Looking for the answers to the June 15 New York Times Connections puzzle? To me, Wordle is more of a vocabulary test and Connections is more of a brainteaser. You’re given 16 words and asked to put them into four groups that are somehow connected. Sometimes they’re obvious, but the game editor knows how to trick you by using words that can fit in more than one group.
And do you also play Wordle? We’ve got today’s Wordle answer and hints too.
We’ve also got today’s answer for Strands, a new game from the Times that’s still in beta, and some tips for how to play that game.
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest, yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Scoring attempt.
Green group hint: Swimming critters.
Blue group hint: Words in shampoo ads.
Purple group hint: Words preceding a word for kid.
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Basketball shots.
Green group: Fish.
Blue group: Qualities of thick hair.
Purple group: ____ child.
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is basketball shots. The four answers are dunk, floater, layup and three.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is fish. The four answers are perch, pike, skate and sole.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is qualities of thick hair. The four answers are body, bounce, lift and volume.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is ____ child. The four answers are flower, only, poster and problem.
How to play Connections
Playing is easy. Winning is hard. Look at the 16 words and mentally assign them to related groups of four. Click on the four words you think go together. The groups are coded by color, though you don’t know what goes where until you see the answers. The yellow group is the easiest, then green, then blue, and purple is the toughest. Look at the words carefully, and think about related terms. Sometimes the connection has to do with just a part of the word. Once, four words were grouped because each started with the name of a rock band, including “Rushmore” and “Journeyman.”