**NYT Connections: Tips and Solutions for Today**
*Connections* stands out as one of the most beloved [New York Times word games](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), engaging players with its distinct challenge of recognizing shared themes amongst words. Much like *Wordle*, [Connections](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today) updates every day at midnight, with each fresh puzzle increasing in difficulty. If you find yourself in a bind, we have hints and techniques to assist you.
If you’re only after today’s answer, scroll to the bottom of this page. However, if you prefer to have some assistance in figuring it out on your own, continue reading for useful hints and advice.
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### What is *Connections*?
The *New York Times*’ newest word game has swiftly become popular, particularly across social media platforms. Created with contributions from associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, *Connections* has become an essential feature of the *Times*’ Games section. It’s accessible on both web browsers and mobile devices, with a straightforward goal: categorize four words that share a theme.
Each puzzle consists of 16 words that need to be organized into four distinct groups. These groups can include anything from book titles to names of software, countries, and much more. Though several words may appear connected, only one grouping is accurate.
As players correctly identify a set of four words, they are taken off the board. However, incorrect guesses are counted as mistakes, with a maximum of four mistakes permitted before the game concludes.
To enhance the gameplay experience, players can shuffle the board to discover connections more effectively. Each category is color-coded according to difficulty:
– **Yellow**: Easiest
– **Green**: Moderate
– **Blue**: Challenging
– **Purple**: Most difficult
Similar to *Wordle*, players can share their scores on social media.
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### Hint for Today’s *Connections* Categories
Looking for a hint without giving away the answers? Here are some clues for the categories:
– **Yellow**: Straightforward
– **Green**: Water bodies
– **Blue**: Varieties of wires
– **Purple**: Contents of a carafe
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### Today’s *Connections* Categories
Still seeking assistance? Here are the category themes for today:
– **Yellow**: Frank
– **Green**: Bodies of water
– **Blue**: Types of cords
– **Purple**: Objects in bottles
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### Today’s *Connections* Answers
Prepared for the solution? This is your final warning to look away before we disclose today’s answers!
The solution to *Connections* #648 is:
– **Frank**: DIRECT, FRANK, LOUD, VOCAL
– **Bodies of water**: BAY, CHANNEL, SOUND, STRAIT
– **Types of cords**: BUNGEE, EXTENSION, SPINAL, UMBILICAL
– **Objects in bottles**: GENIE, LIGHTNING, MESSAGE, SHIP
If you didn’t solve it this time, don’t fret—there’s always a new puzzle coming up tomorrow! We will return with additional hints and answers to support you.
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### More Word Games and Puzzles
In search of more challenges? Check out:
– [Today’s *Wordle* answer](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer)
– [NYT *Strands* hints and answers](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint)
– [Mashable’s game hub](https://games.mashable.com/) featuring Mahjong, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and more
Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Locate the previous solution here](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-sports-edition-hint-answer-today).
Happy puzzling! 🎉