The Complete Category Universe
Connections uses hundreds of different category types, from simple semantic groups to complex wordplay patterns. This comprehensive guide catalogs every major category type you'll encounter, with examples and solving strategies for each. Understanding these patterns is key to recognizing connections quickly and accurately.
Semantic Categories
The most straightforward categories based on word meanings and real-world classifications.
🍎 Basic Taxonomy
Animals
Examples: DOG, CAT, HORSE, COW
Subcategories: Mammals, birds, insects, sea creatures, farm animals, pets
Foods & Drinks
Examples: APPLE, BANANA, ORANGE, GRAPE
Subcategories: Fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, beverages, cuisines
Colors
Examples: RED, BLUE, GREEN, YELLOW
Subcategories: Primary colors, rainbow colors, shades, paint names
Body Parts
Examples: ARM, LEG, HEAD, FOOT
Subcategories: Limbs, organs, facial features, bones, muscles
🏠 Objects & Places
Furniture
Examples: CHAIR, TABLE, SOFA, BED
Subcategories: Living room, bedroom, kitchen, office furniture
Clothing
Examples: SHIRT, PANTS, DRESS, SHOES
Subcategories: Formal wear, casual wear, accessories, seasonal clothing
Transportation
Examples: CAR, TRAIN, PLANE, BOAT
Subcategories: Land, sea, air vehicles; public transport
Tools & Equipment
Examples: HAMMER, SCREWDRIVER, WRENCH, PLIERS
Subcategories: Kitchen tools, garden tools, construction tools
🎯 Professional & Academic
Occupations
Examples: DOCTOR, TEACHER, LAWYER, ENGINEER
Subcategories: Medical, legal, educational, technical professions
Academic Subjects
Examples: MATH, SCIENCE, HISTORY, ENGLISH
Subcategories: STEM fields, humanities, languages, arts
Scientific Terms
Examples: ATOM, MOLECULE, ELEMENT, COMPOUND
Subcategories: Chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy
Sports & Games
Examples: BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, TENNIS, GOLF
Subcategories: Team sports, individual sports, equipment, positions
Functional Categories
Categories based on what words do, how they're used, or their function in context.
🎯 Action Categories
Things You Can "Break"
Examples: RECORD, SILENCE, DAWN, FAST
Pattern: Words that commonly follow the verb "break"
Things You Can "Catch"
Examples: BALL, COLD, FIRE, BREATH
Pattern: Objects or concepts that can be "caught"
Things You Can "Draw"
Examples: PICTURE, CARD, CURTAIN, BLOOD
Pattern: Multiple meanings of the verb "draw"
📍 Location Categories
Things Found in a Kitchen
Examples: STOVE, SINK, REFRIGERATOR, COUNTER
Things Found in Space
Examples: STAR, PLANET, COMET, ASTEROID
Things Found Underground
Examples: ROOT, CAVE, SUBWAY, BASEMENT
🎨 Property Categories
Hot Things
Examples: FIRE, SUN, OVEN, PEPPER
Round Things
Examples: BALL, WHEEL, COIN, PLATE
Sharp Things
Examples: KNIFE, NEEDLE, THORN, WIT
Wordplay Categories
Categories based on linguistic structure, word formation, or language games.
🔤 Letter Pattern Categories
Palindromes
Examples: KAYAK, LEVEL, RADAR, ROTOR
Pattern: Words that read the same backwards
Anagrams
Examples: LISTEN, SILENT, TINSEL, ENLIST
Pattern: Words made from the same letters
Words Containing "CAR"
Examples: SCAR, CARD, CARE, CART
Pattern: Letter sequences within words
🧩 Compound Word Categories
Words Before "BALL"
Examples: BASKET, FOOT, BASE, SNOW
Pattern: First part of compound words
Words After "FIRE"
Examples: TRUCK, PLACE, WORKS, FLY
Pattern: Second part of compound words
Hidden Compounds
Examples: SUN, FLOWER, FISH, BOWL (SUNFLOWER, FISHBOWL)
Pattern: Words that can combine in pairs
🎪 Sound Pattern Categories
Rhyming Words
Examples: FIGHT, NIGHT, SIGHT, LIGHT
Pattern: Words that end with the same sound
Homophones
Examples: FLOUR, FLOWER, POWER, TOWER
Pattern: Words that sound similar
Alliteration
Examples: BIG, BOLD, BRAVE, BRIGHT
Pattern: Words starting with the same sound
Cultural Categories
Categories requiring knowledge of pop culture, history, geography, or specific cultural domains.
🎭 Entertainment Categories
Movie Franchises
Examples: STAR, WARS, EPISODE, FORCE
Context: Star Wars related terms
TV Show Characters
Examples: ROSS, RACHEL, MONICA, CHANDLER
Context: Friends characters
Disney Movies
Examples: FROZEN, MOANA, COCO, ENCANTO
Context: Recent Disney animated films
Music Genres
Examples: ROCK, POP, JAZZ, BLUES
Context: Musical styles
🌍 Geographic Categories
World Capitals
Examples: PARIS, LONDON, TOKYO, ROME
US States
Examples: TEXAS, FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA, YORK
European Countries
Examples: FRANCE, GERMANY, SPAIN, ITALY
Rivers/Mountains
Examples: NILE, AMAZON, EVEREST, ALPS
📚 Historical Categories
US Presidents
Examples: WASHINGTON, LINCOLN, KENNEDY, OBAMA
Ancient Civilizations
Examples: EGYPT, GREECE, ROME, BABYLON
Historical Periods
Examples: STONE, BRONZE, IRON, MODERN
World Wars
Examples: ALLIES, AXIS, TREATY, VICTORY
🏢 Brand & Company Categories
Tech Companies
Examples: APPLE, GOOGLE, MICROSOFT, AMAZON
Car Brands
Examples: FORD, TOYOTA, BMW, HONDA
Fashion Brands
Examples: NIKE, ADIDAS, PUMA, REEBOK
Fast Food Chains
Examples: BURGER, KING, TACO, BELL
Linguistic Categories
Categories based on grammar, language structure, or linguistic properties.
📝 Grammar Categories
Modal Verbs
Examples: CAN, WILL, SHOULD, MUST
Pattern: Verbs expressing possibility, necessity, or obligation
Prepositions
Examples: ON, IN, AT, BY
Pattern: Words showing relationships between nouns
Conjunctions
Examples: AND, BUT, OR, SO
Pattern: Words connecting clauses or phrases
Collective Nouns
Examples: FLOCK, HERD, PACK, SWARM
Pattern: Nouns describing groups
🌐 Word Formation Categories
Words with Prefix "UN-"
Examples: UNHAPPY, UNFAIR, UNKNOWN, UNSAFE
Words Ending in "-LY"
Examples: QUICKLY, SLOWLY, CAREFULLY, LOUDLY
Words Ending in "-TION"
Examples: NATION, ACTION, MOTION, STATION
Plurals Ending in "-IES"
Examples: CITIES, PARTIES, STORIES, BERRIES
🎯 Semantic Relationships
Synonyms
Examples: BIG, LARGE, HUGE, ENORMOUS
Pattern: Words with similar meanings
Antonyms
Examples: HOT, COLD, UP, DOWN
Pattern: Words with opposite meanings
Hyponyms
Examples: ROSE, TULIP, DAISY, LILY
Pattern: Specific examples of a general category (flowers)
Meronyms
Examples: WHEEL, ENGINE, DOOR, TRUNK
Pattern: Parts of a whole (car parts)
Abstract Categories
Categories based on concepts, themes, or abstract relationships that require creative thinking.
💭 Conceptual Categories
Emotions
Examples: HAPPY, SAD, ANGRY, AFRAID
Variations: Joy, sorrow, rage, fear
Time Periods
Examples: SECOND, MINUTE, HOUR, DAY
Variations: Era, epoch, age, period
Abstract Qualities
Examples: STRENGTH, COURAGE, WISDOM, HOPE
Variations: Virtues, values, ideals
Life Stages
Examples: BABY, CHILD, TEEN, ADULT
Variations: Infant, youth, elder, senior
🎪 Metaphorical Categories
🎵 Thematic Categories
Wedding Related
Examples: BRIDE, GROOM, CAKE, RING
School Related
Examples: STUDENT, TEACHER, BOOK, DESK
Weather Related
Examples: SUN, RAIN, WIND, SNOW
Money Related
Examples: DOLLAR, CENT, BANK, COIN
Compound & Phrase Categories
The most challenging categories involving word combinations, phrases, and complex linguistic relationships.
🔗 Compound Word Patterns
___ + BALL
Examples: BASKET, FOOT, BASE, SNOW
Results: Basketball, Football, Baseball, Snowball
___ + HOUSE
Examples: DOG, TREE, CLUB, FARM
Results: Doghouse, Treehouse, Clubhouse, Farmhouse
FIRE + ___
Examples: TRUCK, PLACE, WORK, FLY
Results: Firetruck, Fireplace, Firework, Firefly
WATER + ___
Examples: FALL, MELON, COLOR, PROOF
Results: Waterfall, Watermelon, Watercolor, Waterproof
📖 Phrase Categories
"___ of the..."
Examples: KING, QUEEN, JACK, ACE
Context: "King of the Hill," "Queen of the Nile," etc.
"Break ___"
Examples: FAST, EVEN, DOWN, UP
Context: "Break fast," "Break even," etc.
"___ the..."
Examples: BEAT, FACE, ROCK, SHOOT
Context: "Beat the clock," "Face the music," etc.
"On ___"
Examples: FIRE, ICE, POINT, HOLD
Context: Common phrases starting with "on"
🎯 Multi-Word Expressions
Idioms
Examples: SPILL, BEANS, LET, CAT
Context: "Spill the beans," "Let the cat out"
Common Sayings
Examples: EARLY, BIRD, WORM, CATCHES
Context: "The early bird catches the worm"
Technical Terms
Examples: HOT, DOG, STAND, MUSTARD
Context: Hot dog stand components
Song/Book Titles
Examples: YELLOW, SUBMARINE, BLUE, MONDAY
Context: "Yellow Submarine," "Blue Monday"
Category Difficulty Guide
Understanding how category types map to difficulty levels helps you approach puzzles strategically.
🟨 Yellow Categories (Easiest)
✅ Characteristics:
- Clear semantic relationships
- Common knowledge domains
- Unambiguous word meanings
- Traditional taxonomies
📋 Common Types:
- Basic animals, foods, colors
- Body parts
- Simple objects (furniture, clothing)
- Natural phenomena
🎯 Strategy:
Look for the most obvious grouping first. If you can't find a clear Yellow category, the puzzle might be unusually difficult.
🟩 Green Categories (Moderate)
✅ Characteristics:
- Requires some specialized knowledge
- Professional or academic domains
- Cultural references
- Thematic groupings
📋 Common Types:
- Sports terms, equipment
- Professional categories
- Geographic locations
- Brand names, companies
- Pop culture references
🎯 Strategy:
Think about your areas of knowledge and interest. These categories often relate to hobbies, professions, or popular culture.
🟦 Blue Categories (Tricky)
✅ Characteristics:
- Abstract relationships
- Multiple word meanings
- Functional groupings
- Requires lateral thinking
📋 Common Types:
- Things that can be [verb]
- Metaphorical uses
- Abstract concepts
- Scientific/technical terms
- Sound patterns (rhymes, alliteration)
🎯 Strategy:
Consider alternative meanings and functional relationships. Think about how words can be used rather than just what they mean.
🟪 Purple Categories (Hardest)
✅ Characteristics:
- Wordplay and linguistic tricks
- Highly creative connections
- Compound word patterns
- Structural relationships
📋 Common Types:
- Compound word components
- Letter/spelling patterns
- Phrase completions
- Anagrams, palindromes
- Parts of speech
🎯 Strategy:
Save for last when other categories are solved. Focus on word structure, not meaning. Think like a linguist.
🎯 Quick Recognition Tips
🔍 Scan for Obvious Groups First
Animals, colors, foods, and other basic categories usually appear as Yellow categories.
🎭 Look for Proper Nouns
Multiple proper nouns often indicate cultural categories (Green/Blue difficulty).
🔤 Notice Unusual Spellings
Words with unusual letter patterns often indicate wordplay categories (Purple difficulty).
⚡ Check for Multi-Meaning Words
Words with multiple definitions often appear in Blue or Purple categories.
🎯 Ready to Apply Your Knowledge?
Now you understand every major category type—time to put this knowledge to practice!