Struggling with today’s NYT Connections puzzle for March 31, 2026? These targeted hints reveal themes progressively, helping players group 16 words into four themed categories without spoiling too soon.
How Connections Works
Connections tasks players with sorting 16 daily words into four groups sharing a common theme. Categories range from straightforward to tricky, marked by colors: Yellow (easiest), Green, Blue, and Purple (toughest). Success requires identifying all links before four errors trigger the solution reveal. Deceptive pairings often mislead solvers.
Today’s 16 Words
- WIRELESS
- JOLLY ROGER
- FRY COOK
- CHICK FLICK
- CALF RAISE
- CROW’S NEST
- ABSENCE
- CANNON
- CRUNCH
- DEFICIT
- KIT KAT
- PINCH
- PLANK
- PLUNGE
- PUSH-UP
- SPORTS
Category Hints
These clues guide without full reveals:
- Yellow: Not enough to go around.
- Green: Aye-aye, me hearties!
- Blue: Support comes in many forms.
- Purple: The start of the journey matters most.
Additional clues: Groups mix real-world items and concepts. All include at least one ‘E’.
One Word Per Group
Spoiler: Yellow – Absence | Green – Jolly Roger | Blue – Push-Up | Purple – Calf Raise
Group Themes
Match words to these connections:
- Yellow: Shortage
- Green: Parts of a pirate ship
- Blue: Kinds of bras
- Purple: Starting with baby animals
Full Solutions
Spoiler – Complete Answers:
- Yellow (Shortage): Absence, Crunch, Deficit, Pinch
- Green (Parts of a pirate ship): Cannon, Crow’s Nest, Jolly Roger, Plank
- Blue (Kinds of bras): Plunge, Push-Up, Sports, Wireless
- Purple (Starting with baby animals): Calf Raise, Chick Flick, Fry Cook, Kit Kat
This puzzle blends pirate lore, apparel types, scarcity terms, and playful animal prefixes for broad appeal. A fresh challenge drops daily at midnight.
