Waking up and opening the NYT Games app is a ritual. For many of us, it’s the only way to get the brain firing before that second cup of coffee. But some mornings, the grid just stares back at you. It’s blank. It’s mocking. You see words that seem to have absolutely nothing in common, and you start burning through those four precious mistakes. If you're looking for the Connections hints June 4 edition, you’re likely down to your last row or just plain stuck on the "Purple" category. It happens to the best of us.
The June 4 puzzle is particularly devious because it relies heavily on wordplay rather than just straightforward definitions. You can't just look for synonyms here. You have to look for what’s hidden inside the words or what precedes them in common phrases. Honestly, Wyna Liu (the puzzle's editor) really outdid herself with this one.
Understanding the June 4 Board
When you first look at the sixteen words on June 4, the "Yellow" group—usually the most straightforward—might jump out if you’re a fan of a certain type of media. But the "Blue" and "Green" categories are designed to overlap. That’s the trap. They want you to see a connection that exists, but isn't the right connection for this specific grid.
Let's talk about the words themselves. You’ve got terms like Action, Cut, Print, and Speech. At a glance, you’re thinking movies, right? A director on a set. But wait—there’s also Draft and Outline. Do those belong with the movie set terms or are they part of a writing process? This is where the difficulty spikes. Connections isn't just a game of vocabulary; it’s a game of lateral thinking and gatekeeping.
The Yellow Category: Directing the Scene
Most players will find the Yellow category first. It's the most "direct" set of synonyms. If you’ve ever watched a "Behind the Scenes" featurette or a documentary about filmmaking, these words will resonate. They are the commands a director shouts.
- Action
- Cut
- Speak (Wait, no—it's actually Speech)
Actually, let's look closer. The actual set for June 4 is Action, Cut, Marker, and Print. These are the literal things yelled or used during a take. If you tried to put "Speech" in there, you likely lost a life. "Speech" belongs elsewhere. It’s a classic red herring.
The Green Category: Steps in a Process
The Green category for the Connections hints June 4 puzzle is all about the early stages of creation. Whether you are writing a term paper, a screenplay, or a corporate memo, you usually follow a specific path.
You start with an Outline. Then you move to a Draft. Maybe there is a Sketch involved if you are an artist. And finally, you have a Version or a Summary. On June 4, the specific grouping is Draft, Outline, Plan, and Sketch.
It feels simple once you see it. But when "Draft" is sitting next to "Beer" (if it were there) or "Print," your brain tries to make different links. The trick to Green is realizing these are all "preliminary" versions of a final product.
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The Blue Category: Parts of a Whole
Now we’re getting into the trickier territory. Blue is usually "medium" difficulty. On June 4, the Blue category revolves around things that have "parts." Specifically, things you might find in a theater or a legislative session.
Think about a play. A play has Acts. A play has a Cast.
But wait, look at the other words. We have Bill. We have Floor.
This isn't about the theater at all. It’s about Legislation.
- Act
- Bill
- Floor
- House
If you spent ten minutes trying to link "Act" with "Action" from the movie category, don't feel bad. That is exactly what the puzzle designer intended. The "House" and the "Floor" are the settings, while the "Bill" and "Act" are the items being debated or passed.
The Infamous Purple Category: Wordplay and Prefixes
The Purple category is the reason you are likely searching for Connections hints June 4. It is almost always the "Word _____ " or "_____ Word" category. Sometimes it’s a homophone. Other times, it's something even more abstract.
On June 4, the theme is ____ Freedom.
Think about it.
Academic freedom.
Press freedom.
Religious freedom.
Speech freedom.
Wait, that’s not quite right. Let's look at the words again: Academic, Press, Religious, and Speech.
Actually, the connection is Types of Freedom (specifically those often associated with the First Amendment or general civil liberties).
- Academic
- Press
- Religious
- Speech
When you see "Press" and "Print" on the same board, your brain screams "Journalism!" But "Print" was with the movie directors, and "Press" is here with "Speech." It’s a masterclass in misdirection.
Why Today Was Harder Than Usual
The June 4 puzzle is a perfect example of "lexical ambiguity." That's just a fancy way of saying words have multiple meanings. "Draft" can be a breeze of air, a preliminary drawing, or a way to get people into the army. "Print" can be a photo, a verb for a publisher, or a command on a film set.
If you struggled, it’s likely because you committed to a theme too early. Experts recommend the "Shuffle" button for a reason. Sometimes just seeing "House" away from "Floor" helps you realize that "House" could mean a building, a legislative body, or even a type of music.
Strategies for Future Connections Puzzles
If you want to stop relying on hints and start crushing the grid yourself, you need a system. Don't just click the first four words you see.
First, find the red herrings. Look for words that seem to belong to two different groups. In the June 4 puzzle, "Print" and "Press" are the big ones. They both relate to media, but they are in completely different categories.
Second, identify the "leftovers." If you have five words that seem to fit a category, don't guess. Look for a second category that one of those five might fit into. On June 4, "Act" could have been "Act, Sketch, Speech, Print" (all performance-related), but "Act" was needed for the legislative group.
Third, read the words out loud. Sometimes the sound of the word triggers a connection that your eyes missed. This is especially true for Purple categories that rely on puns or rhymes.
Solving the June 4 Grid: The Final Breakdown
To wrap this up, if you are looking at your screen right now and just want the answers to get it over with, here is the final grouping for the Connections hints June 4 puzzle:
Yellow (Film Set Commands): Action, Cut, Marker, Print.
Green (Preliminary Drawings/Writing): Draft, Outline, Plan, Sketch.
Blue (Legislative Terms): Act, Bill, Floor, House.
Purple (Associated with "Freedom"): Academic, Press, Religious, Speech.
The "Marker" in the Yellow category is the most "expert-level" word there, referring to the clapperboard used to sync sound and picture. Many people miss that because they think of a Sharpie or a highlighter.
Actionable Next Steps
To improve your game for tomorrow, try these three things:
- Analyze the Purple first: Before clicking anything, try to find the four most "unrelated" words. Usually, these form the Purple group through a hidden link.
- Check for pluralization: Sometimes a word is plural or singular for a very specific reason. If "Houses" had been on the board instead of "House," it might have changed the legislative connection.
- Use a notepad: It sounds nerdy, but jotting down potential groups of five helps you see where the overlaps are before you waste a guess.
If you missed today’s puzzle, don't sweat it. The beauty of the NYT puzzle suite is that there’s always a fresh grid at midnight. Take what you learned about the "Freedom" and "Legislative" categories and apply that skepticism to tomorrow's words. Sometimes a "Bat" is a flying mammal, and sometimes it's just something you use to hit a home run. Stay flexible.