Does that fact that I failed today’s Connections imply it’s more difficult? Or is it simply that I am having a bad day? Possibly a little from column A, a little from column B… But if you get stuck, there are hints below.

What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.

Your Connections expert

Marc McLaren
Your Connections expert

Marc McLaren

NYT Connections today (game #403) – today’s words

NYT Connections words for game 403 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today’s NYT Connections words are…

  • HEART
  • FLASH
  • MATCH
  • SQUARE
  • ROUND
  • PLAZA
  • RITZ
  • FIRE
  • SPARKLES
  • DAZZLE
  • COURT
  • CONTEST
  • YARD
  • SKULL
  • BOUT
  • POMP

NYT Connections today (game #403) – hint #1 – group hints

What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?

  • Yellow: These aren’t enclosed areas
  • Green: Related to a sport
  • Blue: Showy
  • Purple: Picture words

Need more clues?

We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #403) – hint #2 – group answers

What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: OPEN SPACE
  • GREEN: BOXING UNIT
  • BLUE: GLITZINESS
  • PURPLE: EMOJI

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #403) – the answers

NYT Connections answers for game 403 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today’s Connections, game #403, are…

  • YELLOW: OPEN SPACE COURT, PLAZA, SQUARE, YARD
  • GREEN: BOXING UNIT BOUT, CONTEST, MATCH, ROUND
  • BLUE: GLITZINESS DAZZLE, FLASH, POMP, RITZ
  • PURPLE: EMOJI FIRE, HEART, SKULL, SPARKLES

  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: Fail

Yeah, whatever, this was stupid. That is all I have to say.

OK, if pushed, if I have to explain myself, I’ll say that emoji are a stupid thing to base a group around. There are hundreds of them. How are you supposed to know that these random four are representative, when there are so many other things they could go with.

Fine. I’m in a bad mood. I played badly. Whatever.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.


Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 17 July, game #402)

  • YELLOW: BUILDINGS AROUND TOWN BANK, LAUNDROMAT, POST OFFICE, SUPERMARKET
  • GREEN: HINDER CHECK, CURB, HAMPER, INHIBIT
  • BLUE: ANIMAL GROUP NAMES PACK, PRIDE, SCHOOL, SWARM
  • PURPLE: STARTS OF U.S. PRESIDENTS BIDE, CART, NIX, WASHING

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don’t technically need to solve the final one, as you’ll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What’s more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It’s a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It’s playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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