenging purple category or simply want to maintain your winning streak, these resources have become invaluable tools for the Connections community.