**Connections: The New York Times Word Game Making Waves Online**
*Connections* has rapidly risen to become one of the most cherished word games from *The New York Times*, mesmerizing players with its distinct challenge of discovering “common links between words.” Like the popular hit *Wordle*, *Connections* refreshes every day at midnight, presenting a new puzzle that becomes increasingly difficult. If you find yourself stuck, don’t worry—we’ve provided hints and tips to assist you in solving today’s puzzle.
If you’re here seeking the answer, feel free to scroll to the conclusion of this article. But if you’d rather tackle it independently, continue reading for some useful strategies and clues.
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### What Is *Connections*?
The *New York Times*’ latest daily word game has turned into a social media sensation. Developed with assistance from associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, *Connections* has secured its spot in the *Times*’ Games section. The game is accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, and the aim is straightforward yet stimulating: group four words that relate to a common theme.
Each puzzle features 16 words that must be arranged into four categories. These categories can include anything from book titles to software names, countries, or even abstract ideas. Although multiple words may appear to fit together, only one correct solution exists for each grouping.
When you successfully group four words, they are removed from the board. However, incorrect guesses are counted as errors, and players can make up to four mistakes before the game concludes. To facilitate the process, you can shuffle the board to identify connections more easily. The categories are color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), then green, blue, and purple. And similar to *Wordle*, you can share your results on social media with friends.
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### Tips for Playing *Connections*
1. **Identify obvious groupings first.** Begin with categories that appear clear, such as colors, countries, or well-known names.
2. **Shuffle the board.** Rearranging the words may reveal new patterns to assist you.
3. **Think creatively.** Some connections may not be straightforward and could be more conceptual, so explore abstract relationships.
4. **Utilize the color coding.** Tackle yellow categories first since they are the easiest, helping you to gain momentum.
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### Hint for Today’s *Connections* Categories
If you’d like a little guidance without giving away the answer, here are some hints for today’s categories:
– **Yellow:** A spectrum of colors
– **Green:** Solve a mystery
– **Blue:** A dispute with someone
– **Purple:** Hit this
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### Today’s *Connections* Categories
Need a bit more assistance? Here are the specific categories for today’s puzzle:
– **Yellow:** Shade
– **Green:** Elements of a Mystery
– **Blue:** Disagree With
– **Purple:** Hit A___
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### Today’s *Connections* Solution
Ready for the answers? Here’s your final opportunity to turn back before we unveil today’s solution. Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s *Connections* puzzle (#601) is:
– **Shade:** TINT, HUE, TINGE, TONE
– **Elements of a Mystery:** ALIBI, CLUE, DETECTIVE, SUSPECT
– **Disagree With:** CHALLENGE, CONTEST, DISPUTE, QUESTION
– **Hit A___:** CHORD, DEAL, MATCH, POSE
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Don’t fret if you didn’t solve it this round—tomorrow is another day! A fresh *Connections* puzzle will be waiting for you, and we’ll return with additional hints and solutions to support you.
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### Searching for More Games?
If puzzles are your passion, explore Mashable’s [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. And if you’re also engaging with *Wordle* or *Strands*, we have hints and answers available for those games too.
Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Here’s the answer.](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-sports-edition-hint-answer-today-february-1) Enjoy puzzling!