Solve the 1,000th Connections Puzzle!
When we first released Connections in 2023, Wyna Liu, the game’s editor, wrote about her approach to creating the boards. Now, a thousand puzzles later, I asked her some questions to try and learn some of the secrets that make the game so much fun. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and style. What is the single biggest thing you’ve learned since you started making Connections boards? I’ve learned about different ways to create challenge in the game! In addition to using words that belong in multiple categories, I’ve learned ways to incorporate different types of wordplay categories and trivia, and have tried to get better at building off solver expectations. How has the creation of categories and boards changed, if at all, from when you started making these puzzles? So many categories have run that part of the construction process now involves checking words and categories that have run to make sure that I avoid repeating misdirections. (Repeating categories is OK, but I try to avoid repeating misleads when I can!) Those constraints have provided an extra challenge when constructing, but an interesting one that encourages more flexible thinking on my part. Is there a single Connections puzzle that stands out in your mind? There are a few that I think of fondly. I was obsessed with the film “Final Destination: Bloodlines” last year, so that inspired two boards, one whose top row contained the sites of the opening disaster scenes in the “Final Destination” movies. Another memorable board was built around ’90s rappers. One favorite misdirection involved PENNYWISE, NICKELODEON, DIMENSION and QUARTERBACK, which wasn’t a category (PENNYWISE was in a category of FICTIONAL CLOWNS). I love the board that ran on the first anniversary of Connections, in which the cards were all movie titles. What questions do you ask yourself when making a board? I try to imagine what solvers might think when they see certain words in the game, and I’ll use that to guide the other words to include in that board. Is there anything else you want to say about the game? A big heartfelt thank you to the solvers! I feel so happy to share this game with you. Solve the Puzzle.
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Art CornerCalum Heath has been creating the art for the Connections Companion since its inception in 2023. He works with Kathy Lee, an art director on our team, who explained the process: “I send Calum the boards that Wyna has created ahead of time, and we ask him to find connections between the words through illustration. Oftentimes his connections can be red herrings, but they give us a different perspective of each board. He’ll usually send a few sketches per board, and we work together on what each day’s final illustration should be.” Here’s an example of what a sketch looks like, on the left, as opposed to the final image:
We asked Calum how his process has changed over time, and what he’s learned from creating hundreds of illustrations for the game. Here’s what he said: I approach the illustrations in the same way now as I did in the beginning. The key difference is that I have to look further and wider for new approaches to the drawings, making sure I’m not showing the viewer something they have seen before. Having looked at so many of Wyna’s boards, I think it has become easier to spot red herrings and traps, which is helpful as these can often inspire the illustration. Despite this, when I went on parental leave I tried doing Connections, and failed miserably! The drawings themselves have become more confident as time has gone on, and I find it easier to spot when something will work versus when it won’t. My ultimate aim with the artwork is to play an extra game with the viewer, to see whether they can link the image back to the game they’ve played, and, occasionally, it can act as a clue for one or two of the answers. I’d say the main thing I’ve learned is about my craft. The nature of the project means I’m drawing lots of imagery that wouldn’t usually come to mind, which has helped me develop my skills and has stretched my imagination to some really fun and unexpected places. What surprises me: The illustrations that resonate most with viewers are often the one’s that I least expect. How are we doing? Thanks for playing! Subscribe to New York Times Games. If you like this newsletter, you can tell your friends to sign up here.
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