You’ve been staring at the screen for ten minutes. The coffee is getting cold. You've got sixteen words, and for some reason, they all look like they belong together—or like they have absolutely nothing in common. Honestly, the NYT Connections hints March 22 puzzle is one of those that makes you question your own vocabulary. It’s a classic Wyna Liu setup.
The trick today? It’s the "T" trap. Every single word in the grid starts with the letter T. When the New York Times does a "themed" grid like this, it’s usually a signal that the difficulty is cranked up. You can't rely on the first letter to help you sort things. Basically, you have to look past the "T" and find the actual soul of the word.
Why Today's Puzzle is a Head-Scratcher
Most people fail Connections because they "rage-solve." You see three words that fit, you guess the fourth, and—oops—one away. Today is especially brutal because the words look like they overlap. You see TRIANGLE and TRIDENT and think "shapes" or "geometry." Then you see TROMBONE and TIMPANI and think "band room."
But then there's TCHOTCHKE.
It’s a great word, but it’s a total distractor if you aren't careful. If you’re stuck on the NYT Connections hints March 22 board, the best advice is to stop clicking. Just look. If you see five words that could be a category, that category is a trap. You need to find the one word that only fits in one spot.
NYT Connections Hints for March 22
If you aren't ready for the full spoilers yet, here are some nudges.
- Yellow Category Hint: Think about a high school marching band or a symphony orchestra. These are things you play.
- Green Category Hint: These are the little things sitting on your grandma's dusty shelf. Items with not much value, but they take up space.
- Blue Category Hint: Focus on the prefixes. If you know your Latin or Greek roots, specifically the one for the number three, you’re golden.
- Purple Category Hint: This is the wordplay group. These words are almost always shortened to just two letters in everyday conversation.
The Categories Explained
Sometimes knowing the category name is enough to break the dam. Here is how the March 22 puzzle breaks down by difficulty.
Musical Instruments (Yellow)
This is the most straightforward group. These are physical objects used to create sound.
- TAMBOURINE, THEREMIN, TIMPANI, TROMBONE
A quick note: The THEREMIN might trip you up if you aren't a sci-fi fan or a music nerd. It’s that eerie-sounding electronic instrument you play without actually touching it.
Knickknack (Green)
These words all describe "stuff." Little decorative items that don't really do much.
- TCHOTCHKE, THINGAMAJIG, TRIFLE, TRINKET
TRIFLE is the sneaky one here. Most people think of the dessert (the one with layers), but in this context, it refers to something of little value or importance.
Words With the Prefix Meaning "Three" (Blue)
This is where the "T" theme gets specific. These words all start with "TRI."
- TRIANGLE, TRIDENT, TRILLION, TRILOBITE
You’ve got a shape, a spear, a massive number, and a fossil. On the surface, they have nothing in common. But that "TRI" prefix is the glue.
👉 See also: Wait, Can You Actually Sell Your Multitool in No Man's Sky?
Words Abbreviated with "T" + Letter (Purple)
The hardest category. These are words we rarely say in full when we're in a hurry.
- TELEVISION (TV), TOUCHDOWN (TD), TRADEMARK (TM), TUBERCULOSIS (TB)
Honestly, TUBERCULOSIS is a wild pull for a word game, but it fits perfectly. We almost always just call it TB.
How to Win at Connections (and Stop Losing Your Streak)
The secret to mastering the NYT Connections hints March 22 puzzle—and every puzzle after it—is "presolving."
Don't submit anything until you think you have all four groups figured out. If you only have three groups, that fourth group is where the red herrings are hiding. The NYT editors love to put a word like CRICKET in a grid where the category is "Insects," but then they also put SQUASH and HOCKEY in the grid, making you realize CRICKET was actually part of a "Sports" category.
Use the shuffle button. It sounds simple, but your brain gets locked into the positions of the words on the screen. Shuffling breaks those mental associations and lets you see new patterns.
If you're really struggling, look for the most "unique" word. A word like THEREMIN doesn't have many meanings. It’s an instrument. Start there and find its siblings. Once you clear the "obvious" but "unique" words, the rest of the board starts to make a lot more sense.
The most important thing to remember? It’s just a game. If you lose your streak today, there’s always tomorrow’s grid. But if you followed these hints, you probably just saved your 100-day record.
To keep your momentum going, try to solve the "Purple" category first tomorrow. It’s the ultimate brain flex. If you can spot the wordplay before the synonyms, you're officially playing at an expert level. Go back to the grid and look for those "T" abbreviations—you'll see them everywhere now.