How to Get Better at NYT Connections

Since its debut in June 2023, the New York Times Connections puzzle has captivated word game fans, becoming the second-most-played game in the NYT Games lineup, trailing only Wordle. The challenge of grouping 16 words into four sets of four based on a shared connection is both addictive and tricky, with only four mistakes allowed before the game ends. Whether you’re a beginner struggling to spot categories or a seasoned player aiming for a perfect solve (no mistakes), improving at Connections requires strategy, practice, and a bit of lateral thinking. In this detailed guide, we’ll explore proven tips to sharpen your skills, leverage the game’s color-coded difficulty system, and boost your success rate.

Understanding the Basics of NYT Connections

Before diving into improvement strategies, let’s recap how Connections works. You’re given a 4×4 grid of 16 words, and your task is to form four groups of four words that share a common theme or connection. These connections can range from straightforward (e.g., types of fruit: apple, banana, orange, pear) to abstract (e.g., words that form phrases with “fire”: ant, drill, escape, opal). Each group is assigned a color—yellow (easiest), green (medium), blue (medium-difficult), and purple (hardest)—indicating its difficulty. Solving a group removes those words from the grid, and the game provides feedback like “One Word Off” if your guess is close. With only four mistakes allowed, strategy is key.

Now, let’s explore actionable ways to get better at Connections.

1. Master the Color-Coded Difficulty System

The colors—yellow, green, blue, and purple—are your guide to prioritizing groups and understanding their complexity. Here’s how to use them to improve:

• Yellow (Easiest): Start here, as yellow groups are the most straightforward, often involving basic categories like animals, colors, or household items. Example: “chair, sofa, table, bed” for “Furniture.” Spotting yellow early reduces the grid to 12 words, simplifying the rest.
• Green (Medium): These involve slightly less obvious themes, like synonyms or common phrases (e.g., “big, huge, large, giant” for “Synonyms for Size”). After yellow, focus on green to further narrow the grid.
• Blue (Medium-Difficult): Blue groups often require trivia or niche knowledge, like file extensions (doc, pdf, jpg, txt) or parts of something specific (gear, lever, pulley, spring). Save blue for after yellow and green, using elimination to clarify options.
• Purple (Hardest): Purple is the trickiest, often relying on wordplay, homophones, or obscure links (e.g., “journeyman, rushmore, heartbreaker, scorpions” for words starting with rock band names: Journey, Rush, Heart, Scorpions). Tackle purple last, as its abstract nature is easier to spot with fewer words left.

Pro Tip: Don’t assume the first group you spot is yellow—it could be a purple trap. Cross-check your guess against other words to avoid wasting a mistake. For example, “sponge, bob, square, pants” might seem like a SpongeBob group, but they could belong to separate categories.

2. Develop a Systematic Approach

Random guessing wastes your four mistakes, so adopt a consistent strategy:

• Scan for Obvious Pairs: Start by looking for two or three words that clearly go together, like “cat, dog” for pets or “red, blue” for colors. Then, find the remaining words to complete the group. This prevents you from chasing red herrings.
• Solve Easiest Groups First: Always aim for yellow, then green, to reduce the grid’s complexity. A smaller grid makes blue and purple easier to crack.
• Use the Shuffle Button: If connections aren’t clicking, shuffle the grid to rearrange words. This can reveal patterns by grouping related words closer together. There’s no penalty for shuffling, so use it often.
• Test Hypotheses Carefully: Before submitting a group, ensure all four words fit the theme. If unsure, try a different group to avoid burning a mistake.

Example: In a grid with “apple, banana, chair, desk,” pair “apple, banana” as potential fruits, then look for two more (e.g., orange, pear). Simultaneously, note “chair, desk” as furniture, building toward yellow or green groups.

3. Train Your Brain to Spot Diverse Connections

Connections thrives on variety, with categories ranging from synonyms to wordplay. To improve, familiarize yourself with common connection types:

• Types of Something: Animals, fruits, sports (e.g., soccer, tennis, baseball, golf).
• Synonyms or Related Words: Big, large, huge, giant for size.
• Parts of a Whole: Gear, lever, pulley, spring for machine parts.
• Phrases or Collocations: Words that form phrases with a common word, like “fire ant, fire drill, fire escape, fire opal” for “Things with Fire.”
• Wordplay: Homophones (see, sea, si, C), prefixes/suffixes (pre-, post-, un-, re-), or double letters (book, deed, noon, racecar).
• Trivia or Pop Culture: File extensions (doc, pdf, jpg, txt), rock band names, or movie references.

Practice Tip: Review past puzzles via a NYT Games subscription or check Reddit’s r/NYTConnections for discussions on tricky groups. Note how purple groups often use wordplay, like “bare, bear, pear, pair” for homophones.

4. Avoid Common Pitfalls

Many players stumble due to predictable traps. Here’s how to sidestep them:

• Beware of Red Herrings: The NYT loves words that seem to fit multiple groups. For instance, “dragon” might pair with “fire” for a phrase (dragonfly, firefly) or with “lizard” for reptiles. Always test alternative groupings before submitting.
• Don’t Overthink Yellow: If a group seems too obvious, it’s likely yellow, not a trap. Trust your instincts for simple categories.
• Check for Wordplay in Purple: If the last four words seem unrelated, suspect purple’s trickery. Say them aloud for homophones or check for prefixes, suffixes, or phrase patterns.
• Use “One Word Off” Feedback: If your guess flashes “One Word Off,” swap one word at a time rather than rethinking the entire group. This preserves your mistakes.

Example: If “cat, dog, fish, chair” is “One Word Off” for pets, try swapping “chair” for “bird” instead of abandoning the pet theme.

5. Leverage External Resources

The NYT and community platforms offer tools to enhance your skills without spoiling the fun:

• NYT Connections Companion: This daily feature provides one word per group as a hint, plus difficulty ratings (e.g., yellow is “straightforward”). Access it via the NYT Games app or website to nudge you without revealing answers.
• Connections Bot: Launched in 2024, this bot analyzes your guesses and compares them to other players, showing which groups (often purple) are hardest. It’s a great way to learn from common mistakes.
• Community Discussions: Join r/NYTConnections on Reddit or follow X posts with hashtags like #NYTConnections. Players share strategies, like spotting purple’s wordplay or avoiding blue’s trivia traps.
• NYT Hints on X: The NYT Games account posts daily hints, such as “One group is about synonyms for happy.” These guide you without spoiling the puzzle.

Caution: Avoid full spoilers on X or Reddit, as some users post complete answers. Stick to hint threads for help.

6. Practice Regularly and Reflect

Like any skill, Connections improves with consistent practice. Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Play Daily: The puzzle resets at midnight ET, so make it a habit. Each day exposes you to new connection types, from yellow’s basics to purple’s quirks.
• Review Your Solves: After finishing, note which groups tripped you up. Was blue’s trivia too niche? Did purple’s wordplay stump you? This builds pattern recognition.
• Try Archived Puzzles: A NYT Games subscription unlocks past puzzles, letting you practice yellow-to-purple progressions at your own pace.
• Track Your Stats: The NYT Games app shows your win rate and perfect solves. Aim to increase your perfects by minimizing mistakes.

Fun Challenge: Share your results on X with #NYTConnections to connect with others. Celebrate perfect solves or laugh over purple’s curveballs.

7. Sharpen Your Lateral Thinking

Purple groups often require creative thinking, so train your brain to think beyond the obvious:

• Say Words Aloud: Homophones (e.g., “knight, night”) or rhymes may reveal purple connections.
• Look for Patterns: Check for double letters, anagrams, or shared letters (e.g., words starting with “B”).
• Consider Phrases: If words don’t fit a category, try adding a word to form phrases, like “heart attack, heart breaker” for “Things with Heart.”
• Broaden Your Knowledge: Read up on pop culture, tech terms, or common idioms to catch blue and purple references.

Exercise: Pick four random words (e.g., book, pen, desk, lamp) and invent a connection. This mimics purple’s creativity, training you to spot abstract links.

8. Manage Time and Mistakes

With only four mistakes, efficiency matters. Here’s how to optimize:

• Set a Time Limit: Aim to solve in 5–10 minutes to avoid overthinking. If stuck, take a break and return with fresh eyes.
• Save Mistakes for Purple: Since purple is hardest, use your first guesses on yellow, green, or blue to preserve mistakes for the final group.
• Pause Before Submitting: Double-check your group. Do all four words fit the theme, or is one a red herring?

Example: If guessing “apple, banana, orange, desk” for fruits, pause to confirm “desk” doesn’t belong. Swap it for “pear” to avoid a mistake.

9. Learn from the Editor’s Mindset

Wyna Liu, the Connections editor, designs puzzles to balance fun and challenge. Understanding her approach can help:

• Yellow and Green Are Entry Points: Liu crafts these to be accessible, so trust simple categories early on.
• Blue and Purple Test Creativity: Liu loves wordplay and trivia, especially in purple. Expect the unexpected, like palindromes or pop culture nods.
• Words Have Multiple Meanings: Liu picks words that fit multiple groups to create traps. For example, “bank” could mean a riverbank (geography) or a piggy bank (money).

Tip: When stuck, think like Liu. Ask, “What’s the cleverest way these words could connect?” This often unlocks purple.

10. Have Fun and Stay Patient

Connections can be frustrating, especially when purple stumps you or a red herring steals a mistake. To stay motivated:

• Celebrate Small Wins: Solving yellow or green is progress. Even a non-perfect solve is a victory.
• Laugh at Mistakes: Purple’s tricks (like homophones) are meant to surprise. Share funny fails on Reddit or X.
• Play with Others: Discuss puzzles with friends or family to share perspectives. They might spot a blue trivia group you missed.

Mindset: Treat each puzzle as a learning opportunity. Over time, you’ll spot patterns faster and fear purple less.