.png){kind=logo}
NYT Connections is a challenging daily puzzle game that offers players a group of 16 words that should be arranged into four themed sets.
The theme brings four distinct themes every day without any connection between each other.
It tests vocabulary skills by requiring players to discover hidden links without the themes initially stated.Welcome to your Sunday puzzle break! Today’s NYT Connections is a perfect example of why this game never gets old. It’s fun, it’s tricky, and it has just the right amount of misdirection to keep solvers on their toes. Whether one is a casual weekend puzzler or has a 70-game streak on the line, today’s grid is a delightful challenge.
In NYT Connections, players are tasked with identifying four groups of four words that share a common theme. Now, the twist is that the theme is not stated in the beginning. Once players choose the four right words, the game will reveal the theme of that set.
If you’re new to it, NYT Connections is a daily puzzle game from The New York Times where you group 16 words into four sets of four connected words. The connections can be straightforward or totally clever, 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): Make a duplicate
Green Group (Medium): Trends
Blue Group (Moderate): Games
Purple Group (Hardest): A singular version of various animal-themed bands
One Word Per Group
Need a quick push? Here’s one example from each group:
COPY
FAD
CRICKET
MONKEY
Here comes the spoilers!
Yellow (Emulate): COPY, ECHO, MIRROR, PARROT
Blue (Mania): BUG, CRAZE, FAD, FEVER
Green (Sports): CRICKET, GOLF, POLO, SQUASH
Purple (Single animal in a creatively spelled band name): BEETLE, BIRD, GORILLA, MONKEY
Check Out the Image Below to Learn How to Make the Sets of Today's Puzzle:
The yellow group is a satisfying snap once you see the theme. PARROT, COPY, ECHO, and MIRROR all point to the idea of mimicking or duplicating something. It’s a classic example of the NYT Connections wordplay charm, different contexts, same core idea.
The blue group has a different flavor. CRAZE and FAD show up often in similar contexts, and once you see BUG and FEVER hanging around, the "mania" vibe becomes clear. These aren’t just random words; they’re all about hype and obsession.
The green group is one of those satisfying ‘aha’ moments. GOLF and CRICKET might seem wildly different, but POLO and SQUASH help cement this sports-based group. It’s a tidy, athletic corner of the grid.
Finally, we get to the purple group, a curveball. BEETLE, BIRD, MONKEY, and GORILLA may seem like a zoo at first glance, but the clue is in the singular. Each of these words represents a respelled or nickname-style version of famous bands: The Beatles, The Byrds, The Monkees, and the Gorillaz. No wonder it tripped some folks up!
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle feels like a little Sunday gift: a light brain workout with a fun cultural twist. The purple group may stump some, especially if band references 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!
