Connections Hint June 11: Decoding Puzzle #731

The New York Times' Connections game has become a staple for morning puzzle lovers, captivating audiences with its signature format: 16 words to be sorted into four themed groups. On June 11, 2025, Puzzle #731 presented a balance of intuition and challenge, featuring categories from boasting verbs to citation symbols. In this post, we’ll explore the day’s hints, solutions, strategy tips, community reactions, and why this puzzle is resonating with players around the world.

June 11 Puzzle Overview & Categories

Each day’s Connections puzzle offers color-coded difficulty:

• Yellow (easiest)

• Green (medium)

• Blue (hard)

• Purple (most difficult)

Here are the official hints for June 11:

• Yellow: “avoid bragging”

• Green: “things that follow a path”

• Blue: “seen on cereal boxes”

• Purple: “citations or references” 

The Answers

These groupings reflect a blend of literal and figurative associations, challenging solvers to think flexibly 

Breaking Down the Categories

1. Yellow – Avoid Bragging

The easiest category involves synonyms for boasting:

• Bluster, Crow, Show Off, Strut
  Once spotted, this grouping allows solvers to quickly tick off four correct choices and gain momentum 

2. Green – Arc‑Shaped Things

This category fits a visual pattern—things forming an arc:

• Banana, Eyebrow, Flight Path, Rainbow
  An interesting twist: flight path isn’t a physical object, but map-based arc imagery helped many recognize it 

3. Blue – Cereal Box Characters

A nostalgic but precise grouping:

• Count (Chocula), Elves (Snap, Crackle & Pop), Leprechaun (Lucky Charms), Rooster (Corn Flakes)
  These iconic figures elicit memories and offer thematic clarity 

4. Purple – Citation/Reference Symbols

The toughest group merges writing mechanics:

• Asterisk, Dagger, Number, Parens
  All are used as footnotes or citation markers in written materials 

Community Reactions: Reddit Insight

Reddit users in r/NYTConnections shared diverse takes:

ImaginationExpert227:
“I’m not sure I agree that a flight path is arc‑shaped... but then great circle logic applies.” 

flying-banana007:
“Hm yes lets NOT put the most arc shaped thing... I hate this game” 

The purple category sparked confusion and debate—words like parens felt obscure to some—but revealed the depth of step-by-step reasoning required 

Strategy Tips for Future Puzzles

Learn from Puzzle #731 to sharpen your daily approach:

1.  Start with the Yellow Group – Solving the easiest first builds confidence.

2.  Look for Visual Patterns – Categories like “arc-shaped” rely on imagery.

3.  Recall Cultural Icons – Blue groups often draw from pop-culture like cereal mascots.

4.  Be Mindful of Word Context – Purple demands thinking beyond literal meanings (e.g., parens).

5.  Use Elimination – Once three groups are found, leftovers often reveal the toughest set.

6.  Shuffle the Grid – The shuffle feature can help spot hidden connections. 

Key Moments from Puzzle #731

1.  Yellow words recognized as bragging synonyms.

2.  Green group identified via arc shape.

3.  Blue required nostalgic memory of cereal box characters.

4.  Purple demanded knowledge of citation symbols.

5.  Reddit discussions dissected logic behind connections.

6.  Strategic tips emerged: use process elimination, start simple.

Why Connections Resonates

• Mental Workout: Blends vocabulary, culture, and visual thinking seamlessly.

• Community Vibe: Reddit threads foster dialogue and shared problem-solving.

• Routine Build: Like Wordle, Connections has found its place in morning rituals.

• Educational Value: Introduces players to obscure terms like parens and dagger marks.

The Big Picture: Connections in 2025

• Launched June 2023, Connections has quickly become NYT’s second-most-played game after Wordle 

• In the last year (to June 2025), NYT Games recordings show Connections was played 3.3 billion times—a testament to its popularity 

• Features like the Connections Bot help players track progress, adding depth and replay value 

Final Thoughts: June 11 Puzzle in Context

Puzzle #731 stood out for its blend of intuitive and obscure themes. From the playful cereal mascots to the cerebral citation symbols, it tested pattern recognition, cultural recall, and strategic categorization.

By tackling the easy categories first, visualizing arc shapes, and applying elimination, solvers could map the remaining options—even when purple stumped many. Reddit interactions further highlighted how community engagement enhances the solving experience.

Looking ahead, the June 11 puzzle reinforces why Connections has become a daily ritual for puzzle lovers—providing challenge, camaraderie, and educational value, one grid at a time.