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.
BOA is worn, but it's a feathery scarf, not a metallic or functional necklace, so players might think it belongs to a different 'neck' category or confuse it with animal names.
It's worn on the wrist, not the neck, and it's a knotted string item, so it easily misleads solvers looking for neckwear or rope categories.
FRANCHISE is a business or film series concept, not a traditional TV unit like episode or season. It fits the TV theme but is a broader term, causing hesitation.
EPISODE, FRANCHISE, SEASON, and SERIES are all terms that denote a segment or collection within television programming. The trick is that 'franchise' feels broader than the others, but it fits as a high-level unit like a series.
BOA, CHAIN, LANYARD, and TIE are all accessories that are typically worn around the neck. The misdirection comes from 'boa' being a type of scarf and 'lanyard' often used for IDs.
FRIENDSHIP BRACELET, MACRAMÉ, QUIPU, and SHOELACES all involve string, cord, or yarn that is knotted — whether as a craft, a communication system, or a practical item. 'Friendship bracelet' may mislead as a wrist item.
CONVERSATION, PERIOD, PUFF, and THINK each complete the common two-word phrase '___ piece' (e.g., conversation piece, period piece). This is a wordplay category that requires filling in the blank.
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.
