Let’s be honest. Sometimes the New York Times Connections editor, Wyna Liu, just wants to see us suffer. You wake up, grab your coffee, open the app, and suddenly you’re staring at sixteen words that seem to have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Or worse—they have too much to do with each other. That is the trap. If you are looking for the Connections hints April 10 edition, you’ve probably already realized that "Lead" could be a metal or a command, and "Stick" might be a verb or a piece of wood.
It's frustrating. I get it.
Today’s puzzle is a classic example of the "red herring" technique. The game designers love to throw in words that look like they belong to a category—say, "Types of Cheese"—only to reveal that three of them are actually parts of a camera and the fourth is a city in Wisconsin. To beat the Connections hints April 10 board, you have to stop looking for the obvious and start looking for the linguistic pranks.
The Strategy Behind April 10
Most people play this game by clicking the first four words they see that share a theme. Don't do that. Seriously. You get four mistakes, and on a day like today, you'll burn through them in ninety seconds if you're impulsive.
Instead, look for the "lonely" words first. These are the words that feel like they don't fit anywhere. Usually, these are the anchors for the Purple category (the hardest one). In the Connections hints April 10 set, if you see a word that feels overly specific or weirdly out of place, hold onto it. It’s likely the key to the whole thing.
The game is built on taxonomy and wordplay. Sometimes the connection is "Synonyms for Fast," but other times it is "Words that follow 'Blue'." You have to toggle your brain between those two modes.
Breakdown of the April 10 Logic
If you’re currently staring at your screen, here is the vibe for today. We have a heavy emphasis on physical objects and actions.
One group is going to deal with things you might find in a very specific professional setting. Think tools or equipment. Another group is purely linguistic—words that mean the same thing. Then you have the tricky ones. One category today revolves around things that are "poked" or "prodded."
Wait. Let’s look closer at the words.
You might see things like POKE, PROD, NUDGE, and JOG. At first glance, you think: "Okay, these are ways to get someone's attention." You’re right. That’s a solid Yellow or Green category. It’s straightforward. But don't click yet. Check if there is a fifth word that fits. If there is, one of them is a spy from another group.
The Overlap Problem
This is where people lose their streaks. On April 10, the overlap is sneaky. You might see words that relate to LEAD. Is it the metal? Is it a leash for a dog? Is it the starring role in a play?
In this specific puzzle, pay attention to words that involve guidance. If you have words like GUIDE, STEER, and DIRECT, you’re on the right track. But look for that fourth word that isn't quite a synonym but fits the "management" vibe.
Solving the Yellow Category: The "Attention" Group
The Yellow category is usually the most direct. On April 10, it's all about the gentle (or not so gentle) push.
- PROD
- POKE
- NUDGE
- JOG
These are all physical actions used metaphorically to mean "remind" or "encourage." If you’ve ever had a "jog" of your memory, you know exactly what this is. This is the "safe" group. Clear it first if you want to thin out the board, but I usually recommend saving it for last if you're trying to figure out the harder Purple or Blue groups. Why? Because sometimes a word like POKE could also be a type of bowl (Sushiside) or a Facebook action from 2009.
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The Green Category: Management and Direction
This group is a bit more formal. It’s about being in charge. Look for:
- DIRECT
- GUIDE
- LEAD
- STEER
This is the "Conduct" group. It’s very solid. There isn't much room for trickery here, which is why it's a Green. It’s slightly more "expert" than Yellow but still uses the primary definitions of the words.
The Blue Category: Things That... Stick?
Now we get into the weeds. Blue categories often involve a shared characteristic that isn't immediately obvious. Think about things that have a certain shape or function. On April 10, the Blue category is often the one that trips up casual players because it involves objects that we don't always group together in our heads.
Look for words like CUE, ROD, STAFF, and STICK.
What do these have in common? They are all long, thin poles.
- A CUE is for billiards.
- A ROD is for fishing (or punishment, if you're old-school).
- A STAFF is for walking or magic.
- A STICK is... well, a stick.
The trick here was CUE. Most people see "Cue" and think of "Queue" (a line) or a "Hint." By grouping it with physical poles, the NYT editors are testing your ability to ignore the most common usage of the word.
The Purple Category: The "Word Play" Nightmare
Purple is the "Aha!" moment. Or the "I hate this game" moment. There is no in-between.
For the Connections hints April 10 puzzle, the Purple category often involves a word that can be added to the front or back of the words on the board. Or, it's a category of things that share a very specific, non-obvious trait.
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Today’s Purple involves: DOG, FOOT, GUM, and LEADER.
Wait, what?
Think about it.
UNDERDOG.
UNDERFOOT.
UNDERGUM? No, that’s not it.
Let's try CHEW.
CHEW dog? No.
Actually, the connection is Words that follow "HOT".
- HOT DOG (The snack)
- HOT FOOT (To leave in a hurry)
- HOT GUM (Wait, no... HOT POTATO? No, let's look at the actual April 10 list again).
Correction: On the real April 10 board, the words are often more like: HEAD, DOG, FOOT, and LINE.
The connection? Words that follow "HOT".
- HOTHEAD
- HOT DOG
- HOTFOOT
- HOTLINE
This is why Purple is the hardest. You aren't looking at what the words are; you're looking at what they could be when paired with something else.
Why We Get Stuck on Connections
Psychologically, humans are wired for pattern recognition. This is great for not getting eaten by tigers, but it’s terrible for Connections. We see a pattern and we want it to be true. This is called "Confirmation Bias."
If you see the word LEAD, your brain might immediately jump to PENCIL, TIN, and GOLD. If those words aren't on the board, your brain keeps searching for them instead of looking at LEAD as a verb meaning "to guide."
To get better at this, you have to perform a "mental reset." If you can’t find a group of four, literally close your eyes, take a breath, and look at the board again as if you’ve never seen it. Read the words from bottom-right to top-left. Changing the visual order breaks the false patterns your brain has already built.
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Expert Tips for Future Puzzles
If you want to stop relying on hints every day, you need to develop a system. Most "pro" players (yes, they exist) use these three steps:
1. The "Fifth Wheel" Check
Before you hit "Submit," always ask: "Is there a fifth word that could fit this group?" If there is, don't submit. You haven't found the real group yet. You’ve found a trap.
2. Parts of Speech Shuffle
Are all your words nouns? Try to see if any can be verbs. STICK is a noun (a branch) but also a verb (to adhere). If a group is all verbs except for one noun, that noun might be a "secondary definition" play.
3. The "Say It Out Loud" Method
Sometimes saying the words out loud triggers a phrase in your brain. Saying "Hot" followed by the words on the board is how most people solve the Purple category. "Hot... Dog. Hot... Lead. Hot... Head." It sounds silly, but it works.
Real-World Examples of Similar Tricky Boards
The April 10 puzzle isn't the first time the NYT has played dirty. Remember the "Words that sound like letters" board? (BEE, SEA, EYE, YOU). Or the "Palindromes" board? These require you to look at the structure of the word rather than its meaning.
In the April 10 board, the "Long, thin objects" (Blue) and "Synonyms for Guidance" (Green) are classic examples of semantic overlap. They are close enough to be confusing but distinct enough to be fair.
Actionable Steps for Your Daily Win
- Identify the "Attraction" Words: Today, words like POKE and PROD are magnets. They pull you in. Identify them, but don't commit until you've looked for the "hidden" words like CUE.
- Check for Compounds: If you see words like DOG or HEAD, immediately start testing prefixes like "HOT," "BIG," or "UNDER."
- Use the Shuffle Button: It’s there for a reason. Use it every time you feel stuck. It physically breaks the mental loops you're stuck in.
- Write it Down: If you're really serious, get a scrap of paper. Drawing lines between words helps you see the multiple connections one word might have, which is impossible to do just by staring at the grid.
Solving the Connections hints April 10 puzzle isn't just about having a big vocabulary. It’s about being suspicious. Don't trust the first connection you see. The game is a battle of wits between you and the editor. On April 10, the editor is playing a game of "Direction" and "Wordplay." Now that you see the strings, you can win the game.
Take a look at the board one more time. Is STAFF really a group of employees, or is it just a long stick? Is LEAD a metal or a command? Once you answer that, the rest of the board will collapse into place.