NYT Connections is one of The New York Times’ most popular daily games, joining the ranks of Wordle, Spelling Bee, and The Mini Crossword. What sets Connections apart? It challenges your brain in a different way—by asking you to group together four words that share a common thread. But with tricky red herrings and deceptive word pairings, it’s easy to hit a wall. Luckily, we’ve got just what you need: helpful hints, category previews, and, if you scroll far enough, today’s full solution.
What is NYT Connections Game?
Connections was introduced by the NYT Games team with help from associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu. Since its launch, it’s become a fan favorite, especially among those who enjoy pattern recognition and logic puzzles. Each puzzle presents 16 seemingly unrelated words, and your goal is to divide them into four correct groups of four words that share a common connection.
Connections can be as straightforward as “Types of Fruit” or as tricky as “Words with Silent Letters.” Even though multiple groupings may seem correct, there’s only one valid solution.
You’re allowed four mistakes, and you can shuffle the board at any time to see things from a new perspective. The four categories are always color-coded:
- Yellow – Easiest
- Green – Medium
- Blue – Tricky
- Purple – Most difficult
Also read: Today’s Wordle (#1451): Hints, Clues and Answer for June 9, 2025
NYT Connections Hints Today
Want to tease your brain a bit before diving into the actual answers? Below are subtle clues for each category:
- Yellow: Often used in front of a screen
- Green: Think travel and reservations
- Blue: Often mentioned in crime dramas
- Purple: Buzzy titles in a competitive spelling arena
Still puzzled? That’s okay—scroll further for more specific hints.
NYT Connections Categories
Need a stronger nudge? Here’s a look at today’s official categories:
- Keyboard shortcut commands
- Secure in advance
- Crime organizations
- Spelling Bee ranks (with a twist)
Let’s break down what that means.
- Yellow (Keyboard shortcut commands): These are the words you’d commonly associate with CTRL or CMD on your keyboard.
- Green (Secure in advance): These words are about locking something in before it happens—like buying tickets or making reservations.
- Blue (Crime organizations): Terms you’d hear in mob movies or news about criminal enterprises.
- Purple (Spelling Bee ranks minus a letter): This tricky one involves NYT’s Spelling Bee game. These are titles or rankings from the game—but missing one letter.
Related:
Nyt Connections Answers Today
SPOILER ALERT! If you’re still solving and want to try on your own, stop scrolling here. Otherwise, here are today’s four correct groupings:
Keyboard Shortcut Commands
PASTE, PRINT, QUIT, SAVE
These are classic computer commands you use via your keyboard (Ctrl/Cmd + V/P/Q/S).
Secure in Advance
BOOK, ORDER, REQUEST, RESERVE
All four words relate to the act of confirming or arranging something ahead of time.
Crime Organizations
CREW, FAMILY, RING, SYNDICATE
These are all names for groups involved in organized crime—often seen in films or legal cases.
Spelling Bee Ranks (Minus a Letter)
GENUS, GOO, MAZING, SLID
This was the hardest! These are Spelling Bee rank titles like Genius, Good, Amazing, and Solid, with one letter removed.
Also read: Quordle Hints and Answers for Monday, June 9(Game #1232)
Final Thoughts
Don’t worry if today’s Connections tripped you up—this was a particularly clever and challenging puzzle. The purple category especially required both wordplay skill and specific NYT game knowledge.
If you didn’t get it today, don’t let it discourage you. Connections is meant to test and stretch your mind—and like with Wordle or Spelling Bee, part of the fun is showing up daily and trying again. The good news? A brand-new puzzle awaits you every midnight.
