CommonThread Word Groups

Select four words that share one precise connection, then submit the group. Find all four groups before making four mistakes.

Yes. Finish the daily board, then choose Play Archive to replay an available past daily board.

No. CommonThread is an independent, original word-grouping puzzle created by SolveWordGames. While it shares a similar grouping mechanic, it features 100% custom daily boards, a unique progressive hint system, and its own visual design. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times.

Don't stare at the board forever. Our hint system works in steps - ask for a gentle nudge (a clue about the category) or an anchor word, rather than getting the whole answer at once. Usually that's enough to unblock things and finish the puzzle yourself.

Right - it's free, full stop. There's nothing to download, no paywall, and no account. Open the browser on your phone, tablet, or desktop and you're in: daily puzzle and archive.

Yes. Choose Play Archive to browse and play published CommonThread games from August 13, 2026 onward. If a game was removed later, its date remains listed as not available to play.

Oh yeah - every board mixes easy wins with real head-scratchers: wordplay, fill-in-the-blanks, homophones. Watch out for the "red herrings", too: words that seem to fit two groups at once. If you want to spot patterns faster, our word game strategy guides break down the common traps.

Yep. Finish any board and you get a tidy emoji grid plus a proficiency badge for that solve. One tap copies it to your clipboard, so you can post your rank on social or drop it in a group chat - and it won't spoil the answers for anyone who hasn't played yet.