‘Connections’ January 5: Answers and Hints for Puzzle #574

If you’re struggling with today’s Connections puzzle, you’ve come to the right place.

To help keep your winning streak alive, Newsweek has gathered some hints to guide you through Sunday’s puzzle without giving too much away.

After its debut in The New York Times in June 2023, Connections quickly built a large following. The puzzle challenges players to group words based on subtle links, combining logic with language skills. Today it ranks as the Times‘ second-most popular game, just after Wordle.

If you’re not familiar with Connections, this article will guide you through the basics of playing the game, share tips for sharpening your puzzle-solving abilities and provide hints for today’s challenge.

Spoilers with today’s answers are included further down, so read with caution if you want to avoid them.

How To Play Connections

In Connections, players face the challenge of grouping 16 words into four categories based on their relationships. Each group is coded by color to indicate difficulty: yellow for the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple for more challenging sets. The puzzles often incorporate homophones, wordplay, and other clever twists, ensuring they’re rarely straightforward. Players can use the shuffle button to mix up the words on screen if they get stuck.

Wyna Liu, who created Connections, recently offered some tips for tackling the game in an interview with Newsweek.

A woman playing on her phone. Newsweek has compliled tips for today’s Connections.

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“My top advice is to hold off on guessing as long as you can,” Liu previously said. “You might spot a clear category and think you see five words that fit, but don’t try guessing the four until you’re sure which one doesn’t belong. Jumping in too soon can cost you a turn.”

Liu also warned against what she calls “rage solving,” a method she confesses to finding herself using sometimes.