Today’s Connections puzzle balances cultural references, wordplay, and common meanings to mislead players
Strategic grouping and patience remain essential as red herrings blur obvious word associations
Clear hints help narrow categories before revealing final answers and confirmed groupings
The New York Times’ daily word game Connections continues to draw players into a deceptively simple challenge: sorting familiar words into precise thematic groups. Today’s puzzle relies on popular ideas, national identity, physical motion, colour, and popular culture, while still leaving room for misdirection.
For players looking for only guidance instead of the answer, the hints below sum up the logic behind each category. Players who wish to cross-check their guesses can scroll ahead for the complete answers.
Yellow: Widely recognised symbols closely associated with the United States.
Green: Verbs commonly used to describe physical collisions
Blue: Objects or materials typically linked to the colour blue
Purple: Well-known figures from Hollywood sharing a surname
The puzzle rewards careful elimination. Several words appear flexible enough to fit more than one category, a deliberate design choice that encourages players to reassess initial assumptions before locking in a group.
Cultural symbols of the US: AMERICAN FLAG, APPLE PIE, BALD EAGLE, BASEBALL
Green Collide with: BUMP, BUTT, KNOCK, RAM
Blue things: JEANS, LAPIS LAZULI, OCEAN, SKY
Lees of Hollywood: ANG, BRUCE, CHRISTOPHER, SPIKE
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle shows why the game has become a daily ritual for many players. Nothing about the categories is complex; the challenge is holding back early assumptions. Words tied to colour or nationality often function as decoys, while name-based groupings tend to hide in plain sight.
Success depends more on discipline than on speed. This popular saying applies for puzzles as well. Tomorrow’s Connections will again challenge players to demonstrate their skills in identifying patterns. After all, maintaining your winning streak and avoiding traps are not a cakewalk, even for the pros!
Come back tomorrow, when a new puzzle resets the board.