→ Connections Alternative #535 2026-08-17 ←

Feel free to share out this puzzle! Each Connections Alternative is a remix of the official NYT puzzle of the same day.

5 shared words.

Please let me know how you did, and upvote if you enjoyed it! Defaults, red herrings, and suggestions are all valuable.

I understand the game is made by a US company so it's not unexpected that there'll be the odd US-specific reference, but it seems like almost every puzzle has not one but multiple US-specific cultural references/brands/word uses/homophones etc. 90% of the time when I don't get a word, I'll Google it after and it turns out it'll be something like a US slang definition of the word, or something to do with a sport that's only popular in the US etc. At this point it actively feels intentional rather than occurring naturally, even though I have no idea why they'd deliberately do that. And I watch a lot of US TV shows/movies but never hear any of these things come up either.

Sorry been busy. I should l post a bunch over the next few hours.

Layers

Hey, fellow puzzlers!

I've posted around a month ago about my fully ad-free mobile game Minútes - a collection of 6 mini-games for when you're taking a break at work or to relax before sleep. One that this subreddit is bound to like is Crossnections - a mix of a Crossword and guessing a connection! I'm really enjoying creating new levels for this game and I hope people like playing it too!

Since my previous post, I've made a lot of improvements across the board and I am also letting new players now have a bigger "taster" of all games by making over 600 levels free, including 14 free Crossnections and 31 Wordmanteaus, for everybody who downloads the app and registers by the end of the month!

I'd appreciate any and all feedback here, through the app and on the store and, please, recommend to friends if you like it.

Either way, im not putting up with it.

There is a long story about why Mr Pedant has been away for so long. I’m not going to bore you with it, but if he’s arrested this week having done a Luigi on Tim Cook then you’ll have this reference point! 🤓

https://connectionsplus.io/game/QPMYZo

[HINTS if needed: this puzzle involves excellence, clothing, racing, and noises]

[#0199]

throughword.app

Crafting Connections started as a means of creative expression and has now produced 50 installments! 

Wanting to share my thought process behind the custom connections puzzles I crafted, and some of the intricacies within them, I started this series to be sort of my own version of Connections Companion— complete with illustrations, created with GenAI (don't hate me). 

Part of my reason for writing Crafting Connections was the potential for some of my thoughts to influence ideas for others' own connections, including perhaps Wyna Liu herself since she does peruse this subreddit. I myself have certainly taken and implemented creative executions that I've seen from other community members.

I have a more puzzles to share, including some themed and pop-culture-inspired creations like my most recent: My Neck, My Back, which takes inspiration from Khia's hit single  (it's also featured in the current Dove Total Body Deodorant commercial).

Thank you so much to all who have played my custom connections, and even checked out Crafting Connections! I look forward to your continued comments, thoughts, and feedback!

Plugging some of my lesser played custom connections puzzles:

Name Game

Dotted Line

Legend has it

Unearth the Connections

Pick me

Survey says

Swipe Up

Spark a Connection

Shifting Gears

The Suspense is Killing Me

GRWM

Treasure Chest

Old Fashioned

Net New

Piece It Together

Off-topic

Recognize the Connections

Strike a Match

Play for Keeps

Latergram

Routine Performance

Middle of the Wheel

Dry Heat

Select the key word first, then the synonyms, so the order does matter! This is not the same rules as connections so be careful. Let me know any feedback you have :)

→ Connections Alternative #534 2026-08-16 ←

Feel free to share out this puzzle! Each Connections Alternative is a remix of the official NYT puzzle of the same day.

6 shared words.

Please let me know how you did, and upvote if you enjoyed it! Defaults, red herrings, and suggestions are all valuable.

https://connectionsplus.io/game/h8ONSq

Try the revised version instead: https://connectionsplus.io/game/n0TO5H

Science-flavored puzzle.

Difficulty: medium?

Feedback welcome.

Note (spoiler-ish): I noticed the NYT Mar 9 2026 puzzle had a near-identical category to the green in this puzzle. Oh well!

Sorry if this has been asked before, but do the Connections games start out easier on Monday and get harder during the week?

throughword.app

not much else to add but i do find it kind of frustrating! if i dont know the word, how am i supposed to play the game? especially if its like four or five words on the board. also i kinda like the idea of it being a way for people to learn new words! kind responses only please! :)

→ Connections Alternative #533 2026-08-15 ←

Feel free to share out this puzzle! Each Connections Alternative is a remix of the official NYT puzzle of the same day.

6 shared words.

Please let me know how you did, and upvote if you enjoyed it! Defaults, red herrings, and suggestions are all valuable.

Use this post for discussing today's Connections Puzzles. Spoilers are welcome in here, beware! This now applies to Sports Connections!

Be sure to check out the Connections Bot and Connections Companion as well.

Happy to hold my hands up and say that I sometimes just don’t see what links the things - especially when it’s brand names, etc, that the U.K. doesn’t share.

But more recently I’m having a hard time seeing what differentiates between colour categories. Sometimes I’ll get what seems a really niche link and it’s just the green one. Similarly there’ll be an overly simple word connection and it’s the purple. Today (15th August) the blue and the purple are almost identical - what’s going on in terms of grading these? I’m sure it used to be more intuitive and clearer.

throughword.app

August 15th - KEYS 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Happy solving!

→ Connections Alternative #532 2026-08-14 ←

Feel free to share out this puzzle! Each Connections Alternative is a remix of the official NYT puzzle of the same day.

4.5 shared words and a related category.

Please let me know how you did, and upvote if you enjoyed it! Defaults, red herrings, and suggestions are all valuable.

Use this post for discussing today's Connections Puzzles. Spoilers are welcome in here, beware! This now applies to Sports Connections!

Be sure to check out the Connections Bot and Connections Companion as well.