NYT Connections Puzzles: Hints and Answers for June 27, 2026

NYT Connections #1112 — June 27, 2026

This puzzle was described by Forbes contributor Paul Tassi as "pretty hard," with only the first two categories considered straightforward. Here's a breakdown of each group:

🟡 Yellow: Monopoly Squares

The easiest group featured classic Monopoly board spaces: BOARDWALK, INCOME TAX, SHORT LINE, WATER WORKS. The trickiest among these was "SHORT LINE" — one of the four railroads in the classic board game, which some modern players may not immediately recognize.

🟢 Green: Components of a Fashion Show

CATWALK, COLLECTION, DESIGNER, MODEL — this group required fashion industry familiarity. CNET noted that "COLLECTION" might be the hardest word to place here, as it refers to a designer's seasonal clothing line shown during fashion week.

🔵 Blue: Commonly Striped Things

Considered a stretch by some solvers, this group included BARBER POLE, BILLIARD BALL, CREDIT CARD, CROSSWALK. The "CREDIT CARD" entry sparked debate — while many modern cards feature minimalist designs, the classic striped magnetic stripe card remains a recognizable pattern. Crosswalks (zebra crossings) vary by city, making this less intuitive for some players.

🟣 Purple: Ending in Horse Gaits

The most challenging category required knowledge of horse movement terms hidden inside common words: DECANTER (canter), ENVELOPE (lope), FIREWALK (walk), FOXTROT (trot). This wordplay mechanic — where the last syllable matches a horse gait — is a classic Connections trick that often stumps even experienced players.

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Connections: Sports Edition #642 — June 27, 2026

Created by Mark Cooper, Managing Editor for college sports at The Athletic, the Sports Edition puzzle offered a smoother experience with a 2.5/5 difficulty rating.

🟡 Yellow: A Revered Star

GREAT, ICON, LEGEND, SUPERSTAR — a straightforward grouping of synonyms for elite athletes or figures in sports history.

🟢 Green: Last Four NBA Champions

BOSTON, DENVER, NEW YORK, OKLAHOMA CITY — these cities represent the most recent NBA championship-winning teams leading up to June 2026. A solid category for basketball followers.

🔵 Blue: WNBA Players in the Basketball Hall of Fame

CASH, CATCHINGS, LESLIE, WHALEN — honoring legendary WNBA players Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Lisa Leslie, and Lindsay Whalen, all enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

🟣 Purple: Starts with an NFL Starting QB

JACKSONVILLE, MAYER, WILLIAMSPORT, YOUNGSTER — a clever wordplay category where each answer begins with the name of an NFL starting quarterback (e.g., Jacksonville starts with "Jack" — referencing a QB; "MAYER" starts with "May" — referencing QB, etc.). This was the trickiest group of the Sports Edition.

> Historical context: Connections: Sports Edition launched as The Athletic's first-ever game, expanding the NYT-style word puzzle into the sports realm. A limited Connections: Soccer Edition was also released for the 2026 Men's World Cup summer season.

How do I play NYT Connections?

You are given 16 words that must be grouped into four categories of four words each. You have four mistakes before the game ends. Categories range from straightforward (yellow) to tricky (purple).

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

It's The Athletic's daily sports-themed version of the NYT Connections puzzle, featuring sports terminology, athlete names, teams, and sports history categories.

Where can I play these puzzles?

The standard NYT Connections is available at the New York Times Games section (subscription required for archives). Connections: Sports Edition is available on The Athletic's website. A limited-edition Soccer Edition was also released for the 2026 World Cup.

What was the hardest category on June 27?

For standard Connections #1112, the Purple group "Ending in Horse Gaits" was widely considered the toughest. For Sports Edition #642, the Purple group "Starts with an NFL Starting QB" proved most challenging.

Which category tripped you up the most on June 27 — the horse gaits in standard Connections or the NFL quarterback name-starters in Sports Edition? Share your score and let us know which group you found trickiest!

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*Do you think Connections: Sports Edition will keep growing in popularity alongside the World Cup? Let us know in the comments!*