Connections is quickly becoming one of the most beloved brain-teasing puzzle games from The New York Times. If you’re a fan of Wordle, The Mini, or Strands, you’ll definitely enjoy this clever challenge. It’s all about identifying patterns, making connections, and thinking outside the box.

The game presents you with a 4×4 grid, that’s 16 seemingly random words, and your mission is to organise them into four groups of four. Each group shares a hidden theme. Your goal? Find those themes and link the words correctly. But be warned: some words feel like they could belong to more than one category, and the game will only accept one perfect set of answers.

You’ve got only four chances to mess up, so every guess matters.

How to Play NYT Connections

If you’re new to the game, here’s a quick breakdown:

  • You’re given 16 words.

  • Your job is to find four groups of four that are connected by a common theme.

  • Themes can be anything: types of pie, slang for attitude, pattern names, or even ways to say “soften.”

  • Select four words you think belong together, hit Submit, and the game will tell you if you’re right.

  • If you’re correct, the group disappears from the grid, and the category name is revealed.

  • If not, you’ll get a strike — and after four incorrect guesses, the game ends.

Each group also has a color-coded difficulty level:

  • Yellow is the easiest.

  • Green is moderately tricky.

  • Blue gets harder.

  • Purple is usually the toughest and most abstract.

Need a little help for today’s puzzle? Don’t worry, we’ve got both hints and full answers below.

Today’s NYT Connections themes

Here are the categories you’re working with today:

  1. SASSINESS

  2. MITIGATE

  3. PATTERNS

  4. ___ PIE (each word fits before “pie”)

And if you just want a nudge, here’s one word from each group:

  • SASSINESS – ATTITUDE

  • MITIGATE – CUSHION

  • PATTERNS – CAMO

  • ___ PIE – CHESS

 

Today’s NYT Connections answers

If you’ve tried everything and just can’t quite crack it, here are the full answers to today’s puzzle:

SASSINESS:
– ATTITUDE
– CHEEK
– LIP
– MOUTH

MITIGATE:
– CUSHION
– DAMPEN
– SOFTEN
– TEMPER

PATTERNS:
– CAMO
– CHECKERS
– HONEYCOMB
– STRIPES

___ PIE:
– CHESS
– CUTIE
– HUMBLE
– WHOOPIE

Each day’s Connections grid offers a brand-new challenge, and the difficulty can vary wildly. Some days you’ll breeze through it, others will have you staring at your screen for way too long.

If today’s puzzle stumped you, no worries, you’re definitely not alone. The good news? A fresh puzzle resets every midnight, so you’ll always get another shot tomorrow.

Happy puzzling!

TOPICS: NYT Connections