How to Play Connections

The objective

Select four words that share one clear connection, submit the group, and repeat until all sixteen words are sorted.

How to play Connections

1. 01

   Read all sixteen words before selecting anything. Note obvious themes, repeated phrases, synonyms, and words that may have more than one meaning.

2. 02

   Select four words that fit one specific category, then press Submit to check the group.

3. 03

   When a group is correct, it is removed from the unsolved board and displayed with its category.

4. 04

   If a selection is wrong, review the overlaps and use Shuffle to view the remaining words in a different order.

5. 05

   Continue until all four categories are solved or you use the available mistakes. Use the hint and reveal controls when you want assistance.

Connections rules

• Each puzzle has sixteen words divided into four groups of four.
• A submitted selection must contain exactly four words.
• You can make up to four mistakes. A guess that shares three words with a correct group may be reported as one away.
• Some words are designed to fit more than one apparent theme, so the most precise shared relationship matters.

Connections tips and strategy

• Look for a category that explains all four words cleanly, not a loose association that could include many others.
• Watch for words with multiple meanings, familiar phrases, abbreviations, and words that can be different parts of speech.
• If three words seem certain, pause and test the fourth against every remaining possibility.
• Solve the most obvious group only when doing so does not reveal a stronger, more specific grouping elsewhere.