**Connections: An Overview of the Trending New York Times Word Game**

*Connections* has quickly become a favorite word game from the *New York Times*, challenging players with its intriguing task of uncovering “shared themes among words.” Much like *Wordle*, this game refreshes every day at midnight, with each subsequent puzzle becoming more complex. If you find yourself in a bind, we have hints and strategies to assist you—or you can jump to the end for today’s answer.

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### What is *Connections*?

The *New York Times* has once again hit the jackpot with its latest daily word game, *Connections*, which has taken social media by storm. Developed with the collaboration of associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, the game encourages players to categorize four words that have a common link. It’s accessible on both web browsers and mobile platforms.

Each puzzle consists of 16 words that must be categorized into four distinct groups. These groups can include anything from literature titles to software names, nations, and more. Although some words may appear to fit together, there is only one accurate solution.

When you successfully cluster four words, they are cleared from the board. However, incorrect selections count as errors, and players can make up to four mistakes before the game concludes. To facilitate your gameplay, you can shuffle the board to better identify connections. Each category is color-coded by level of difficulty: yellow is the simplest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like *Wordle*, you can share your outcomes with friends via social media.

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

Need a little boost? Here are some clues for today’s categories without revealing the answers:

– **Yellow:** The act of surpassing others
– **Green:** Items brought for an outdoor feast
– **Blue:** Notable archaeologist’s attire and equipment
– **Purple:** Words that rhyme with former leaders of the country

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### Today’s *Connections* Categories

If you’re still struggling, here’s an outline of today’s categories:

– **Yellow:** Outdo
– **Green:** Picnic Gear
– **Blue:** Elements of an Indiana Jones Costume
– **Purple:** Rhymes of U.S. Presidential Names

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### Today’s *Connections* Solution

Ready for the solutions? Here’s what today’s puzzle reveals:

– **Outdo:** BETTER, ECLIPSE, SURPASS, TOP
– **Picnic Gear:** BASKET, BLANKET, COOLER, UTENSILS
– **Elements of an Indiana Jones Costume:** BOMBER, FEDORA, SATCHEL, WHIP
– **Rhymes of U.S. Presidential Names:** PAGAN, SMARTER, VIXEN, WIDEN

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Don’t be discouraged if you couldn’t crack it this time—tomorrow’s puzzle is another opportunity to challenge your mind. We’ll return with further hints and solutions to keep you engaged.

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### Seeking More Games?

If you enjoy puzzles, explore Mashable’s [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more. And if you’re also engaging with *NYT Strands*, we have hints and solutions for that as well.

Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Find the solution here](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-sports-edition-hint-answer-today-january-23).