How to read red herrings before they trap you
Why five words fit one group, and how to find the one that doesn't.
- A red herring is a word that fits an obvious group but belongs elsewhere.
- Five words for one category is the tell; find the odd one out before submitting.
- Lock in the group you are most certain of first; a solved group removes decoys.
- Treat "One away" as a hint about which word to swap, not a reason to guess again.
Connections is designed to mislead. The editor places words that fit two groups and arranges the board so decoys sit beside the words they imitate. Most mistakes come from submitting the first obvious category without checking for the trap. This guide shows how to spot red herrings before they cost you a mistake.
Count the candidates
When a category jumps out, count how many words fit it. Four is a group. Five or six is a warning: at least one of those words belongs somewhere else, and submitting any four of them is a coin flip. Write the five down and look for what else each one could be.
Find the odd one out
The red herring is usually the word with the most alternative meanings. In a garden group of HOSE, RAKE, SHED, TROWEL and SNAP, SNAP is the only word that is also a verb, a card game and a sound. Multi-meaning words are the editor's favourite decoys.
Submit the most certain group first
Instead of guessing the obvious category, find the group you are most sure of, even if it is purple. Each solved group removes four words and makes every remaining decoy easier to place. Players who solve in difficulty order make more mistakes than players who solve in certainty order.
Use "One away" properly
"One away" means three of your four are right. Do not resubmit a random variation. Identify which of the four could belong to a different group, swap only that word, and keep the other three. That turns a mistake into a near-certain solve.
Shuffle before you decide
The grid's starting order is not random. Decoys are often placed next to the words they mimic, so your eye pairs them. Shuffling twice breaks those pairings and frequently reveals a group you had not noticed.
Test the method on today's Connections, where every page shows the board before any hints, and read how to spot the purple group first.
FAQ
What is a red herring in Connections?+
A word that appears to belong to one category but is actually part of a different group, placed to tempt a wrong guess.
How many red herrings are in each puzzle?+
Usually one or two, and they are most often words that could fit yellow or green.
What does "One away" mean?+
Three of your four words are correct. Swap the word that could plausibly belong to another group.
Does shuffling help?+
Yes. The starting layout often places decoys next to the words they imitate; shuffling breaks the visual pairing.
