How Word Categories Help You Win Connections Puzzles
Have you ever stared at a Connections puzzle and thought, “How in the world do these words go together?” You're not alone. The Connections game, like the one from connections nyt, is all about spotting groups of words that share something in common. It sounds simple—but it can really make you think. The good news? Knowing about word categories can really help you win more often.Think of word categories as little groups your brain makes naturally. Like types of fruit—apples, bananas, oranges. Or animals—dog, cat, giraffe. When you see a word like “lemon,” your brain might jump to “lime” or “grapefruit” because they’re also fruits. That’s the same thinking you use in the Connections puzzle.
When you start a puzzle, scan all the words quickly and see if any obvious categories pop out. Maybe you spot four colors or maybe four types of weather. Even if you don’t know the full group right away, finding just two or three words that seem related can be a useful clue. It’s like following a trail until the big picture becomes clear.
Some categories might be trickier, like movie titles, famous people, or slang words. But just pausing for a moment and asking yourself, “What kind of thing is this?” can spark helpful ideas. Online puzzles often mix easy and harder categories, so warming up your brain with the obvious ones can make it easier to figure out the rest.
A great way to get better is to practice thinking in groups. Try listing things in categories during your day—vegetables while cooking, types of stores while walking around, or animals while watching TV. The more your brain gets used to grouping, the faster it’ll work during a puzzle.
So next time you play, let word categories do the heavy lifting. Trust your first instincts and be open to strange connections—a category might be 90s pop stars or things that squeak! Either way, your brain is stronger than you think, and just like a muscle, the more you use it, the better it gets.
Word categories aren't magic, but they kind of feel like it once you get the hang of them. Give it a try and see how your puzzle game improves!