Connections Strategy Guide
Ten habits of players who rarely lose a board.
1Read the whole board first
Before you tap anything, read every word once. The first idea that jumps out is often the trap that the puzzle was built around.
2Look for five
If you can name a category and find five words that fit it, you have found a red herring. One of those words belongs somewhere else.
3Solve from the specific
A narrow category (types of pasta) is easier to pin down than a broad one (things in a kitchen). Lock in the narrow group first.
4Leave purple for last
The trickiest group often only becomes visible once the other words are gone. You rarely need to find it directly.
5Say the words out loud
Homophones and rhymes are easy to miss on screen and obvious when you hear them.
6Try adding a word
Many groups are words that complete a phrase. Try putting common words in front of or after each one: fire___, ___ball, sun___.
7Shuffle when stuck
The starting layout can lock your eyes on false patterns. Shuffle the board to see the words in a new order.
8Use “one away” well
After a one-away guess, change only one word at a time, and pick the swap that matters most for the rest of the board.
9Don't spend mistakes early
Mistakes are more valuable at the end of a board, when only two groups are left and it is a coin flip.
10Play every day
Puzzle writers have habits. The more boards you play, the faster you start to recognise their favourite tricks.