How to Tackle Today's NYT Connections

The New York Times Connections game refreshes daily, offering a fresh mental challenge for puzzle enthusiasts. If you are finding today's groups particularly tricky, this guide provides the necessary clues and solutions to help you navigate the grid successfully.


Understanding the Mechanics

Connections challenges players to organize 16 words into four distinct groups based on shared themes. The difficulty levels are color-coded: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (most difficult). You are permitted up to four mistakes, which allows some flexibility if you find yourself uncertain about a specific association.


Clues for Today's Categories

If you are not quite ready for the full reveal, here is a starting hint to guide your thinking:

  • Purple Category Hint: These words all follow the prefix "POP."

The Official Solutions for Game #1133

If you have decided to move past the hints, here are the categorized answers for today's puzzle:


  • YELLOW (Commit a Basketball Violation): CARRY, DOUBLE DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL
  • GREEN (Belief): ATTITUDE, MIND, OPINION, VIEW
  • BLUE (Things Tracked in Video Games): HEALTH, LIVES, SCORE, TIME
  • PURPLE (Words After "POP"): CULTURE, FLY, QUIZ, TART

Strategy and Insights

Navigating these puzzles often involves avoiding "red herrings"—words that seem like they could belong to multiple groups. For example, when organizing basketball terms, one might mistakenly group words like "SCORE" into the athletic category. Similarly, while solving the "POP" category, it is easy to overthink terms that might seem related to other contexts, such as baseball terminology.

As noted by the editorial experience, even seasoned players can be tripped up by terminology. Reflecting on your choices is key. As a general tip:

«You don't technically need to solve the final group, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination.»


This game remains a staple for those who enjoy word puzzles. It is available to play for free through the official New York Times Games portal on both desktop and mobile devices.