Story perspectives

NYT Releases Connections #1100 with Four Themed Groups

6/15/2026

Summary

NYT Releases Game

The New York Times published the June 15, 2026 Connections (game #1100), a 4×4 grid that sorts into groups.
The groups are Yellow “Staying Power” (legs, momentum, stamina, traction), Green “Accessorize” (accessorize, change, primp, shower), Blue “Chinese Zodiac Animals” (dog, dragon, horse, snake), Purple “Flora” (anemone, larkspur, monkshood, phlox).
Editor Wyna Liu creates the game, letting players track puzzles, win rate, scores, streaks on the NYT Games site.

Summary

NYT Praises Connections

Editorial leadership praised the June 15, 2026 Connections puzzle for its confident design and tight categories.
The puzzle’s four categories are clean yet deceptive, reflecting the current editorial style.
CNET noted that pairing Strands and the Mini Crossword with Connections creates a daily lateral-thinking routine.
The purple group is intentionally tougher, serving as a calibrated red-herring for veteran solvers and reinforcing Monday excellence.

Summary

Connections Reaches 3.3B

Connections has logged more than 3.3 billion plays since its beta launch in June 2023.
The puzzle resets at midnight Eastern Time, so later-zone players see the previous day’s board.
Players receive four wrong guesses per game and can use a shuffle button to reposition words.
Connections is free on the NYT Games website and iOS and Android apps, joining Wordle and the Mini Crossword in daily routines.

History

Historical Context

Josh Wardle launched Wordle in October 2021, and the New York Times bought the free-to-play puzzle for a low-seven-figure sum in January 2022. Building on Wordle’s viral model, the Times added Connections in July 2023 as part of its NYT Games suite. By June 2026 the new game had logged more than 3.3 billion plays, cementing the newspaper’s shift toward daily interactive content to boost subscriber engagement.

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NYT Releases Game

The New York Times published the June 15, 2026 Connections (game #1100), a 4×4 grid that sorts into groups.
The groups are Yellow “Staying Power” (legs, momentum, stamina, traction), Green “Accessorize” (accessorize, change, primp, shower), Blue “Chinese Zodiac Animals” (dog, dragon, horse, snake), Purple “Flora” (anemone, larkspur, monkshood, phlox).
Editor Wyna Liu creates the game, letting players track puzzles, win rate, scores, streaks on the NYT Games site.

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