Looking for today's Connections answer for puzzle 217 on January 14, which has about the same difficulty level as yesterday, the Connections companion has a difficulty rating of 3.6 out of 5 for this puzzle.

We update our Connections clues and hints daily. And if the hints aren't enough, you can see all four solutions along with the category title and related words. In addition, for those of you reading this in a different time zone, I have included a reflection on yesterday's puzzle 216.

There are spoilers for Connection #217. Please only read this if you want to know the answer to today's connection.

While today's Wordle answer guide recommends the best wordle starting words as a strategy, the answer to Connections depends on identifying the categories that are connected from the 16 words. The difficulty of each category is represented by a color, with yellow being the easiest grouping and purple the most difficult. Hints are helpful as the answer is displayed after four wrong guesses.

If you need a hint to solve the groupings, here are each theme in order of difficulty:

If you read these hints, you should at least find the answer to today's connection. If not, please continue reading for larger hints. Also, if you only want to know the answer, scroll down further.

Now for the bigger clues. For today's puzzle, you may need to double-check your choices. Make sure you have a firm grasp of the logic and remember that not every Tom, Dick, and Harry will fit where you expect them to.

Now, the answer to today's 217th game of Connections is.

Drum roll please.

In a bewildering potpourri of words, the tangled threads of today's puzzle seemed to weave a tapestry of ambiguity. Why were there so many men's names? There were enough to create a small social club. But as we struggled to decide who would pass and be selected for membership, another word stood out like a flower on a dance wall: punt. Singular in its meaning, it beckoned the legwear crowd-jean, short, and tight-to fashion a snug-fitting purple category.

With the legwear lads correctly partnered, my eyes roamed the rest of the word and found the bull. This beast did not fit into any of the pastures I had previously envisioned. But just as the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle found their proper place, I realized that it was not about a male name, but about a masculine member of the animal kingdom. Bill, Buck, Jack, and Tom were not a gentlemen's club, but rather a zoo comprising a blue (not male) group.

The eight culprits I was left with seemed to be all about ways to pay for things or cocky ways to avoid paying for the same; Swipe seemed to fall into both the green and yellow categories, but after counting up the various options, Pinch, Rob, Steal, and Swipe, a dastardly foursome, were lined up in felonious fashion.

Finally, four words remained, and the fiscal foursome commanded my attention: the yellow categories of Bill, Check, Tab, and Invoice, to which I metaphorically reached for my wallet. Puzzle solved, no names unsolved, I closed this chapter looking forward to tomorrow's challenge.

It is much later in the day when I read this. According to Connections Companion, the difficulty level was 3.7 out of 5.

Given that it is Wild Card weekend, when the NFL begins its playoff frenzy for the Super Bowl, it seems natural that I spotted the American football theme almost immediately. But as the quarterback was sacked just as he was about to score a touchdown, I was stopped in my tracks as "tackle," "run," "pass," and "center" were hard to come by.

Then I saw safety and end and realized that these categories could not simply be gridiron terms, but must be specific positions. The pass and run disappeared, replaced by my two new discoveries, and sure enough, my arms went high as the blue category was completed.

Then I noticed the punt. I tried pass, run, hold alongside, but I wasn't convinced. And I was right.

The next thing that caught my eye was the table and chairs. Is this some kind of furniture theme? But when I considered another definition of Chair, Direct and Lead quickly merged.

Two more with two lives left; Pass, Ticket, and Badge matched up nicely. These are the items needed for entry. Using the verb (to invite) as a noun (to invite) is a small pet peeve of mine, but it ties in with Invite. So, let's get to it.

Hold, stall, punt, and table remain, with the last purple category postponed. Two lives remain and no Hail Mary passes are needed.

Connections rely heavily on guesswork and general knowledge, and it is impossible to know which word (or words) are not in the guessed grouping. Only if one incorrect word is included will the game tell you about it.

To win a connection, you should look carefully at all 16 words before making your first guess. Are there words that have more than one meaning than they are pronounced? Are there words that have more than one meaning? Are there any words that are part of a larger phrase?

Often, the first answer that jumps out at you may be intentionally misleading you. Therefore, identifying possible five-word categories is a good strategy to start with. Bookmarking them and coming back to them after solving one or two other categories should help you figure out which of the five words belong in a different category.

Most connection categories are not as obvious as they might seem. Editors typically use phrases, puns, and other tricky topics that require thought. If you get stuck on a category, cycle through each word in the grid and brainstorm possible categories to which the word might apply.

Connections is a category matching game and was released in beta on June 12, 2023. It was then officially added to the NYT Games app (iOS and Android) on August 28, 2023. The app allows users to play the daily New York Times crossword and the ultra-popular Wordle game. However, playing the crossword requires a paid subscription, while Wordle and Connections are free.

In Connections, you are presented with 16 words and must group them into four four-word categories. Often there are words or seemingly five-word categories that are meant to mislead you. Your goal is to group the words appropriately without going beyond four guesses; if you cannot solve the puzzle within four attempts, you have failed and the answer will be revealed.

NYT Connection Puzzles will be available daily. Games are updated at midnight local time on your device.

Connections can be played on the New York Times Game App available for iOS/iPadOS and Android. If you are using a computer or device browser, you can access NYT Connections online here.