10
Loading video...
By Billie Schwab Dunn
Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The New York Times launched Connections in June 2023, a new word-based game, which has since developed a loyal fan base across the world.
The puzzle requires the player to identify common threads from 16 different words, which they then subdivide into four separate categories.
If you're not yet familiar with the game, Newsweek has provided some instructions below to get you started.
Read More on Video Games
How To Play 'Connections'
In Connections, players must group together words they think have common threads to reveal the names of their corresponding categories.
Each puzzle consists of 16 words, with each group of words separated into four categories. The uniting themes can come from a broad range of categories, including anything from horror-movie franchises to types of sound to food.
...
The board has a color-coding system representing levels of difficulty. Yellow represents the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. A group's color will be revealed only once the words in a group have been correctly connected.
If all four words are correctly placed into each set, those words will be removed from the board. Each incorrect guess counts toward the mistake tally. Players can make up to four mistakes before the game ends.
Players can shuffle and rearrange the board if they want to try to make the process of guessing the connections easier.
But, be careful; the game's creator and editor Wyna Liu said the words' original placement on the board is specifically done to trick people. Players need to keep in mind that some words could belong to more than one category—but there is only one correct answer.
Liu also said that, if you realize that there are five or more words that belong to one category, try pivoting to a different group before making your first guess.
"Doing so might take one of those extra cards out of contention, or at least remove a few cards from the board, making other categories easier to see," Liu said.
If you need a hand solving today's Connections puzzle, Newsweek has put together a few hints to help you out. But be warned, the answers appear further down in the article, so scroll with caution if you want to work it out yourself.
Connections has become so popular since going public in June that it is now The New York Times' second most-played word game, after Wordle, which Newsweek also has some handy hints for if you want to give it a try.
'Connections' #341 Clues for Friday, May 17
Yellow: Related to dishonesty.
Green: Different ways you can communicate with someone.
Blue: These objects are often seen in a traditional style of painting.
Purple: Each of these answers goes well with the word "beer."
'Connections' #341 Answers for Friday, May 17
Yellow Category: CORRUPT
Yellow Words: Base, dirty, low, vile
Green Category: REACH OUT TO
Green Words: Contact, Message, Ping, Text
Blue Category: CLASSIC STILL LIVE COMPONENTS
Blue Words: Fruit, Pitcher, Skull, Tablecloth
Purple Category: BEER ____
Purple Words: Batter, Can, Garden, Pong
Did you guess the answers correctly? If so, congratulations. If not, there will be another opportunity to crack the puzzle tomorrow.
Connections is released at midnight in your local time zone. Newsweek will be back with another round of hints and tips for each new game.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines