The 4 Sneaky NYT Connections Categories That Crushed Solvers On June 18, 2024 (Puzzle #373)

Are you stuck on a past puzzle or just curious about one of the most infamously tricky days? As of December 11, 2025, the challenge of the June 18, 2024, NYT Connections puzzle, specifically Game #373, continues to be a hot topic among word game enthusiasts. This particular grid was a masterclass in misdirection, featuring words with multiple, tempting overlaps that led many a player to lose their precious streak. The key to solving this—and any difficult Connections grid—lies in recognizing the deceptively simple categories that hide in plain sight, especially when the New York Times Games team layers a high-concept theme like the one that snagged so many players on this day. The secret? Always look for the most specific, narrow connection first.

The daily word-grouping game, Connections, demands players find four groups of four words that share a common thread or category. The June 18, 2024, edition (Puzzle #373) was a perfect example of how the difficulty ramps up, forcing players to think laterally and avoid the obvious traps set by words that could fit into two or even three different groups. We're diving deep into the exact words, the cunning categories, and the ultimate strategy guide to conquer a puzzle of this caliber.

The Complete Breakdown: NYT Connections Puzzle #373 (June 18, 2024)

The board for this memorable day contained 16 words, which, at first glance, seemed to share many superficial links. The real challenge was separating the words that had a *strong* connection from those that only had a *weak* or misleading overlap. This is where the concept of topical authority in puzzle-solving comes into play: recognizing the specific, narrow theme the editors are aiming for.

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Category 1: Yellow (The Easiest Group)

The Yellow category in Connections is traditionally the easiest to spot, offering a quick win to build momentum. On June 18, 2024, this group was a functional, everyday collection that many players correctly identified first. The theme was a classic example of a "things found on" category.

• Category Theme: REMOTE CONTROL BUTTONS
• Words: CHANNEL, MENU, POWER, VOLUME

The words CHANNEL, MENU, POWER, and VOLUME are all immediately recognizable functions on a standard television or streaming device remote. The simplicity of this group was a crucial starting point for solving the rest of the puzzle. Identifying this group early eliminated four words, making the remaining 12 words and three categories much less intimidating.

Category 2: Green (The Misdirection Group)

The Green category often features words with a double meaning, and this day was no exception. The words in this group could easily be mistaken for verbs related to covering or stopping something, but the true connection was more specific and subtle.

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• Category Theme: HIDE FROM VIEW
• Words: BLOCK, COVER, SCREEN, SHIELD

While words like BLOCK, COVER, and SHIELD can be used as nouns (e.g., a city block, a book cover, a riot shield), their primary connection here is as synonyms for the action of obscuring or concealing something. SCREEN, in particular, fits this theme, as one might "screen" a window for privacy or "screen" a call. This group was tricky because words like POWER (from the Yellow group) and CHERRY or ORANGE (from the Blue group) could also be seen as "covering" something in a different context (e.g., a power outage, covering a cake with a cherry), but the HIDE FROM VIEW concept was the tightest fit for the four chosen words.

Category 3: Blue (The Culinary/Mixology Group)

The Blue category introduced a classic culinary or mixology theme, which is a common entity in the Connections universe. This group was difficult because several words could also fit into other, non-existent categories, forcing players to commit to the most specific theme.

• Category Theme: DRINK GARNISHES
• Words: CHERRY, OLIVE, ORANGE, WEDGE

This was a tight, unambiguous group once identified. A CHERRY is used in a Manhattan, an OLIVE in a Martini, and an ORANGE slice or a citrus WEDGE is common in countless cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. The word ORANGE, however, was a major trap, as it could also be grouped with CHERRY as a type of fruit, or with other words that might imply color. The key was the collective function: all four items are accessories added to a drink for flavor or decoration.

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Category 4: Purple (The Infamous Group)

The Purple category is the most difficult and often involves a complex linguistic twist, a pun, or a "___ Word" theme. On June 18, 2024, the Purple group was a pop culture knowledge test that left many solvers completely stumped: a "First Word in Bond Movie" theme.

• Category Theme: FIRST WORD IN BOND MOVIE TITLE
• Words: DR., GOLD, OCTO, QUANTUM

This is where the puzzle's difficulty peaked. The words DR., GOLD, OCTO, and QUANTUM are not related in any obvious way until you realize they are the first words of James Bond film titles: Dr. No, Goldfinger, Octopussy, and Quantum of Solace. This category is a perfect example of a "linguistic entity" or a "proper noun connection" that requires specific cultural knowledge rather than general vocabulary. For players who didn't immediately recognize the Bond connection, this group was nearly impossible to solve, leading directly to a failed attempt.

Expert Strategies for Conquering Connections' Purple Category Traps

The June 18 puzzle is a perfect case study for improving your overall Connections strategy. The key to maintaining your daily streak lies in a methodical approach that neutralizes the editors' misdirection and forces you to see the underlying topical authority.

1. Embrace the "Extremes" Strategy

When you look at the 16 words, immediately try to form the most specific, narrow categories possible. If a word can plausibly fit into two or three groups, leave it alone. Focus on the words that only seem to have one clear, undeniable link. For Puzzle #373, the REMOTE CONTROL BUTTONS (CHANNEL, MENU, POWER, VOLUME) group was the most specific and least ambiguous. Always solve the Yellow category (easiest) first, as it reduces the complexity of the remaining words by 25%.

2. Beware the Homograph and Homophone

Connections editors love words that look or sound the same but have different meanings (homographs and homophones). On June 18, words like POWER and ORANGE were prime examples of this. POWER could be a button, an ability, or an electrical force. ORANGE could be a color, a fruit, or a garnish. If a word feels too broad, it's likely a trap or part of a much more specific category. The strategy is to look for the most restrictive definition that links four words together.

3. The "___ Word" Rule (Purple Category Clue)

If you are left with four words that seem completely unrelated, immediately suspect a "___ Word" category. This is the hallmark of the Purple group. The connection is often a word that precedes or follows all four words to create a common phrase, a specific type of name, or, as in the June 18 puzzle, a famous title. Try connecting the remaining words with common entities like "FIRST," "LAST," "DOUBLE," or "SECRET." The four remaining words—DR., GOLD, OCTO, and QUANTUM—were the leftovers that demanded a creative, out-of-the-box solution: "FIRST WORD IN BOND MOVIE."

Mastering Connections is about more than just vocabulary; it’s about recognizing patterns and understanding the psychology of the puzzle's design. By applying these strategies, you can minimize the impact of misdirection and maintain your streak against even the trickiest grids, like the memorable challenge of June 18, 2024.