'Connections' January 12: Hints and answers for puzzle #581

If you're struggling with today's Connections puzzle, you have come to the right place.

To help keep your winning streak alive, Newsweek has gathered some hints to guide you through Sunday's puzzle without giving too much away.

After its debut in The New York Times in June 2023, Connections quickly built a large following. The puzzle challenges players to group words based on subtle links, combining logic with language skills. Today, it ranks as the Times' second-most popular game, just afterWordle.

If you are not familiar with Connections, this article will guide you through the basics of playing the game, share tips for sharpening your puzzle-solving abilities and provide hints for today's challenge.

Spoilers with today's answers are included further down, so read with caution if you want to avoid them.

How To Play Connections

In Connections, players must group 16 words into four categories based on their relationships. Each group is coded by color to indicate difficulty: yellow for the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple for more challenging sets.

The puzzles often incorporate homophones, wordplay, and other clever twists, ensuring they are rarely straightforward. Players can use the shuffle button to mix up the words on screen if they get stuck.

Wyna Liu, who created Connections, recently offered some tips for tackling the game in an interview with Newsweek.

"My top advice is to hold off on guessing as long as you can," Liu said. "You might spot a clear category and think you see five words that fit, but don't try guessing the four until you're sure which one doesn't belong. Jumping in too soon can cost you a turn."

Liu also warned against what she calls "rage solving," a method she confessed to using herself sometimes.

'Connections' #581 Clues for Sunday, January 12

Newsweek has some hints to help you figure out Sunday's Connections categories.

Yellow: Its not real.

Green: O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Blue: Think video games.

Purple: Relates to a word associated with 'being an end' or 'wagging.'

'Connections' #581 Answers for Sunday, January 12

Yellow category: Fabrication

Yellow words: Fairytale, fantasy, fiction, invention

Green category: Woo

Green words: Charm, court, pursue, romance

Blue category: Classic Atari games

Blue words: Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Defender

Purple category: Things featuring tails

Purple words: Coin toss, comets, dress coat, Sonic the Hedgehog

Did you guess the answers correctly? If so, congratulations. If not, there will be another opportunity to crack the puzzle on Monday.