Team B4: Connexus

Connexus aims to address the frustrations many experience with the New York Times’ Connections game, especially for English Language Learners (ELLs). Game creator Raph Koster highlights in his blog post, Why NYT’s Connections Makes You Feel Bad, that the game is “fundamentally elitist,” requiring extensive knowledge to group words into four categories. Our goal is to create a more interactive, engaging, and positive experience. Connexus will be a physical game featuring programmable cubes displaying words. Players will move the cubes, brainstorm categories, and submit guesses to check their answers. A digital companion will provide hints, helping players approach the game methodically and build research skills, as Koster suggests. This companion will especially assist ELLs in navigating challenges like cultural nuances and double meanings, making the game more accessible and enjoyable.