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The March 27, 2024, edition of Connections was puzzle #290. Its four groups are UPDATE FOR ACCURACY, QUARREL, GAMES OF CHANCE, and ___ CHIP. Spoilers for all 16 words follow.
Connections #290 answers for March 27, 2024
The complete word bank and groupings were independently published by Try Hard Guides and Forbes.
| Group | Words | Shared connection |
|---|---|---|
| UPDATE FOR ACCURACY | AMEND, CORRECT, FIX, REVISE | Verbs meaning to make something accurate or bring it up to date. |
| QUARREL | FIGHT, ROW, SCRAP, TIFF | Words for an argument or fight. |
| GAMES OF CHANCE | BINGO, LOTTERY, ROULETTE, WAR | Games whose outcomes involve chance. |
| ___ CHIP | BLUE, COMPUTER, POKER, POTATO | Each word forms a familiar phrase with “chip.” |
Why the groups fit
Update for accuracy
AMEND, CORRECT, FIX, and REVISE can all describe changing something to improve or restore its accuracy.
Quarrel
FIGHT, ROW, SCRAP, and TIFF all refer to disputes, though their tone and typical usage differ.
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Games of chance
BINGO, LOTTERY, ROULETTE, and WAR are the four intended entries. The trap is POKER: it can look plausible beside other chance-based games, but it belongs in the word-completion group instead. WAR is the word that completes this set.
___ chip
BLUE chip, COMPUTER chip, POKER chip, and POTATO chip are the four compounds. This connection explains why POKER is not part of the games-of-chance group.
Rank #2
How Connections works
The New York Times Help Center describes Connections as a word game about finding themes between words. A board contains 16 words; the aim is to sort them into four groups of four. The official instructions say there is exactly one solution, while acknowledging that a word may appear to fit more than one category. The game is free to play daily and releases at midnight in the player’s timezone. Read the NYT Connections help page.
A practical way to solve a tricky board
- Scan for obvious clusters. Look first for clear synonyms, shared meanings, or familiar phrases.
- Test a fourth word. A pair or trio may be a coincidence; confirm that four words share the same relationship.
- Check for overlapping fits. If a word seems to belong in two groups, keep it provisional and look for a stronger set elsewhere. In #290, POKER tempts you toward games of chance but completes ___ CHIP.
- Revisit the remaining words. Once one group is settled, the reduced board can make less obvious connections easier to see.
The NYT describes the color progression as moving from easier yellow categories toward trickier purple ones. The available answer guides confirm #290’s groupings but do not establish the color assigned to each label, so no color mapping is given here.
Playing the archive
The NYT Help Center says its Connections archive currently reaches back to June 12, 2023, and is available to Games and All Access subscribers. Archive solves can affect puzzle statistics, but not current or maximum streaks; completed archive puzzles cannot be replayed. These access rules may change. The daily game remains free, and the NYT Games subscription page also lists Connections among its games: NYT Games subscription details.
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