Start with the spoiler-free hints. Go deeper only when you need to. Reveal answers on your own terms.
A direction for each group — no names given.
What kind of thinking each group asks for.
Pointed nudges on the words built to fool you.
Every Connections board plants a few decoys. Here are today’s, and why they pull you the wrong way.
Looks like it could belong with EASE in a relaxation-themed group, disguising its idiomatic role.
Could be interpreted as a sharp border or an advantage, not just a slow, careful movement.
Seems like a unit of distance, potentially misleading solvers toward a measurement category instead of air travel perks.
May be mistaken for an animal or a bowling term, hiding its link to a common expression about quitting something abruptly.
CARRY ON, CONTINUE, MAKE IT, and PERSIST all urge forward motion against adversity. The group is straightforward yet cleverly includes both one-word and phrasal answers, keeping solvers on their toes.
CREEP, EASE, EDGE, and INCH each describe a slow, deliberate approach. The parenthetical '(UP TO)' cleverly signals that these verbs often pair with a goal or limit, adding a layer of nuance.
CHECKED BAGS, LOUNGE, MILES, and UPGRADE are staple rewards of frequent flyer programs. The category is a satisfying nod to modern travel culture, immediately recognizable to road warriors.
COMFORT, FEET, SHOULDER, and TURKEY each form a familiar phrase when preceded by 'cold' — cold comfort, cold feet, cold shoulder, cold turkey. The genius is that the unifying word isn't even on the board.
Wyna Liu builds a puzzle that hides a missing common adjective in plain sight. Green verbs like EDGE and INCH also serve as nouns, creating overlap with measurement or body-part traps. The purple category exemplifies Connections at its most elegant: you have to supply the unseen 'cold' yourself, turning a simple list of nouns into a revelation. The mix of literal and idiomatic meanings forces a satisfying mental pivot.
a textbook decoy
requires lateral thinking
Solving the easiest group first reshapes how you read the entire board.
The editors reuse certain misdirection patterns. Learning to spot them saves guesses.
Purple is never what it first appears to be. Six structural patterns explain most of them.
Film titles, band names, and celebrity surnames hide in plain sight.
