If you use hints every day, the temptation is to stop solving. The better approach is to use hints as a training tool: identify one category faster, then return to the board to solve the rest yourself.
A practical method looks like this: start by attempting the yellow group unaided for a minute or two. If you get stuck, use the Forbes hint for that group to confirm what relationship you should be testing. Then move back to the word list and actually build the group from the words.
This keeps the satisfaction of solving intact. It also builds your category instincts over time, which is how you get better at Connections even when you don’t look anything up.
Best practices for daily hint use
- Set a stop point: Decide you’ll only read the “hints” section and nothing beyond it. ([forbes.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2026/06/26/nyt-connections-hints-today-saturday-june-27-clues-and-answers/?utm_source=openai))
- Use hints to confirm, not to replace: Treat hints as direction, not as a shortcut to memorizing answers.
- Re-check after you form one group: Once you’ve solved one category, the remaining words often snap into clearer patterns.
Common mistakes that waste your attempts
Hints can lead you astray when you overfit them. For instance, if a clue points to “pattern recognition,” it might tempt you to link anything visual. But Connections categories usually have tighter rules—sometimes objects, sometimes brand-adjacent naming conventions, sometimes word order or “ending with” structures.
That’s why the safest use of “connection hints today forbes” is to treat them as a compass. You still need to test which four-word set truly fits the rule.
