Hints
Today’s Connections puzzle plays in that familiar sweet spot: a few categories that feel obvious once you see the pattern, plus one or two that can hide in plain sight. Take your time—great Connections solving is usually about ruling things out as much as making matches.
If you’re stuck, start with the “easy clusters.” Look for words that clearly belong together in everyday language (common phrases, recurring meanings, or very specific roles). Then work outward: categories often share a “sound-alike” vibe, a theme adjacency, or a shared relationship type.
For a spoiler-aware approach, use these group clues without jumping to exact answers:
- Category 1: Words that point to “daily word game” territory—think five-letter guesses and color-coded feedback.
- Category 2: Terms strongly associated with the broadcast world: show formats and production roles you’d hear in TV-land.
- Category 3: A set of phrases about working together—synonyms for teaming up, collaborating, and shared decision-making.
- Category 4: “Strategy talk” vocabulary: debating, planning, and making choices in a structured way.
If you have one or two entries that feel like they don’t belong anywhere obvious, that’s usually the sign you’re close. Connections tends to use a “misfit” word to steer you toward the right category split—so try moving suspect items into different candidate groups before committing.
Also, if you’re looking for puzzle solving help, one useful trick is to ask: “What would a TV host say about this?” The answer often reveals whether you’re dealing with a broadcast-related set, a collaboration-related set, or a strategy-related set.
Answers
Below are the final groupings. Use them to confirm your solves, or to backfill anything you couldn’t pin down.
- Daily word game / guessing mechanics: WORDLE, FIVE, TRIES, GUESS
- Television show & production: NBC, HOST, EXECUTIVE, PRODUCER
- Working together / teaming up: SQUADS, TEAM, TOGETHER, COLLABORATE
- Strategy & decision-making: DEBATE, PLAN, STRATEGY, SHARE
If any of these feel slightly off, that’s normal for Connections when the puzzle leans on indirect associations. When that happens, revisit the word you moved last: Connections usually rewards the solver who checks whether a word’s relationship is “type of thing” versus “thing you do.”
One last tip for next time: when a category includes action-y words (like “debate” or “plan”), scan the rest of your grid for other verbs first. When a category includes roles or labels (like “host” or “producer”), scan for titles and job descriptors. That simple switch—verbs together, roles together—often cracks the final wall.
