The yellow category offers an accessible start by grouping together everyday words that are all named after famous places, making it the easiest connection to spot.
Players then move through Best Picture films and well-known cocktail names, with familiar pop culture and geography helping uncover the middle categories.
The purple category delivers the biggest challenge by featuring words that begin with country names, adding a smart layer of wordplay to finish the puzzle.
Welcome to your Wednesday evening puzzle break! For word puzzle lovers, NYT Connections never get old. Its tricks create the right amount of confusion, keeping solvers on their toes every day. Whether you are a casual puzzle solver or a regular one with more than a 70-game streak on the line, today’s grid is a delightful challenge.
You will find some commonly used words like China, Fargo, Chicago, and Nigeria, but apparently, they share no common theme. Now, the twist is that all sixteen words share passive links, allowing them to be grouped into four. Once players choose the right words, the game will reveal the theme of that set.
If you’re new to it, Connections is a daily puzzle game from The New York Times where you group 16 words into four sets. The connections can be straightforward or totally hidden, from synonyms and themes to pop culture references.
Each group has a difficulty tier: yellow (easy), green and blue (moderate), and purple (hardest). You get four mistakes max, so precision matters. The twist? Some words fit into more than one category, and that’s where the real challenge begins.
Here are your hints, color-coded by difficulty (but no answers just yet):
Yellow Group (Easiest): These words are commonly used terms, but all of them are named after locations.
Green Group (Medium): In this group, you have to find movies and classics that were once nominated for awards.
Blue Group (Moderate): This group of words offers you a good cocktail along with some of the best traveling locations.
Purple Group (Hardest): They are countries with some twist.
One Word per Group
Need a quick push? Here’s one example from each group:
CHAMPAGNE
CHICAGO
MOSCOW
NIGERIA
Also Read: NYT Wordle Hints and Answers for June 30, 2026: Strategy & Expert Walkthrough
Still confused about the solutions? Here are the exact categories for today’s puzzle:
Yellow (THINGS NAMED AFTER PLACES): CHAMPAGNE, CHINA, COLOGNE, LIMERICK
Blue (BEST PICTURE WINNERS/NOMINEES): CASABLANCA, CHICAGO, FARGO, MUNICH
Green (PLACES IN COCKTAIL NAMES): CUBA, LONG ISLAND, MOSCOW, SINGAPORE
Purple (STARTING WITH COUNTRIES): DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, GUINEA-BISSAU, INDIANAPOLIS, NIGERIA
Check Out the Image Below to Learn How to Make the Sets of Today's Puzzle:
If you have solved today’s puzzle but missed out on a few of the week’s, below are the answers to some of the previous day's NYT Connections:
| Date | Puzzle # | Yellow Group | Green Group | Blue Group | Purple Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | #1115 | FENCE, GATE, HEDGE, WALL | CURL, LUGE, SKATE, SKI | BOTTLE, BOX, CAN, NEWSPAPER | BREEZE, ON TAP, RECRUIT, SKETCH |
| June 29, 2026 | #1114 | MISCREANT, ROGUE, RUFFIAN, SCOUNDREL | CRUSH, GUZZLE, INHALE, SNARF | CABINET, CONE, MAGNET, WOOFER | EMBARK, GROOT, NUDIBRANCH, STRUNK |
| June 28, 2026 | #1113 | CHOICE, FINE, PRIME, SELECT | BEGIN, GO, NOW, START | CAPO, PICK, SLIDE, STRAP | CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS, SURFER |
| June 27, 2026 | #1112 | BOARDWALK, INCOME TAX, SHORT LINE, WATER WORKS | CATWALK, COLLECTION, DESIGNER, MODEL | BARBER POLE, BILLIARD BALL, CREDIT CARD, CROSSWALK | DECANTER, ENVELOPE, FIREWALK, FOXTROT |
| June 26, 2026 | #1111 | CHIP, CRACKER, NUT, PRETZEL | BOARD, LOG, SPLINTER, TREE | DALE, DELL, GORGE, HOLLOW | BRONZER, PINKY, REDO, TANG |
| June 25, 2026 | #1110 | MICROPHONE, MONITOR, PRINTER, TRACKPAD | COMPACT, COMPRESSED, DENSE, SQUASHED | FRANCIUM, LEAD, MERCURY, POLONIUM | CRANIUM, CROQUETTE, DUCTILE, HOCKEY |
| June 24, 2026 | #1109 | GENESIS, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD, RUSH | CHINA, LUGGAGE, MONEY, TOASTER | CLIFFORD, DEADPOOL, KOOL-AID MAN, MR. KRABS | CHICK FLICK, HELTER SKELTER, HUMPTY DUMPTY, MUMBO JUMBO |
NYT Connections puzzles have never been easy. They challenge gamers' vocabulary with tough ideas. Today’s purple group may stump some, especially if wordplay isn’t your forte, but the rest of the puzzle plays fair. Whether you solved it in one go or had to peek at a few hints today, the real win is that burst of satisfaction at the end.
Come back tomorrow for a new grid, new clues, and more of that Connections magic!