NYT Connections gives you 16 words to sort into four groups of four, with each group linked by a shared theme. Find all four groups while avoiding wrong guesses; the game tracks mistakes and outcomes, but the official help page does not describe a numeric points score.
How to play NYT Connections
- Review the 16 words. Look for possible links between four words, such as a shared subject or a common word pattern.
- Select a set of four words that you believe share a connection, then submit the group.
- Repeat until you have identified all four groups or the game ends.
The New York Times Help Center gives examples of connections such as four fish and four words that begin with “FIRE.” Each puzzle has one intended solution, but the words may appear to fit more than one category. That overlap is deliberate, so compare plausible groupings before you submit. NYT Connections Help Center
What the category colors mean
The four groups are marked yellow, green, blue, and purple to indicate category difficulty. Yellow is the easiest category and purple is the trickiest. The Help Center does not define a specific connection type for green or blue, so treat the colors as difficulty cues rather than clues to a category’s theme.
How mistakes and statistics work
Connections documents outcomes through mistakes and statistics, not a points formula. The Help Center defines a win as completing a puzzle in fewer than four mistakes; a puzzle solved with zero mistakes is labeled a “Perfect Puzzle.” The next wrong guess after no guesses remain ends play, according to the Help Center.
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The game’s listed statistics include puzzles completed, win rate, current and maximum streaks, perfect puzzles, and a histogram of mistakes. A Bot rating or difficulty comparison is analysis, not a points score.
Does NYT Connections have a score?
The official Help Center information describes wins, mistakes, streaks, perfect puzzles, and optional post-game Bot ratings, but does not specify a numeric points system. So if by “score” you mean a published points total, no formula is provided there; the documented performance measures are based on whether you solve the puzzle and how many mistakes you make.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When and where you can play
The daily puzzle releases at midnight in your timezone. The Help Center lists the Games app, the Connections page, NYTimes.com/theathletic, and the News app as ways to play. It says the game is free on those platforms without registration; signing in with an NYT account is recommended if you want progress to carry across devices and platforms. NYT Connections Help Center
Quick Recap
Archive, Bot, and Sports Edition
- Connections archive: The Help Center says the archive includes puzzles dating back to June 12, 2023, and is available to All Access and Games subscribers. Archive play affects some listed statistics, but not current or maximum streaks. Check the Help Center for current subscription access terms. NYT Connections Help Center
- Connections Bot: Available to All Access, Home Delivery, and Games subscribers, according to the Help Center. It offers difficulty comparisons, player-skill and solution-uniqueness ratings, category difficulty and solve order, common mistakes, and guess-by-guess analysis. These features explain a completed game; they do not add a points-scoring system. NYT Connections Help Center
- Sports Edition: The Help Center says Connections: Sports Edition follows the same rules as the standard daily puzzle. It also describes sharing results after submitting the last guess. NYT Connections Help Center
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