APPLE
×14 in archive
APPLE appears often as a fruit anchor or as part of tech/brand purple groups.
FruitsTech brandsIdioms with core
ORANGEBANANACHERRYGRAPE
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Decoy word guide
Trap Words
Pick a trap type, learn how it misleads you, then browse 69 real examples from our archive. Tap a card to replay that puzzle or open the word wiki.
Pick a trap type
One spelling, two or more unrelated meanings — like BANK (river vs money) or LIGHT (brightness vs weight). NYT loves leaving these for last.
Spot it: You can sort three words into a clean category, but the fourth fits a completely different sense of the same word.
Tip: Before submitting, say the suspicious word aloud with each possible meaning.
Homograph · 26
BANK
×13 in archive
BANK is a classic homograph trap word.
Financial institutionsGeographyHomographsRIVERVAULTLOANSAVINGSLIGHT
×12 in archive
LIGHT is one of the most common trap words in Connections.
IlluminationThings that are light in weightCompound wordsLAMPFEATHERBEERSPEEDSPRING
×10 in archive
SPRING is a triple-meaning word: season, coil, and water source.
SeasonsMechanical partsWater sourcesSEASONCOILWATERJUMPBOARD
×9 in archive
BOARD spans skateboards, cutting boards, and corporate boards of directors—classic purple misdirection material.
Wood panelsSports equipmentCorporate rolesPLANKSKATEDIRECTORGAMEROSE
×7 in archive
ROSE is a homograph trap: flower, wine color, or past tense of rise.
FlowersWine typesPast tense of riseFLOWERWINECOLORLIFTWELL
×2 in archive
WELL appeared 2 times in our last 60 puzzles.
START TO CRY, WITH "UP"FILLER WORDSCHOKEMISTTEARACTUALLYBOX
×1 in archive
BOX appeared once in our last 60 puzzles.
COMMON RECYCLABLESBOTTLECANNEWSPAPERBULL
×1 in archive
BULL pairs with BEAR in finance purple groups or with COW and MOO in farm-animal yellow categories.
Stock marketFarm animalsBullfightingBEARMARKETMOOMATADORCARD
×1 in archive
CRANE GAME
×1 in archive
CRANE GAME appeared once in our last 60 puzzles.
SEEN IN AN ARCADEPINBALLTICKETSTOKENSFACE
×1 in archive
FACE appeared once in our last 60 puzzles.
PRO-WRESTLING LINGOHEELJOBBERKAYFABE
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Use traps while you play
On the homepage solver, trap words in your grid are highlighted in amber. Tap any word for co-occurrence history and category hints before you burn a mistake.