Need the answers for the Thursday, June 20 New York Times Connections puzzle? To me, Wordle is more of a vocabulary test, but 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.
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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.
Read more: NYT Connections Could Be the New Wordle: Our Hints and Tips
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: Home improvement items.
Green group hint: Get your bait ready.
Blue group hint: Curl up and dye.
Purple group hint: Not thunder, but ____.
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Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Bits of hardware.
Green group: Fishing gear.
Blue group: Hair salon fixtures.
Purple group: Lightning ____.
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What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is bits of hardware. The four answers are nail, nut, screw and washer.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is fishing gear. The four answers are fly, hook, line and sinker.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is hair salon fixtures. The four answers are chair, dryer, mirror and sink.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is lightning ____. The four answers are bolt, bug, rod and strike.
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.”
