NYT Connections: clues and solutions for Tuesday, March 11.

      Connections is among the top puzzle games offered by the New York Times. The objective of the game is to categorize a selection of 16 words into four secret groups by determining how they relate to one another. The puzzle resets each night at midnight, and the difficulty varies with each new challenge. Similar to Wordle, players can track their winning streak and compare their scores with friends.

      Some days may present more difficulty than others, much like other popular NYT Games such as The Mini and Strands. If you're struggling with today's puzzle, you can refer to our tips and tricks guide for Connections for helpful strategies, or check the hints for today's puzzle below. If you're still stuck, we will provide the answers at the end.

      How to Play Connections

      Connections is a daily game focused on identifying common threads between words. Players need to select four groups of four words, with no more than three mistakes allowed. Play now.

      You can access Connections on the New York Times website or through the NYT Games app available on iOS and Android.

      In Connections, you will see a grid of 16 words. Your task is to group these words into four sets of four by recognizing the connections among them. These sets might include themes like video game franchise titles, sequels in book series, shades of red, or names of chain eateries, among others.

      Some words may appear to fit into multiple categories, but there is only one completely correct answer. You can shuffle the words in the grid and rearrange them to better identify possible connections.

      Each group is represented by different colors. The yellow group is the easiest to identify, followed by green, blue, and purple.

      Select four words and click Submit. If you are correct, those four words will be removed from the grid, revealing the theme that connects them. An incorrect guess will count as a mistake. You have only four mistakes available before the game ends.

      Hints for Today’s Connections

      We can assist you in solving today’s Connection by revealing the four themes. If you need further help, we will also provide one word from each group below.

      Today's Themes

      - VARIATION FROM THE NORM

      - THINGS THAT RING

      - THINGS TRADITIONALLY MADE OF LEATHER

      - SINGER-SONGWRITER PIANISTS

      One-answer Revelations

      - VARIATION FROM THE NORM – ALTERNATIVE

      - THINGS THAT RING – ALARM

      - THINGS TRADITIONALLY MADE OF LEATHER – FOOTBALL

      - SINGER-SONGWRITER PIANISTS – KEYS

      New York Times

      Today's Connections Answers

      Still having trouble? That's perfectly fine. This puzzle is meant to be challenging. If you simply want to see today’s Connections answers, here they are:

      - VARIATION FROM THE NORM – ALTERNATIVE, BREAK, CHANGE, DEPARTURE

      - THINGS THAT RING – ALARM, BELL, INTERCOM, PHONE

      - THINGS TRADITIONALLY MADE OF LEATHER – FOOTBALL, MOCCASINS, SADDLE, WALLET

      - SINGER-SONGWRITER PIANISTS – KEYS, KING, LEGEND, WONDER

      Connections grids vary greatly and change every day. If you were unable to solve today’s puzzle, be sure to return tomorrow.

      NYT Connection FAQs

      What time does the Connections puzzle reset?

      The puzzle resets daily at midnight local time.

      Who edits the NYT Connections game?

      Wyna Liu, who has been editing puzzles at The New York Times since 2020, manages the Connections game daily.

      “A few months ago, a new assignment crossed my desk: Create the game boards for Connections, a category matching game that had recently been approved and was in need of an editor,” Liu wrote in an article detailing her process in June 2024. Most of my puzzle experience has been with crosswords, and I was excited about the opportunity to try something new. I’ve enjoyed learning how puzzle editing unfolds once a game is approved and seeing how our team fits into the larger ecosystem.”

      To mark the one-year anniversary of Connections’ launch earlier this year, Liu shared a TikTok about her favorite puzzles so far:

      @thegamesteam ? happy one year anniversary to connections, our newest official NYT game ? #nytgames #nytconnections #nyt ♬ The Kite Live by Luisa Marion – luisa_marion_music