You’ve woken up, grabbed your coffee, and opened the NYT Games app only to stare at words like "Quantum" and "Sword" and wonder if Wyna Liu is personally out to get you. It's Tuesday, June 18, and today’s Connections puzzle—number 373, for those counting—is a perfect example of why this game has replaced Wordle as the internet's favorite morning frustration. Honestly, the grid today feels like it was designed by someone who spent the weekend watching 007 marathons while drinking martinis and losing their TV remote.
It’s tricky. Not "I need a second cup of coffee" tricky, but "I might actually lose my streak" tricky.
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If you are looking for NYT Connections hints June 18, you aren't alone. The overlap today is brutal. You see "Shield" and "Sword" and your brain immediately goes to medieval warfare or maybe The Legend of Zelda. But then you see "Screen" and "Block," and suddenly you're thinking about basketball or maybe privacy settings. That’s the trap.
The Big Red Herrings for June 18
Before we even get into the hints, let’s talk about what's probably tripping you up right now.
Most people are getting stuck on the "TV" connection. You see Channel, Screen, and Volume. It feels right. But "Screen" is a massive bait-and-switch today. While it could be part of a television, its actual home is in a group about concealment.
Then there’s the Casino and Diamonds lure. You might think we’re looking for gambling terms or maybe jewelry. Nope. If you try to group those based on a Vegas trip, you’re going to burn a life faster than a slot machine eats a twenty-dollar bill.
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NYT Connections Hints June 18: Category Clues
If you just want a little nudge to get the gears turning without having the whole thing spoiled, here are some cryptic clues for each color group:
- Yellow (Easiest): Think about the plastic rectangle you use to change the channel when a loud commercial comes on.
- Green (Medium): These are all verbs that basically mean "to get in the way" or "hide something from sight."
- Blue (Harder): What would you find sitting at the bottom of a fancy cocktail glass (or poked through a little plastic stick)?
- Purple (Tricky): You'll need to be a fan of Ian Fleming’s most famous creation. Specifically, the first words of his movies.
Detailed Breakdown of the June 18 Categories
Let’s get specific. Sometimes knowing the theme is enough to help you sort the 16 words, but if you're down to your last two mistakes, you might need the full reveal.
Remote Control Buttons (Yellow)
This is the most straightforward group, though "Menu" can be a bit of a tease if you’re thinking about restaurants. These are the physical (or digital) buttons you interact with when you're watching TV.
The words: CHANNEL, MENU, POWER, VOLUME.
Hide From View (Green)
This is where the game gets "wordy." These are synonyms for concealing something or providing a barrier. As I mentioned earlier, "Screen" and "Shield" are the ones that usually end up in the wrong piles because they have such strong secondary meanings.
The words: BLOCK, COVER, SCREEN, SHIELD.
Drink Garnishes (Blue)
This category is actually kinda fun once you see it, but "Sword" is a total "gotcha" word. We aren't talking about Excalibur here; we’re talking about those tiny, colorful plastic swords they use to skewer a maraschino cherry.
The words: CHERRY, OLIVE, SWORD, UMBRELLA.
First Word in Bond Movie Titles (Purple)
This is the "aha!" moment of the day. If you aren't a James Bond fan, this is nearly impossible to guess by logic alone. You just have to see the pattern. Casino Royale, Diamonds Are Forever, Quantum of Solace, and Tomorrow Never Dies.
The words: CASINO, DIAMONDS, QUANTUM, TOMORROW.
Why This Puzzle Works (And Why It’s Annoying)
Connections editor Wyna Liu is a master of "lateral thinking." She isn't just looking for synonyms; she’s looking for ways to make one word sit comfortably in three different chairs.
Take "Shield." It’s a verb (to protect), a noun (a piece of armor), and a brand (though not today). By putting "Sword" in the same grid, she forces you to make a choice. Is it armor? Or is it a garnish? Most players will try the armor connection first because it’s more "logical" in a vacuum. But the game isn't played in a vacuum; it’s played in a 16-word grid where every word must have exactly one home.
The Bond category is particularly "Purple" because it relies on external trivia. You either know that Quantum of Solace exists, or you’re left staring at the word "Quantum" like it’s a physics textbook.
How to Win at Connections Every Day
If you want to stop relying on hints and start crushing these puzzles on your own, you have to change your perspective.
First, never hit "Submit" on the first four words you see. Ever. If you see four words that fit together, immediately look for a fifth. If there’s a fifth word that also fits, you know that category is a trap. You need to find which of those five words belongs somewhere else before you commit.
Second, use the "Shuffle" button. Our brains are weirdly susceptible to the default layout. We tend to link words that are physically close to each other on the screen. Shuffling breaks those false associations and lets you see the grid with fresh eyes.
Lastly, try to solve the Purple or Blue categories first. Most people try to get Yellow out of the way to "clear the board," but the hardest categories are usually the ones with the most overlap. If you can identify the James Bond titles or the cocktail garnishes early, the rest of the puzzle practically solves itself.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Game
- Jot it down: Use a notes app or a piece of paper to group words before clicking.
- Search for prefixes/suffixes: If you're stuck, see if adding a word before or after the tiles (like "___ Ball" or "Fire ___") creates a link.
- Check for parts of speech: Are they all nouns? All verbs? Sometimes a mix is a clue that the connection is about the word itself, not the meaning.
The June 18 puzzle is a reminder that Connections is as much about what words aren't as what they are. Now that you've got the answers for today, you can protect your streak and live to fight another grid tomorrow.