In my humble opinion, the New York Times game Connections is an excellent way to kill time while traveling. The game was first released in beta in June 2023 before launching officially later that year. Since then, it has undergone several updates. With the rise of the Connections Bot, the game has become even more intriguing. Now I get to feel smug when I land in the 0.3% of players who score a Reverse Rainbow—solving all four categories without a single error. I have to be good at something, right?
As someone who rarely misses, I’ve picked up a few tricks for tackling the toughest Connections puzzles. Here’s how I break down even the most obscure categories.
01 Start with the Words That Seem Completely Random
Every Connections puzzle has a few words that immediately make sense. But there’s always one word that sticks out like a sore thumb. When that happens, don’t ignore it—embrace it.
On December 19, 2024, that word was junk. Nothing seemed to fit with it. Then I saw barge on the board. Suddenly, I realized the puzzle wasn’t talking about garbage—it was talking about boats. That one realization helped me connect the other three words in the set.
So when you see a word that feels totally out of place, look for a second meaning. There’s a good chance it’s the key to unlocking the entire puzzle.
02 Consider Who’s Creating the Puzzle
Connections is the brainchild of Wyna Liu, a seasoned crossword puzzle editor. While she designs the game for a global audience, her background can still give you clues.
She studied at Oberlin College and lives in New York City. She’s immersed in the world of word puzzles, which means she pulls from a wide range of knowledge, including literature, pop culture, history, and niche trivia. That’s why Connections doesn’t just test what you know—it challenges how you think about what you know.
When you’re stuck, ask yourself:
- Would this category appeal to crossword fans?
- Does this set reference books, music, or film that are culturally relevant?
- Could there be a New York connection?
tl;dr The puzzle isn’t random. It has a human touch. Lean into that.
03 Work Backward Instead of Forward
Instead of trying to connect the words immediately, sometimes it’s better to think about what the four final groups might be.
Before selecting your first set, take a step back and mentally group all 16 words into potential categories. Even if you can only confidently place three words together, that’s still progress. The last missing word will often reveal itself when you start narrowing things down.
And if the categories aren’t obvious? Prioritize the words you know and build from there.
04 Watch for Hidden Wordplay
Connections loves sneaky linguistic tricks—prefixes, suffixes, homophones, and compound words. When a short, simple word feels out of place, chances are it’s hiding in plain sight.
For example, words like blue, berry, and pie could stand alone or form blueberry pie. A word like stand could connect with up, down, and by to create common phrases.
If a word feels too generic, it’s probably there for wordplay reasons.
05 Think in Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives
A single word can change meaning depending on how it’s used.
Take the word travel. It’s a verb (“I travel often”), a noun (“She caught the travel bug”), and even an adjective in the right context (“a travel guide”).
When you hit a dead end, try looking at words in different grammatical roles. Sometimes, that small shift is all it takes to crack the category.
06 Accept That You Won’t Always Know the Theme
Not every category will make sense to you, and that’s okay.
I know very little about Pokémon, but one day, Connections included a Pokémon-themed set. When that happens, don’t waste time trying to force meaning. Instead, group what you do know and make an educated guess on the rest.
You don’t need to understand the theme—you just need to recognize what doesn’t fit anywhere else.
07 If You Find Three Words That Fit, Trust Your Instincts
You won’t always see the full set immediately. But if you confidently group three words together, don’t be afraid to take a shot.
On January 3, 2025, Connections included the word morel. I immediately recognized it as a mushroom, and I spotted button and oyster on the board as well. But the fourth word? I had no clue.
I ruled out everything that didn’t fit, and the only remaining possibility was trumpet. So I went for it. Sure enough, Trumpet is a type of mushroom.
Sometimes, the best strategy is educated elimination.
08 Take a Wild Guess If You Have To
Connections is meant to be fun, not frustrating. If you’re completely stuck, take a leap. If you’re wrong, learn from it.
Worst case? You get a little closer to figuring it out. Best case? You nail the category by accident. Either way, it’s a win.
09 Sharpen Your Skills With the New York Times Crossword
If you want to get better at Connections, the NYT Crossword is your best training ground.
Crosswords teach you how puzzle makers think. They improve your ability to recognize patterns, synonyms, and tricky wordplay—skills that are directly applicable to Connections.
If you make crosswords a habit, you’ll start seeing connections faster than ever.
10 Read More—It’s the Best Training There Is
My daughter once asked for a subscription to a brain-training app, insisting it would make her smarter. I told her the best thing she could do was read.
Novels introduce you to new words, ideas, and ways of thinking. Before visiting New Orleans, I read A Confederacy of Dunces. Before heading to Japan, I picked up Murakami again. Reading expands your mind—and the more knowledge you have, the more prepared you’ll be when Connections throws you a curveball.
Connections is a thinking game. It rewards curiosity, patience, and pattern recognition. Whether you’re scanning for hidden wordplay, working backward from potential categories, or just making a wild guess, every puzzle sharpens your ability to spot connections in ways you might not expect.
And if all else fails? Just keep playing. Eventually, you’ll start seeing the patterns before they even reveal themselves.
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