The Tuesday edition of NYT Connections is here with puzzle #968, offering a grid that rewards players with strong golf knowledge, a flair for culinary terms, and the ability to spot clever memory-based wordplay. The puzzle leans toward moderate difficulty, with a few deceptive traps designed to mislead even seasoned solvers.

What Is NYT Connections?

For those new to the game, NYT Connections challenges players to sort 16 words into four groups of four, each linked by a shared theme. Players are allowed only four incorrect attempts, and each group is colour-coded by difficulty — yellow (easy), green (medium), blue (hard), and purple (trickiest).

Since its launch in June 2023, Connections has become a daily staple alongside Wordle and the New York Times Crossword, praised for its use of red herrings and overlapping word meanings.

Today’s Word Grid (#968)

Here are the 16 words featured in today’s puzzle:

CARD | WOOD | FOAM | DICE
BOARD | CUBE | QUARTER | HOLE
HASH | HOUSE | IRON | MINCE
WEDGE | LANE | LODGE | PUTTER

At first glance, the list appears random — but each word fits perfectly into one of four hidden categories.

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Hints for NYT Connections #968 (No Spoilers)

• Yellow category hint: Think about food preparation methods involving cutting or chopping.
• Green category hint: Focus on words connected to offering accommodation or shelter.
• Blue category hint: Consider equipment used in a particular sport for different shots.
• Purple category hint: Look for words that commonly follow the word “memory.”

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NYT Connections #968: Full Solutions

Stop reading here if you want to solve the puzzle on your own.

Blue – Types of Golf Clubs

IRON, PUTTER, WEDGE, WOOD
These are all standard golf clubs used for different shots, from long drives to precise putting on the green.

Green – Provide Accommodation

BOARD, HOUSE, LODGE, QUARTER
Each word can mean offering someone a place to stay, whether temporarily or long term.

Yellow – Cut Into Pieces

CUBE, DICE, HASH, MINCE
Common culinary terms describing various ways to chop or cut food.

Purple – “Memory ___” Phrases

CARD, FOAM, HOLE, LANE
These complete familiar phrases such as memory card, memory foam, memory hole, and memory lane.

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Puzzle Verdict

Puzzle #968 lands in the moderate difficulty range. While the yellow and green categories are fairly approachable, the purple group proves to be the most challenging, relying on abstract phrase recognition rather than literal meanings.

Words like wood, iron, and quarter act as clever distractions, easily pulling solvers toward materials, time, or currency instead of their intended themes. The memory-based connections, as expected, are the final hurdle for many players.

A new NYT Connections puzzle arrives at midnight local time. Until then, puzzle #968 is officially cracked — see you tomorrow for #969. 🧩