Connections
About the game and how to play
Connections is a word puzzle about spotting links. You get sixteen words that split into four hidden groups of four, and you need to find what ties each group together. Groups are colour-ranked from easiest to trickiest — the last one is usually wordplay rather than a plain category. Wrong guesses are limited. Available in English and Azerbaijani.
- Players
- 1 player
- Category
- Word games
- Price
- Free, no download, no sign-up
- Where to play
- In the browser on phone, tablet and computer
How to play
- Select four words you think belong together.
- Submit — if you are right, the group locks in with its category.
- A wrong guess costs you one mistake.
- Find all four groups before you run out of mistakes.
Tips
- Start by spotting words that could fit two groups — the puzzles are built around exactly those decoys. If a word seems to belong in two places, leave it for last.
- Lock in any group you are sure of straight away: every solved group shrinks the board and makes the trickier links easier to see. If words sitting side by side keep suggesting a false link, hit Shuffle.
- On Relaxed and Standard, a One away… message means three of your four words are right. Swap just one word instead of rebuilding the whole guess.
- The last and hardest group is usually wordplay rather than a plain category — look at spelling, second meanings and phrases the words complete.
Frequently asked questions
How many mistakes do you get in Connections?
It depends on the level: 6 on Relaxed, 4 on Standard, 3 on Strict and only 2 on Iron. When you run out, the groups you did not find are revealed.
Why don't I get the One away warning?
The warning only appears on Relaxed and Standard. On Strict and Iron you are just told the guess is wrong, and on Iron the grid also reshuffles after every miss and category names stay hidden until the board is over.
Does submitting the same four words again cost a mistake?
No. If you resubmit a combination you already tried, the game tells you so and does not charge a mistake.
Is the daily Connections puzzle the same for everyone?
Yes, everyone playing in the same language gets the same sixteen words that day. The English and Azerbaijani puzzles are written separately rather than translated, and the number of mistakes you get follows your chosen level. Past dailies stay available in the archive.