Is it actually free to play?

Yes, currently you can play the daily puzzle for free on the NYT website or app without a subscription, though they may eventually gate it like their other premium games.

Are the categories ever inappropriate?

Rarely. The NYT keeps it 'PG.' You might see cheeky categories like 'Slang for Butt' or 'Double Entendres,' but it's handled with a wink and a nod rather than anything explicit.

How long does a typical game take?

Anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes. It's designed to be a quick burst, not a time-sink.

Can my 8-year-old play it?

They can help! They might not get the 'Words that start with Greek letters' category, but they’ll definitely spot 'Things that are yellow.' It's a great team-up game.

Connections – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Connections

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Website2023

93%

WISE Score

The daily word-association game that makes you feel like a genius for five minutes and a total failure for the other twenty-three hours.

Connections

Website

2023

93%

WISE Score

The daily word-association game that makes you feel like a genius for five minutes and a total failure for the other twenty-three hours.

Jump to

Screenwise Verdict

Connections is the gold standard for 'good' screen time. It’s a five-minute brain teaser that rewards patience and flexible thinking. Unlike most mobile games that try to keep you trapped for hours, this one gives you your puzzle and then politely tells you to go away until tomorrow.

While there is a Maine-based mental health agency with the same name (Connections for Kids) that does great, licensed work for foster families, the 2023 website phenomenon you're likely looking for is the NYT puzzle. It's clean, smart, and a perfect way to model healthy digital habits—using the internet for a specific, high-quality purpose and then logging off.

Age Fit

Best for ages 10 and up. While younger kids can help spot simple categories, the wordplay and 'tricky' associations usually require a middle-school level of vocabulary and logic.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It is a clean, intellectual daily ritual that encourages shared family problem-solving without any of the typical 'game' toxicity.

Imaginative

The game hinges on lateral thinking and finding non-obvious links, which is a high-level form of creative pattern recognition.

Safe

The NYT ecosystem is a walled garden. No unmoderated chat, no aggressive ads, and no manipulative 'infinite loop' mechanics—you get one puzzle a day.

Enriching

Excellent for vocabulary building, logic, and teaching kids to pivot when their first assumption (the 'red herring') is proven wrong.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Lateral thinking is the name of the game here; it forces kids to look past the obvious and find hidden patterns.
It is a low-stakes daily ritual that fits into a breakfast routine or a car ride without sucking anyone into a three-hour screen hole.
The shared experience is real—since everyone gets the same puzzle each day, it's a natural conversation starter for the family.
It builds vocabulary and cultural literacy by introducing words and categories that range from classic literature to modern slang.

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What to Watch For

The red herrings can be genuinely frustrating for younger kids who haven't developed the patience for trial and error yet.
Some categories lean into adult slang or older cultural references (like types of cocktails or 80s bands) that will leave a 10-year-old totally blank.
The Connections Companion page has a comment section; while usually civil, it's the one place where user-generated text exists.

Conversation Starters

"Which word did you think was a trap today?"
"Why do you think the 'Purple' category is always the hardest one to spot?"
"If you had to make a Connections grid for our family, what four categories would you use?"
"Did you learn any new words today that you've never heard before?"

Deep Dive

The Power of the Pivot

What makes Connections better than a standard crossword is the 'Red Herring' mechanic. Every puzzle is designed to trick you. You’ll see four words that look like they belong in a 'Types of Fruit' category, but the game is actually hiding one of those words in a 'Tech Companies' category (like Apple).

For a kid, this is a masterclass in cognitive flexibility. It teaches them that their first instinct might be wrong, and that's okay. They have to learn to deconstruct their initial logic and try a different angle. In a world of 'instant answer' search results, having a game that forces you to sit in the tension of being wrong for a minute is incredibly valuable.

Family Dynamics

This is one of the few digital items that actually works better as a 'pass the phone' experience. Because the categories range from 'Words that start with a body part' to 'Palindromes,' different generations in the house will often spot different things. Your 12-year-old might see the Minecraft reference while you spot the 90s fashion trend. It levels the playing field in a way that feels rewarding rather than competitive.

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