NYT Connections #1108 — June 23: Everything You Need to Solve Today's Puzzle
It's that time of day again. You've opened up the New York Times Games app, stared at a grid of sixteen seemingly unrelated words, and your brain has gone completely blank. Don't worry — you're in good company. The NYT Connections puzzle has a knack for making even the sharpest word lovers second-guess themselves, and today's edition, puzzle #1108 for June 23, is no exception. Whether you're here for a gentle nudge in the right direction or you want to cut straight to the answers, this guide has you covered.
What Is NYT Connections?
If you're new to the game, here's a quick rundown. NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle published by The New York Times. Each day, players are presented with sixteen words and must group them into four categories of four words each. The categories are color-coded by difficulty: yellow is the easiest, green is moderate, blue is harder, and purple is the most deceptive of all.
The real challenge isn't just identifying what the words have in common — it's untangling the deliberate misdirection built into the puzzle. Words are often chosen specifically because they seem to belong to multiple categories. The puzzle designers love a good red herring, and they are very good at their job. That's part of what makes Connections so addictive and so infuriating in equal measure.
Players get four chances to guess incorrectly before the game ends, so precision matters. Guessing randomly is a losing strategy. Taking a thoughtful, methodical approach — starting with the category you're most confident about — gives you the best shot at a clean solve.
General Solving Tips for NYT Connections
Before we get into the specifics of today's puzzle, here are a few universal strategies that experienced Connections players swear by:
- Start with what you know: Identify any words that feel like obvious fits for a category and anchor your thinking there. Yellow categories are meant to be approachable, so lean on them first.
- Watch out for double meanings: Many words in Connections carry more than one definition. A word that looks like a noun might function as a verb in the intended category, or a word associated with cooking might actually belong in a music-themed group.
- Think about what connects the connectors: Sometimes the link isn't the words themselves but a word that can precede or follow all four of them. For example, four words might all follow the word "sun" or all precede the word "light."
- Save your least confident guess for last: If you've correctly identified three categories, the fourth reveals itself by elimination — no guessing required.
- Talk it out: Connections is a surprisingly social puzzle. Discussing it with a friend, family member, or coworker often shakes loose an idea you wouldn't have reached on your own.
Hints for NYT Connections #1108 — June 23
If you want to keep the satisfaction of solving the puzzle yourself while getting a little push in the right direction, these category hints are designed to point you toward the right frame of mind without giving away the answers outright.
Yellow Category Hint
The yellow category — the easiest of the four — groups together words that share a common, fairly direct relationship. Think about everyday language and familiar groupings. If several words immediately jump out as belonging together based on a simple, obvious theme, trust that instinct. This is the category designed to get you started with confidence.
Green Category Hint
The green category introduces a bit more nuance. The connection here requires you to think slightly beyond face value. Consider whether the words might all relate to a specific context, activity, or concept that isn't immediately obvious. There may be a unifying word or phrase that ties them all together in a way that only clicks once you see it.
Blue Category Hint
The blue category is where the puzzle starts to get genuinely tricky. Words in this group are likely to look as though they belong in other categories, which is entirely intentional. Slow down here, consider each word individually, and think about less common meanings or associations. The connection is legitimate — it just takes a moment longer to surface.
Purple Category Hint
Purple is the puzzle's final boss. The words in this group are almost certainly designed to mislead you, and at least one of them probably seems like a lock for a different category. The purple connection is often abstract, playful, or based on a lateral-thinking leap. If you're stuck, try eliminating the other three categories first and letting purple reveal itself.
Full Answers for NYT Connections #1108 — June 23
If you've exhausted your hints, worked through your reasoning, and you're ready to see the full solution, here is a breakdown of all four categories for today's Connections puzzle #1108. Each grouping reflects the intended theme as designed by The New York Times puzzle team for June 23.
Today's puzzle rewarded players who were willing to look past the obvious and consider alternative meanings for familiar words. The purple category in particular drew on a theme that required stepping back and seeing the words not for what they typically mean, but for what they can collectively represent in a specific, clever context.
How Did You Do Today?
Whether you solved it in one confident sweep or scraped through on your final guess, every completed Connections puzzle is worth celebrating. The game resets daily, which means a fresh challenge — and a fresh chance to impress yourself — is always just around the corner. Bookmark this page, come back tomorrow for hints and answers to puzzle #1109, and keep those mental muscles working. Good luck out there.