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.
This word could be mistakenly associated with the MARVEL CHARACTERS category, as many heroes have super strength or power, but it actually belongs to the STAR WARS movie title group.
It might be confused with the MORE READILY category (e.g., 'at last'), but it is part of a STAR WARS movie title.
Could be misinterpreted as a hairstyle ('first' suggests order, not hair), or as a synonym for 'rather,' but it belongs to the MORE READILY group.
BEEHIVE, BOUFFANT, CHIGNON, and POMPADOUR are all specific hairstyles. This group is straightforward for those familiar with fashion, but some terms like 'Chignon' might be less common.
FIRST, PREFERABLY, RATHER, and SOONER all indicate a preference or inclination. This group is slightly tricky because some words like 'First' might seem to belong elsewhere.
DAREDEVIL, HAWKEYE, NIGHTCRAWLER, and WOLVERINE are all well-known superheroes from Marvel Comics. This category relies on pop culture knowledge and may confuse those not into comics.
EMPIRE, FORCE, LAST, and PHANTOM each follow the word 'The' in Star Wars movie subtitles: 'The Empire Strikes Back,' 'The Force Awakens,' 'The Last Jedi,' and 'The Phantom Menace.' The twist is that the category is about the position in titles, not the franchise itself.
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.
