In short: the closest games to Connections are PuzzGrid, Only Connect walls and Red Herring. For a different daily category game, play the rare-answer game above. All 19 games below are free in a browser.
19 games like Connections
Play one right here
Connections is about spotting what a set of things has in common. These daily games on this site test the same 'what fits?' instinct.
- Rarest Answer — 7 open categories a day ('name a fruit that isn't red'); a correct answer few players think of scores most.
- Yearline — put seven moments from history on the right year.
- Far Corners — name countries that fit a map prompt; rarer picks win.
- Dartle — a number puzzle: reach exactly 100 in the fewest darts.
Grouping and hidden-link puzzles
The closest relatives: find the hidden categories and dodge the red herrings.
- Connections (NYT) — the original: sixteen words, four hidden groups, four mistakes allowed.
- Only Connect (BBC) — the TV quiz whose 'connecting wall' inspired the format.
- PuzzGrid — free user-made connecting walls in the Only Connect style, many per day.
- Red Herring — group words into categories while ignoring the decoys.
- Strands (NYT) — find themed words in a letter grid; the theme is the hidden link.
- Pinpoint (LinkedIn) — guess the category from as few example words as possible.
Category and list games
If you like naming things that belong together.
- Scattergories — name things in each category starting with one letter; only unique answers score.
- Daily Tens — find all ten items at the top of today's category.
- Rankle — rank six things in four guesses, a new category every day.
- Pointless (TV) — name the correct answer the fewest people gave.
Word puzzles for Connections players
Same daily rhythm and shareable grid, letters instead of groups.
- Wordle (NYT) — guess the five-letter word in six tries.
- Waffle — swap letters to fix six crossing words.
- Spelling Bee (NYT) — make words from seven letters around a centre letter.
- Contexto — find the secret word by meaning, ranked guess by guess.
- Crossclimb (LinkedIn) — solve trivia clues and arrange the answers into a word ladder.
What makes a good Connections alternative
- Hidden categories you have to name yourself.
- Red herrings that fit more than one group.
- One puzzle a day, the same for everyone, with a spoiler-free share.
Want more daily games? See daily trivia games and all games on Rarest Answer.
Descriptions checked on 27 October 2026 from each game's own site. We are not affiliated with any of them.