NYT Connections: More Than Just A Puzzle

By Matthew Liu '27

Autumn Leaves Trees Orange - Words Related to Fall. Two categories left! Now you continue guessing, using your last attempt. Lo and behold, you were wrong, and now you have one guess left. Some might give up and forget about the game, while others might agonize over it for a while, still unable to solve the connections. Either way, neither person ends up solving the puzzle. Everyday, in our classes, we continue to play the game Connections by the New York Times. With a group of 16 jumbled words that fit into 4 specific categories, the player can work their way to victory within 4 attempts. The categories range in difficulty, making the game a fun yet challenging way to pass time (especially as it’s unblocked on school Chromebooks). But this leads to a deeper question: is it just a game we play in class, or can it be a metaphor for our connections in real life?
Our brains are wired to form associations between ideas, events, or words. The game mirrors this process, making us more aware of how we link things together. For example, we connect a person’s name to a memory, or we link events in a story to form a coherent narrative. Even when we’re not aware of it, we are subconsciously connecting words, thoughts, and experiences in our minds. These links are reflected in the game, when we receive a sense of satisfaction as we successfully make a connection. The game enhances our ability to think creatively and recognize patterns, training our minds to see relationships even when they're not immediately obvious. Personal growth comes from reflecting on the connections we make—whether through learning or lived experiences. In life, as in the game, it’s essential to take the time to reflect on these connections and recognize how our past, present, and future intersect. Whether it’s setting milestones to reach future goals or understanding how current actions build on past experiences, we’re always connecting the dots.
Just as the game challenges us to uncover hidden connections between words, life often presents hidden connections between people, ideas, and experiences that aren’t immediately visible. Connections between ideas, people, and experiences are often not obvious at a first glance. Rather, they emerge with deeper thought and communication, as well as time. In fact, the most meaningful connections often develop over time, growing stronger as trust is built. Connections in the game can be both simple and complex, just as human connections can vary in depth and significance. Whether it's finding a link between ideas or building bonds with people, these connections shape our understanding of the world in ways we might not see at first but come to appreciate with time. The concept of hidden connections invites us to think about how relationships, ideas, and experiences weave together, often without our immediate awareness. In the game, each word is seemingly independent, but with closer inspection, patterns and relationships reveal themselves. This mirrors life, where we frequently navigate through surface-level interactions, only to realize later how interconnected things truly are. For example, if you just met someone, you begin with small talk. As the relationship grows overtime, there is more trust built through conflicts, experiences, vulnerability, and mutual understanding, which is imperative in a strong connection. If you just saw from the surface, you would not have seen the room and the complexity for a relationship to grow, which is just like the game. 
Lastly, The New York Times Connections will always remain a wonderful way to bond with friends or family. With family and friends, we often discuss the challenges of the day’s connections or help others with hints when they get stuck. It becomes a shared experience, and we bond over both the challenge and the fun. This mirrors conversations, where topics often jump from one to another, seemingly unrelated, but still finding ways to make sense. The game teaches us to look deeper than the surface and truly work to find and create the connections that are meaningful and real. It also teaches us about false connections. Sometimes there will be tricks in the game to make you think that you have one, while in reality the words are not the correct connections, representing the fake connections in real life as well. Not all connections are genuine or healthy, even though we may oftentimes feel like they are. Therefore, there is so much importance in making and creating real and genuine connections, and furthering them with deep and thoughtful conversations in order to grow. 
What seems like a simple game to pass the time is, in reality, a metaphor for life. The New York Times Connections symbolizes the importance of making connections—cognitively, socially, and personally. It mirrors our natural tendency to seek and value connections, whether it’s through finding patterns in words, building relationships with others, or understanding the world around us and ourselves. Next time you’re playing The New York Time Connections—whether in school, on the bus, or at home—remember that it’s more than just a game. It’s a reminder of the connections that shape our lives.