Melio/Connections
Games
All games
SudokuRace, co-op, dailyChessBots, 1v1, puzzlesWordleDaily 5-letterConnectionsDaily, 16 wordsMini CrosswordDaily 5×52048Slide and mergeSolitaireClassic KlondikeSpider Solitaire1, 2, or 4 suitsFreeCellThe classic four-cell solitaireMahjongMatch free tiles to clear the boardMinesweeperClassic logicWord Hunt80-second traceWord SearchFind the hidden wordsWord BombType-fast fragmentsReaction TimeClick on greenTyping TestCheck your WPM
Try multiplayer sudoku →
Blog
Sign inSign up
Daily puzzles in your inbox, every morning.
© 2026 Melio Games. A small, carefully made games studio.
GuidesBlogFor your siteWhat’s newRoadmapFAQFeedbackAboutPrivacyTermsSudokuPlayers
← Melio GamesWednesday, August 12, 2026

MelioConnections

Find four groups of four. Four mistakes and the day’s over.

Mistakes remaining:
Stuck? Get hintsClick to open

The first two stages narrow the puzzle without spoiling groups. The reveal stages need an additional click each.

  1. Stage 1: letter spread

    Today's 16 words are spread across the alphabet. The most common starting letters are A (2×), P (2×), R (2×), F (2×).

  2. Stage 2: yellow theme

    The yellow group's theme is "Coffee drinks". That's the easiest grouping; pick the four words that fit and you're a quarter of the way through.

  3. Stage 3: yellow group reveal
    Reveal →

    The four yellow words are: LATTE, MOCHA, ESPRESSO, AMERICANO.

  4. Stage 4: all four themes
    Reveal →

    The four categories, in order from easiest to hardest, are: Yellow (easiest): "Coffee drinks" · Green: "Pasta shapes" · Blue: "Card games" · Purple (trickiest): "Greek letters".

  5. Stage 5: full solution
    Reveal →

    Below is the full grouping; each row is one category.

Looking for yesterday’s?
Aug 11: yellow was “Compass points”
Full page →
Archive
Past puzzles
The last 30 days of Melio Connections puzzles.
→
Reference
Themes glossary
Every category theme that’s ever appeared.
→
Strategy
Purple group guide
The four wordplay patterns purple uses.
→

How to play Connections

  1. 1
    Look at the 16 words
    Every day's grid has 16 words. They split into four secret groups of four, connected by a theme, category, or wordplay you have to spot.
  2. 2
    Pick four words you think go together
    Tap to select. When you're sure they share a theme, hit Submit. One group at a time.
  3. 3
    Right answers reveal the category
    Yellow is the easiest theme. Green is medium. Blue is harder. Purple is usually wordplay or a twist, the trickiest by design.
  4. 4
    You have four mistakes
    Each wrong guess costs a life. Run out and the day's puzzle ends, but the answers reveal so you can see what you missed.
  5. 5
    Solve all four to win
    Going zero-mistakes is the prize finish. Order matters for bragging rights: did you nail purple first?

Tips & strategy

  • •Don't lock in your first instinct. Connections loves traps, three words that obviously fit, and a fourth that belongs to a different group.
  • •Use Shuffle (or Mix) to break the visual layout out of your head. Same words, new arrangement, new ideas.
  • •Start with the group you're most sure of, not the easiest color. Locking in a wrong yellow burns a life and tells you nothing.
  • •If two themes seem to fit the same four words, one of them is the trap, there's usually a fifth word that fits one but not the other.
  • •Purple is almost always wordplay (puns, hidden words, ___ + something). If you've solved three groups, the last four are purple by elimination.

Frequently asked questions

Is Melio Connections free?
▼
Yes. Free, no ads, no account required. Sign in for streaks.
Is it the same as NYT Connections?
▼
Same format and rules. The puzzles are hand-authored independently, we currently rotate through 16 original puzzles, so daily themes don't match the New York Times version.
What do the four colors mean?
▼
Yellow is the easiest group, green is medium, blue is hard, and purple is usually wordplay or the trickiest category by design.
When does the daily Connections reset?
▼
Midnight UTC. Everyone gets the same 16 words for the day.
Can I play with color blindness?
▼
Yes. Toggle the color-blind palette under the action row, replaces the four colors with pale yellow / blue-grey / orange / dark-purple. The preference persists across visits.
What happens after I lose?
▼
All four groups reveal so you can see the connections you missed. Come back tomorrow for a fresh puzzle.

More games on Melio

  • Grid archetypes
    The six recurring category shapes Connections uses.
  • Crack the purple group
    Purple is wordplay 95% of the time, here's how.
  • Wordle
    Daily five-letter word. Six guesses.