Il suggestion and the daily response for January 21st (Issue #590) of Times Today

Connect is a New York Times game that challenges you to find the association between words. It seems easy, but it isn't – Connect categories can be almost anything and are usually very specific. If you need help finding answers, we're here to cover for you.

What are Connections?

Connections is a New York Times game. The goal is simple: rearrange 16 words into groups of 4. Each group of words will be connected by some idea or common theme. This common element can be anything. We've seen it all, from games that rely on the number of letters in words to categories that require identifying an extra letter at the end of a word. Sometimes they are references to the economy, other times they refer to fables. There's no way to know what kind of association there will be between the words.

After confirming you understand the connection, select 4 words, then press "Submit". You have a total of four attempts, so don't rush your guess.

Tips for Today's Connection Groups

Here are some clues for game number 590 of the Connect game to help you get started:

• Yellow: When they say something negative to someone.
• Green: A small version of something.
• Blue: How to remove winter snow.
• Violet: They don't actually have doctors, but they have a title.

If you still need assistance, the current group names are:

• Yellow: Positioning
• Green: Small Similarity
• Blue: Used to Clear Snow
• Violet: Doctors in Popular Culture

New York Times Today's Connectivity Answers

Forward (Yellow):

Bar, Fracture, Drill, Light

Small Similarity (Green):

Doll, Figure, Miniature, Model

Used to Clear Snow (Blue):

Puller, Sale, Sand, Spade

Doctors in Popular Culture (Violet):

Nothing, Octopus, Pepper, Who?

How to Guess Connection Groups?

There is no quick and reliable way to approach Connections like there is with Wordle, since Connections are not algorithmic. However, there are some things to keep in mind that can help you.

1. Look for parts of the speech that are similar. Some words are verbs and others nouns? Some are adjectives? Try grouping them mentally by those categories and see if other patterns hit you.
2. The words are synonyms? Often, the categories will just be synonyms of a phrase or very close to it. Consider, for example, the words Bud, Corona, and Light. You might instinctively see these three words together and assume they're in a category related to beer, -but they weren't.
3. Try saying the words. Sometimes, saying the words helps. A puzzle we saw included the words "go", "rate", "faster", "clip", "pace", "speed", "move", "commute" and "hurry"—all obviously related to the idea of movement. However, when you say them, it becomes a bit clearer that only four (go, move, hurry, faster) are things you'd actually say to encourage someone to move.
4. Wait for the smoke to clear. Connections often have words that could plausibly be grouped together, but incorrectly. Consider as an example the words Bud, Corona and Light. You might instinctively see these three words together and assume they're in a category related to beer, -but they weren't.
5. Look for distinct words. If a word on your board has multiple meanings or can only be used in a specific context, try using that word as the basis for a category.
6. Mix up the board. Sometimes, moving the words around helps you look at them from a new perspective.

If you haven't solved this problem, don't feel too bad — there will always be tomorrow! And these words could be aligned with an argument that interests you, giving you an advantage over the competition.