NYT “Connections” December 1: Hints and answers for game #539

Connections was launched by The New York Times in June 2023 and has gone on to become the newspaper’s second-most played game behind Wordle, another word-based puzzle.

Connections challenges players to uncover threads connecting a series of words. Instructions on how to play the game are below, and clues and the answers for today’s puzzle are toward the end of the article.

How to Play Connections

The aim of Connections is to divide the 16 words you are initially given into four categories based on common characteristics. Players select four words at a time and, if they are linked, forming one of the four categories, the letters light up and are removed from the board.

Each of the four categories is color-coded to denote its difficulty, with yellow representing the easiest, followed by green, blue and purple. Once you correctly link four words, their color will be revealed, letting you know how difficult the quiz setters considered that part of the puzzle to be.

There is no time limit, but players can make up to four mistakes only before the game ends, representing a loss. The player can also shuffle the board at any time, meaning the 16 words will be randomly repositioned.

Sometimes, a word can appear to belong in more than one category, but there is only ever one right answer.

Connections editor Wyna Liu previously advised that if you have five cards, which seem like they belong in the same category, your best bet may well be to move onto a different category and see if you can eliminate some of the words.

“Doing so might take one of those extra cards out of contention, or at least remove a few cards from the board, making other categories easier to see,” she said.

The answers for Saturday’s Connections puzzle are below, so please scroll down with caution if you want to work them out yourself.

Connections #539 Clues for Sunday, December 1

Newsweek has some hints to help you figure out today’s Connections categories.

Yellow: Think safety.

Green: Associated with a sport.

Blue: Tastes good.

Purple: All follow the same word.

Connections #539 Answers for Sunday, December 1

Yellow Category: SANCTUARY

Yellow Words: HAVEN, PORT, RETREAT, SHELTER

Green Category: FOOTBALL GEAR

Green Words: CLEATS, HELMET, JERSEY, PADS

Blue Category: CANDY NAMES

Blue Words: CHARMS, KINDER, WONKA, YORK

Purple Category: “FREE …”

Purple Words: BIRD, FALLIN’, SOLO, WILLY

Well, that was good fun! Did you work out the answer? If so, congratulations, but please don’t be put off playing if not. Practice makes perfect, and the next Connections puzzle will be published by the Times on Monday. Newsweek will of course be back once again with another round of hints and tips.