What's the Connection?!

Have you played the New York Times Connections game? You’re given 16 words and your challenge is to group them into 4 sets of 4 based on hidden connections. Sounds easy? Not always! The trick is spotting clever patterns: sometimes it’s categories (like “types of dogs”), and other times it’s wordplay (like compound words, rhyming sounds, or things that all start with the same letter).

Here are some of Connection's previous groupings and answers this month:

https://word.tips/todays-nyt-connections-answers/#nyt-connections-solutions-history

Your Turn:
🟨 Now you're the game designer:
Create your own 4x4 word grid and challenge a classmate to solve it.

🟦 Make 4 Clever Groups:
Think of 4 different categories or patterns. They can be silly, serious, or sneaky—just make sure each group has 4 words that belong together in a smart way.
(Examples: "Kinds of Fruit," "Words that Rhyme with 'Ring'," or "Words Found in a Video Game Menu")

🟪 Write Your 16 Words:
Mix up all 16 words in a 4x4 grid. Keep it random so it’s not obvious what goes with what!

🟩 Create an Answer Key:
Below the grid, list your 4 groups and explain the connection for each. This will help the “judge” or classmate check their guesses.