Imagine a daily challenge that tests your vocabulary and critical thinking skills while also enticing you with its engaging format—welcome to the NYT Connections puzzle! Released today on January 2, this particular iteration might not pose a significant challenge for those who are accustomed to a healthy diet of word games.
Connections is one of the most beloved offerings from the New York Times' suite of word games, and it has certainly captivated many players around the globe. The essence of the game revolves around identifying "common threads among various words." Similar to the popular Wordle, the Connections game resets every day at midnight, presenting players with increasingly difficult sets of words as the week progresses. To help you navigate through today's puzzle, we've compiled some tips and hints to enhance your experience.
If you're eager to jump straight to the answer for today's puzzle, feel free to scroll down to the end of this article. However, if you prefer to tackle it yourself, keep reading for some valuable clues, strategies, and insights.
What is Connections?
The latest addition to the NYT's daily word game lineup has quickly gained traction on social media. Wyna Liu, an associate puzzle editor at the Times, played a pivotal role in developing this innovative game and integrating it into the publication's Games section. Players can enjoy Connections on both web browsers and mobile devices, where the objective is to group four words that share a common characteristic.
Each puzzle consists of 16 words divided into four distinct categories. These categories could be anything from literary titles to software names, or even geographical locations. While many words may appear to fit together, there is only one correct grouping for each set.
When players successfully identify all four words in a category, those words disappear from the grid. However, incorrect guesses are counted against the player, allowing for a maximum of four mistakes before the game ends.
For added convenience, players can rearrange and shuffle the word grid, making it easier to spot connections. The game is also visually structured with color coding: yellow indicates the easiest groups, followed by green, blue, and purple. Much like Wordle, players can proudly share their results on social media platforms.
Here's a sneak peek at today's Connections categories
If you're looking for a little nudge towards today's categories without revealing everything, consider these hints:
- Yellow: To notate
- Green: A skit
- Blue: A guideline
- Purple: Greens
Today’s Connections categories revealed
In case you need further assistance, here are the specific categories for today:
- Yellow: Write
- Green: Shtick
- Blue: Benchmark
- Purple: Vegetable minus starting letter
Curious about Wordle? If you're also seeking today's Wordle answer, you can find it linked here.
Now, are you ready for the big reveal? This is your final chance to solve today’s puzzle before we unveil the solutions!
Drumroll, please!
The answers for today’s Connections #936 are:
- Write: JOT, LOG, NOTE, RECORD
- Shtick: BIT, GAG, NUMBER, ROUTINE
- Benchmark: BAR, EXAMPLE, METRIC, STANDARD
- Vegetable minus starting letter: ALE, EEK, HIVE, QUASH
Don't be disheartened if you didn’t get it right this time; there are always new Challenges waiting for you tomorrow, and we'll return with more helpful hints to aid your quest.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Check out our hints for today’s Strands puzzle as well!
If you're on the lookout for more brain-teasing games, Mashable has got you covered! Visit our games hub for exciting options like Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and much more.
Did you miss yesterday's puzzle? Don’t worry! You can find the solution to yesterday’s Connections puzzle linked here.
