How to play

How to play LINKUP

Sort 16 words into four hidden groups of four. Four mistakes allowed. 4 min.

LINKUP on a phone
A real screenshot of LINKUP.

Rules

  1. Tap four words you think belong together. Selected words rise off the board.
  2. Press Submit. If you are right, the four words fly together into a colored bar with the name of the group. If you are wrong, you lose one of your four mistakes.
  3. When three of your four words belong together, you will see "One away". Swap one word and try again.
  4. Press Shuffle to rearrange the words, which often shows a pattern you missed. Press Deselect all to clear your picks.
  5. Find all four groups to win. If you run out of mistakes, the board shows the answers.
  6. Share your result. It copies as a grid of colored squares with no words in it, so it does not spoil the puzzle.

Tips

  • Start with the group you are surest of. Yellow is usually the safest first guess.
  • Watch for red herrings. If five words seem to fit one category, one of them belongs to another group.
  • Look for words that can mean two things, and for hidden words inside longer words.
  • Purple groups are often wordplay: words that can all follow or precede one word, or words with something hidden inside.
  • When you are down to your last group, take a breath. The four words left are the answer.
LINKUP game screenshot
Play today's LINKUP

LINKUP: daily word grouping game

Sort 16 words into four hidden groups of four. Four mistakes allowed. 4 min.

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LINKUP unlimitedEndless puzzles, timed and ExpertLINKUP archivePast puzzlesAll guidesSolve faster

Questions

What is LINKUP?

LINKUP is a free word grouping puzzle from Brainiac Play. You sort sixteen words into four groups of four that share a connection. A new puzzle comes out every day.

How do the colors work?

Each puzzle has one group of each color. Yellow is the easiest, then green, then blue. Purple is the hardest and often uses wordplay.

How many mistakes can I make?

You can make four mistakes. A wrong guess uses one. If three of your four words fit one group, the game tells you that you are one away. Guessing the same four words again does not cost a mistake.

Can I play old puzzles or keep playing after today's?

Yes. The archive lists every past daily puzzle, and Unlimited play serves more puzzles at any time, with a timed mode and a harder Expert set. Future daily puzzles stay locked until their date.

Do I need an account?

No. Your streak, stats, level and badges are saved in your browser on your device. They do not sync to other devices.

How is the daily puzzle chosen?

Puzzles are written by hand and checked so each word belongs to one group. The daily puzzles get harder through the week, from easy on Monday to hardest on Sunday. The date uses New York time, so everyone gets the same puzzle.

Does LINKUP have a timed mode?

Yes, on the Unlimited page. A timed puzzle gives you three minutes, and every group you find adds ten seconds. The Expert set has the hardest puzzles.