If you woke up this morning, opened your phone, and immediately felt personally attacked by the March 28 NYT Connections hints grid, honestly, same. It is one of those days where the words look like they’re speaking a language you almost understand, but not quite. You’ve got "Monty" sitting there looking at you, and if your brain immediately went to Python, you’re already falling into the trap.
Wyna Liu, the puzzle’s editor, is famous for these little bait-and-switch moments.
Basically, the goal of Connections is to take 16 words and sort them into four groups of four. Each group has a theme, and the themes get harder—yellow is the "gimme," green is the "okay, I see it," blue is the "wait, really?" and purple is the "I give up, just show me the answer." Today’s puzzle, which is officially #656 if you’re keeping track of the 2026 archives, is a masterclass in overlap.
The Mental Blocks You're Probably Facing
Let’s talk about the red herrings. This is where most people lose their lives (the digital kind, thankfully).
You might see CHUCK and MONTY. If you grew up watching game shows, you’re probably thinking of Chuck Woolery and Monty Hall. It feels like a solid connection! But if you try to find two more game show hosts in this list, you’re going to be searching for a long time. It’s a classic NYT distraction.
Then there’s the clothing. You see BERET, SASH, and SKIRT. Your brain yells "CLOTHES!" and you start looking for a fourth item. Maybe you try to force PELT in there because it’s made of fur? Don’t do it. It’s a trap that makes perfect sense until it doesn't.
March 28 NYT Connections Hints for Every Color
If you just want a little nudge without the full reveal, here is how the land lies:
- Yellow: Think about what you do when you’re really frustrated with an object and you just want it away from you. This is about physical force and trajectory.
- Green: This group is all about positioning. Specifically, it's about being on the perimeter. If you were a bodyguard, you’d be doing this to the person you're protecting.
- Blue: This one is very specific to a certain youth organization. If you ever sold thin mints or tagalongs in a parking lot, you know exactly what these four things are.
- Purple: This is a "word that follows" or "word that precedes" category. In this case, there’s a specific word that connects all four of these when you put it after them. Think of a long corridor or a specific room in a house.
The Actual Word Breakdown
Sometimes seeing the words in a different light helps. Here is the list for today:
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BADGE, BERET, BINGO, BOOKEND, BRACKET, CHUCK, CITY, FLANK, MONTY, PELT, PITCH, SASH, SKIRT, SLING, STUDY, SURROUND.
Honestly, SKIRT is the word that messes people up the most. It can be a noun (a piece of clothing) or a verb (to go around the edge of something). Because it fits into two potential categories, you have to be careful not to use it in the green group if it belongs in the blue group.
The Yellow Group: Hurl
These are all just fancy ways of saying "to throw."
- CHUCK
- PELT
- PITCH
- SLING
If you got this one first, you’re on the right track. It’s the most straightforward synonym group in the grid.
The Green Group: Be On Both Sides Of
This is about enclosure. It’s a bit more abstract than the yellow group.
- BOOKEND
- BRACKET
- FLANK
- SURROUND
Notice how SKIRT could have almost fit here? But these four words are more specifically about being on the "sides" rather than just going around.
The Blue Group: Parts of a Classic Girl Scout Uniform
This is the "Girl Scout" category. If you never spent time in the scouts, this might have been a bit of a struggle.
- BADGE
- BERET
- SASH
- SKIRT
The Purple Group: ____ Hall
This is the one that usually makes people groan when they see the answer. You add the word "Hall" to the end of each.
- BINGO (Bingo Hall)
- CITY (City Hall)
- MONTY (The Monty Hall problem—a famous probability puzzle)
- STUDY (Study Hall)
How to Solve Puzzles Like This Faster
If you struggled with the March 28 NYT Connections hints, don't beat yourself up. The game is designed to be a bit of a "mind-game."
One trick that experts use (and by experts, I mean people who spend way too much time on the NYT Games app) is the Shuffle button. It sounds simple, but your brain gets locked into the physical position of the words. When you shuffle, it forces your eyes to see new pairs.
Another tip: always look for the most specific word. MONTY is a very specific word. It doesn't have many meanings outside of a name or the "Full Monty" phrase. When you see a word like that, it's almost always part of the purple group. Work backward from the weirdest word.
Strategic Takeaways for Your Next Game
- Beware of the Verb/Noun Swap: Words like "Skirt" or "Pitch" are dangerous because they change meanings depending on how you use them.
- The "One Word Away" Warning: If you get this message, don't just swap one word randomly. Look at the group and ask yourself if the entire theme is wrong, or if just one word belongs in a more specific category.
- Save Purple for Last: If you can identify the first three, the purple group will just be whatever is left. You don't actually have to solve the hardest category to win the game.
Now that you’ve cracked the code for today, you might want to look at your stats and see if your "Luck" vs. "Skill" rating is actually accurate. Tomorrow's grid is likely to be just as devious, so keep your eyes peeled for those recurring themes.
Next Steps for Your Daily Puzzle Routine:
- Open the NYT Games app and check if you can solve the Strands puzzle using similar lateral thinking.
- Use the "Shuffle" feature at least twice before making your first guess to break any visual patterns the editor intentionally placed.
- Look for "hidden" categories like "Words that start with a body part" or "Palindromes" which often appear in the Purple level.