Connections Game — Group 16 Words Into 4 Categories
Connections is the wildly popular word grouping puzzle from the New York Times. You're presented with a 4×4 grid of 16 words, and your mission is to identify four hidden groups of four, each sharing a secret common theme. It sounds simple — until you realize the categories overlap in deviously misleading ways, with red herrings designed to trick you into wrong groupings. With only 4 mistakes allowed, every selection is a high-stakes decision.
How to Play Connections
The goal is to find all four groups before making four mistakes. Here's how each round works:
- You see 16 words arranged in a 4×4 grid.
- Select exactly 4 words that you believe share a hidden category.
- Click "Submit" to check your selection.
- A correct group is removed from the board and revealed with its category name and color.
- An incorrect guess counts as one of your 4 allowed mistakes.
- Solve all 4 groups to win — using as few mistakes as possible!
Connections Rules Explained
The Four Difficulty Colors
Each category is color-coded by difficulty. Yellow is the easiest and most straightforward category. Green is slightly harder. Blue is tricky with unexpected associations. Purple is the hardest — often involving wordplay, puns, or highly obscure connections.
Beware of Red Herrings
The trickiest part of Connections is that many words could plausibly belong to multiple categories. For example, "BASS" could relate to music, fish, or a singer's voice type. The puzzle deliberately includes these misleading overlaps to challenge your lateral thinking. Don't just pick the most obvious category — think about which interpretation each word most uniquely fits.
One Word — One Category
Every word belongs to exactly one category. Even if a word seems to fit two groups, only one placement is correct. Use the process of elimination: once you're confident about one group, the remaining words narrow down the possibilities for others.
Best Connections Strategy Tips
Start With the Yellow Category
Always try to identify the Yellow (easiest) category first. These groups typically have an obvious, direct connection. Solving Yellow early removes 4 words from the board, making the remaining categories clearer.
Think About the Category Name, Not Just the Words
Connections categories often follow specific patterns: "___ + [common word]", "types of ___", "things that ___", or even "words that sound like ___". Try to imagine the category headline before selecting your words.
Use the "Shuffle" to Spot Patterns
Shuffling the board rearranges the words randomly. A fresh visual layout can help you notice groupings you missed when the words were in their original positions.
Save Your Mistakes for Uncertainty
You only get 4 mistakes total. Never guess blindly — if you're unsure between two groupings, hold off and come back after solving an easier group that might eliminate the ambiguity.
Connections Difficulty Levels
| Color | Difficulty | Typical Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Easiest | Direct, obvious category (e.g., "Fruits") |
| Green | Medium | Slightly indirect (e.g., "Shades of Blue") |
| Blue | Hard | Unexpected associations (e.g., "Words before 'Bird'") |
| Purple | Hardest | Wordplay, puns, or obscure links (e.g., "Homophones of ___") |
Try Other Word Mechanics Games
Love Connections? Try Wordle Classic for the original word guessing experience, challenge yourself with Waffle's letter-swapping grid, or expand your thinking with Semantle's semantic word discovery!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Connections game?
Connections is a word grouping puzzle where you must find four groups of four words that share a hidden common category from a 4×4 grid of 16 words.
How many mistakes are allowed in Connections?
You are allowed exactly 4 mistakes in Connections. Making a 5th incorrect guess ends the game and reveals the unsolved categories.
What do the colors mean in Connections?
Yellow = easiest category, Green = medium, Blue = hard, Purple = hardest. The purple category typically involves the trickiest wordplay or most obscure connections.
How is Connections different from Wordle?
Wordle asks you to guess a single hidden word. Connections asks you to identify thematic groupings between 16 given words — it's a category-thinking puzzle, not a letter-guessing game.
Is Connections free to play?
Yes! Our Connections clone is completely free with no login or download required.
What is the best strategy for Connections?
Start with the Yellow (easiest) category, watch for red herrings, think about alternative meanings of words, and use the Shuffle button to see the board from a fresh perspective.
Can a word belong to more than one category?
Each word belongs to exactly one category, even if it seems to fit multiple groups. The puzzle intentionally includes misleading overlaps as red herrings.
Can I play Connections unlimited times?
Yes! Our Connections game offers unlimited puzzles so you can play as many rounds as you like without waiting for a daily reset.