Appeal of Connections
Essentially, connections are a word association puzzle, where players have to discover four groups of four words based on a common connection or theme. Easy, one would think! But as any long-time player will attest, the game has a certain talent for making you second-guess even the most obvious connections. One day you speed through showing off by categorizing “dog,” “cat,” “parrot,” and “fish” as “household pets.” The very next, you end staring at the screen in disbelief of how one could dare associate “peace” with “scissors,” “two,” and “victory”! (Hint: consider what such a gesture of an extended index and middle finger may signify.)
This mixture of simple and mind-scratching brings players in fair numbers. It’s a workout for the brain, which challenges not only your vocabulary but your out-of-the-box thinking. And finally breaking a particularly tough puzzle gives you such a high.
Meet the Mind Behind the Madness
The genius of Connections lies in its design, and for that, we have Wyna Liu to thank. Liu’s journey to create Connections, an associate puzzle editor at The New York Times, is almost as interesting as the game itself. Growing up, she was an avid reader of Games Magazine; it ignited her love for puzzles. But it was not until her late 20s that she began solving crosswords, inspired by the works of constructors like Brendan Emmett Quigley.
A turning point came in 2017 when Liu and her mother went on a cruise based on The New York Times crossword. There, she met Times editor Joel Fagliano, and this was the encouragement that made Liu want to start constructing her own puzzles. With mentors like Erik Agard and Ben Tausig, Liu saw her first crossword published by American Values Club Crossword in January 2019, and one month later in The New York Times.
In 2020, Liu was appointed as an associate puzzle editor in the games department at The New York Times. Her creativity and impressive puzzle-making talent enabled the birth of Connections salt in 2023, and since then the game has become a huge hit, now served as a daily habit for many word lovers.
Trapped Together by One Challenge
The community that grew around Connections sets it apart. The players have been taking to social media platforms to share their victories and complaints and to argue the subtleties of certain word pairings. An experience taken along alone now appears to be a shared journey, enabling players to exchange their love of (and mild frustration with) the game.
But with popularity comes scrutiny. Some of the puzzles have fed fuel to debates, especially when the connections are agonizingly obscure. Liu noted this, acknowledging that it makes for creative, challenging puzzles, but no one can ever say for sure how everyone is going to read a set of words. This unpredictable nature is what provides the fun of the game, spawning heated discussions steeped in deep exploration of word meanings and associations.
Beyond the Puzzle: Impact on Culture
Connections is more than simply a game; it has found its way into daily culture for many individuals. Its impact transcends games and permeates other aspects of culture and media. In November of 2024, in the midst of a strike by technology workers at the New York Times newspaper, employees produced a special edition of Connections. They produced their own “Strike Edition” of the puzzle so that strike supporters would not have to traverse digital picket lines to play it. They demonstrated how individuals can unite through the game to communicate their message.
Additionally, individuals wanted more from the game, which prompted new features that make it more enjoyable to play. In September of 2024, the New York Times included a feature that allows players to compare their game statistics to their friends’ statistics. The feature builds community and friendly rivalry in that players now have their winning runs and success records compared to their friends’ scores.
The Future of Connection
Connections is on the move, and its future is brighter than ever before. The success of the game has transformed The New York Times into a favorite destination for enjoyment and cutting-edge word games. As Wyna Liu assumes command, players can look for more challenging puzzles that stimulate their mind and introduce them to new words.
If you have not yet tried Connections, now is the ideal time to begin. If you like word games or simply wish to give something new a go, Connections offers enjoyment and challenges the mind. Keep in mind that despite the more challenging puzzles, that instant of insight makes everything worthwhile.
Tomorrow morning while drinking coffee on the way to work or school, why not give Connections a go? Perhaps that next puzzle that actually makes you think and make connections shall be found within it.