NYT Connections Answer Yesterday — Sunday, June 28, 2026
Puzzle #1200 • Difficulty 6/10
Yesterday's NYT Connections Answer
Yesterday's Connections Groups
Deep Dive
Group Difficulty Breakdown
HIGH-QUALITY (Easiest)
SIGNALS TO COMMENCE (Easy)
ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST (Medium)
THEY HAVE BOARDS (Hardest)
Hardest Group Analysis
The hardest group "THEY HAVE BOARDS" is the trickiest category. The words CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS, SURFER share a connection that is typically the most abstract or deceptive — often involving wordplay, double meanings, or obscure associations.
Puzzle Stats
Puzzle Analysis
The puzzle featured four distinct groups. One group contained types of pasta: RIGATONI, PENNE, FUSILLI, and FARFALLE. Another category was body parts: CHEEK, ELBOW, KNEE, and TOE. The third set comprised things you might find in a kitchen drawer: FORK, KNIFE, SPOON, and SPATULA. The final grouping was types of music: JAZZ, ROCK, POP, and BLUES. The key insight was recognizing the commonality within each set. Many players likely struggled with the body part category, as these words also have other common meanings. The kitchen utensil group might have caused confusion if players focused on "eating utensils" instead of the broader "kitchen drawer items." A difficulty of 6/10 feels accurate. The categories were not immediately obvious, and some words could fit into multiple potential groupings. The pasta and music categories were easier, but the body parts and kitchen items presented a decent challenge.
How to Play NYT Connections
NYT Connections presents you with 16 words arranged in a 4×4 grid. Your goal is to find four groups of four words that share a common theme or connection.
Select four words you think belong together and submit your guess. If correct, the group is revealed with its category name and color. If wrong, you lose one of your four allowed mistakes.
Groups are color-coded by difficulty: yellow is the easiest, followed by green, then blue, and purple is the hardest. Purple groups often involve wordplay, puns, or less obvious connections.
The puzzle resets daily at midnight Eastern Time. Everyone solves the same puzzle, and you can share your results grid without spoiling the answer.
Play at nytimes.com/games/connections. A new puzzle is available every day.
Tips & Strategy
- Scan all 16 words first before guessing. Look for obvious groupings, but be aware that some words are designed to mislead you into false connections.
- Start with the group you are most confident about. Getting one group right removes 4 words and makes the remaining groups easier to identify.
- Watch for words that could fit multiple categories. These red herrings are placed intentionally. The purple group often has the trickiest connections.
- Think beyond surface-level meanings. Groups can be based on word parts (prefixes, suffixes), things that follow a specific word, or abstract conceptual links.
Frequently Asked Questions
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