The yellow category is the easiest to identify, grouping words associated with leadership, authority, and dominance, including Alpha, Lead, Head, and Primary.
Mathematics enthusiasts may quickly recognize the multiplication indicators category, while language lovers will spot pronunciation-related terms hidden elsewhere in the grid.
The purple category delivers the toughest challenge by using words that begin with explosive onomatopoeia, creating a clever wordplay twist that rewards careful observation.
Welcome to your Monday evening puzzle break! For word puzzle lovers, NYT Connections never gets old. It’s fun, tricks, and the right amount of confusion keep 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.
Once you look at today’s grid, you will find some commonly used words like Alpha, Silent, Popsicle, Powder, Primary, etc., but apparently, they share no common theme. Now, the twist is that all sixteen words share passive links, allowing them to be arranged into four groups. 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 a max of 4 mistakes, 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 related to terms that we generally use to indicate dominance.
Green Group (Medium): Love mathematics? Look for terms that are associated with multiplication.
Blue Group (Moderate): Try to find out words that are associated with linguistics.
Purple Group (Hardest): The words start with terms related to loud sounds.
Need a quick push? Here’s one example from each group:
ALPHA
TIMES
SOFT
POWDER
Also Read: NYT Strands on June 21, 2026: Theme, Spangram, and Winning Strategy
Still confused about the solutions? Here are the exact categories for today’s puzzle:
Yellow (DOMINANT): ALPHA, HEAD, LEAD, PRIMARY
Blue (MULTIPLICATION INDICATORS): BY, TIMES, X, ●
Green (PRONUNCIATION DESCRIPTORS): SHORT, SILENT, SOFT, STRESSED
Purple (STARTING WITH EXPLOSIVE ONOMATOPOEIA): BANGKOK, BOOMER, POPSICLE, POWDER
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 21, 2026 | #1106 | DRIZZLE, RAIN, SHOWERS, SPRINKLES | FLOORS, ROCKS, STUNS, SURPRISES | COMMUNITY, FRIENDS, SCRUBS, WINGS | BARBADOS, DIGGITY, DISSECT, SLAPDASH |
| June 20, 2026 | #1105 | JACKKNIFE, KNAPSACK, KNICKS, KNOCK-KNOCK | BACK, BOLSTER, CHAMPION, SUPPORT | BEANBAG, RECLINER, ROCKER, STOOL | JUMPIN’, LOUIE, NEW YORK, REBEL |
| June 19, 2026 | #1104 | MISO PASTE, PARMESAN, SOY SAUCE, VEGEMITE | CHOPSTICKS, FÜR ELISE, HEART AND SOUL, THE ENTERTAINER | FORTUNE COOKIE, PEOPLE PERSON, SPINDERELLA, TIME MACHINE | COINCIDENTALLY, DIM SUM, TEETOTAL, VISCOUNT |
| June 18, 2026 | #1103 | AEROBICS, BARRE, BOOTCAMP, PILATES | ATTITUDE, BEARING, CARRIAGE, PRESENCE | GANDHI, KING, MANDELA, TUTU | HAMM, JIGS, PLIE, WREN |
| June 17, 2026 | #1102 | CAVITY, NICHE, NOOK, RECESS | CHEEK, LIP, MOUTH, NERVE | CALLIOPE, ECHO, IRIS, NEMESIS | CLASSIC, KINDLE, SORTIE, TYPEFACE |
| June 16, 2026 | #1101 | BLUE CHEESE, CAESAR, GREEN GODDESS, RANCH | COURT, ENTOURAGE, RETINUE, SUITE | BLACK SWAN, BLUE MOON, PERFECT STORM, UNICORN | BASKETBALL, EARRINGS, RED TAPE, RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS GEAR |
| June 15, 2026 | #1100 | LEGS, MOMENTUM, STAMINA, TRACTION | ACCESSORIZE, CHANGE, PRIMP, SHOWER | DOG, DRAGON, HORSE, SNAKE | ANEMONE, LARKSPUR, MONKSHOOD, PHLOX |
NYT Connections have never been easy. Sometimes the words are a bit simple to connect, but they challenge gamers' vocabulary with tough ideas. Today’s challenge also presents players with some common words, but in a twisted way that makes them challenging to connect without a bit of help.
The purple group may stump some, especially if wordplays aren’t your forte, but the rest of the puzzle plays fair. So, whether you solved it in one go or had to peek at a few NYT Connections 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!