**All You Need to Know About the NYT’s Trendy Word Game, *Connections***

*Connections* is a highly cherished word game from *The New York Times*, engaging players with its distinctive challenge of identifying “common threads among words.” Similar to the viral hit *Wordle*, *Connections* resets every day at midnight, providing a new puzzle that becomes progressively more challenging as the week unfolds. If you’re feeling stuck, no need to fret—we have hints, tips, and even today’s solution to assist you.

If you’re looking for the answer to today’s puzzle, scroll down to the end of this article. But if you wish to solve it independently, hang on for some useful clues and strategies.

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### What Is *Connections*?

The *New York Times*’ new word game has taken social media by storm. Developed by associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, *Connections* has swiftly secured its place in the *Times*’ Games section. The game is available on both web browsers and mobile devices, challenging players to cluster four words that correlate with a shared theme.

Each puzzle comprises 16 words, which players must categorize into four groups. These categories can include anything from book titles to software brands, countries, and beyond. While some words may appear to fit multiple groups, there is only one accurate solution.

When you successfully group four words, they are eliminated from the board. However, incorrect guesses are counted as errors, and players are permitted up to four mistakes before the game concludes. To simplify the process, you can shuffle and rearrange the board to better recognize connections.

Every category is color-coded according to difficulty: yellow is the simplest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Just like *Wordle*, you can share your results with friends on social media to compare scores.

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### Hints for Today’s *Connections* Categories

Need a little help? Here are some subtle hints for today’s categories:

– **Yellow:** *Requirement*
– **Green:** *Relaxing*
– **Blue:** *Cocktail creation*
– **Purple:** *Problem-solving elements*

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### Today’s *Connections* Categories

Still in a bit of a jam? Here’s a detailed look at today’s categories:

– **Yellow:** *Depend (on)*
– **Green:** *”Settle down”*
– **Blue:** *Components of an old fashioned*
– **Purple:** *Associated with the Monty Hall dilemma*

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### The Solution to Today’s *Connections* Puzzle

Ready for the solutions? Here’s how today’s puzzle is laid out:

– **Depend (on):** COUNT ON, HINGE, RELY, REST
– **”Settle down”:** CALM, EASY, ENOUGH, RELAX
– **Components of an old fashioned:** BITTERS, ORANGE, RYE, SUGAR
– **Associated with the Monty Hall dilemma:** CAR, DOOR, GOAT, HOST

If you didn’t crack it this time, don’t be disheartened—tomorrow’s puzzle awaits. We’ll return with more hints and answers to support you.

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### Seeking More Games?

If you’re a puzzle enthusiast, visit Mashable’s games hub for additional entertainment. From Mahjong and Sudoku to free crosswords, there’s something for everyone.

– [Play games on Mashable](https://games.mashable.com/)
– [Today’s *Wordle* answer](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-january-10-2025)
– [Yesterday’s *Connections* solution](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-january-9-2025)

Happy puzzling!