NYT Connections begins with only sixteen words. Players must identify four correct categories in a test of intuition and vocabulary. Consider grouping the relatively straightforward yellow one at first, but beware: purple can be hard!
Let’s understand the hints to solve the equation today.
Today's Theme: "PARTS OF A TREE"
These words introduce various parts of a tree.
Think about the different sections at the bottom heading towards the top.
Hint: These terms represent the main anatomical sections of any tree
Today's Theme: "CANINE/FELINE FEATURES"
Think about the body parts and coverings common to these pets
Consider the distinctive features of these domesticated animals
Hint: These are all physical attributes found on both cats and dogs
Today's Theme: "COMEDIC ROUTINE"
Reflect on funny speeches
Examine stand-up routines in their context, such as materials and methods
Hint: Remember the antecedent and the consequent of staged comedy
Today's Theme: "___POLE"
Search out phrases in which "POLE" is used
Consider word association where poles are named or described
Hint: Each word forms a distinct type of pole when combined with "POLE"
Practice with hints from previous game puzzles. This will sharpen skills for the coming games.
For the Yellow category, particularly looking at tree parts, refer to 22 April 2025. The "CANCEL, AS A PROJECT” theme requires direct opposition to define the start of anything. Also, topics typically revolve around material things, and nevertheless, there is still a comprehension fast enough.
The Green category has words with animal features building up from April 21, 2025. As for the "METAPHOR FOR SOMETHING UNEXPECTED," descriptions other than sudden changes or surprises stand in the spotlight. In both cases there must be an element of the sets containing constituents with the same properties, but in the contemporary sense physical rather than metaphorical ones are involved.
For the Blue category about comedy terms, consider a different approach than April 20, 2025's "AFC East Teams" theme, which featured team names from the AFC East division. Today's category focuses on performance terminology rather than sports teams, demonstrating Connections' versatility in category types.
The Purple category challenges the players' skill to identify the common word with 'POLE,' continuing the word-pairing pattern that has appeared in many previous puzzles.
For those who want the complete solutions to today's puzzle:
Yellow (Easiest): BRANCH, LEAF, ROOT, TRUNK
Blue (Medium-Challenging): FUR, MUZZLE, PAW, TAIL
Purple (Hardest): ACT, BIT, GAG, SKETCH
Green (Medium): BEAN, FLAG, MAY, TAD
Puzzle designer Wyna Liu developed Connections for the NY Times, part of the NYT Games family, in 2023. Today, the connections puzzle offers an interesting cross-section of natural history (tree anatomy), zoology (pet characteristics), show-business terminology (comedy terms), and word blocks (pole combinations).