NYU Tandon researchers prove AI can produce an engaging version of ‘Connections’

August 8, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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CITYWIDE — Devotees of the popular NY Times’ CONNECTIONS PUZZLE might not detect that a particular game is generated by Artificial Intelligence, according to a study that researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering have conducted. They sought out to find whether AI is capable of creating word puzzles as engaging and challenging as those crafted by human gaming wizards. Partnering with Jester Labs, the NYU Tandon researchers have developed an AI system capable of generating novel Connections puzzles that compete with their counterparts from the NY Times’ puzzle designers. Rather than asking the AI to generate an entire puzzle at once, researchers divided the task into smaller, more focused steps and prompted GPT-4 through each step with specific instructions, effectively having it play different roles such as puzzle creator, editor and difficulty assessor. One user study had participants play both AI-generated and official Times puzzles without knowing their source. These players found the puzzles from AI to be more enjoyable, creative and challenging than the human-designed ones.

Connections, which debuted in June 2023, challenges players to sort 16 words into four thematically linked groups of four. It remains very popular, coming in second only to Wordle, of which game number 1,146 was released on Thursday, Aug. 8.

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