Let’s Be Frank and Crack the Hot Dog Code

At our Be Frank With Each Other event, we’re adding a challenge that’s simple, familiar, and harder than it looks. It’s called Hot Dog Connections.

Inspired by the New York Times game Connections, this activity asks people to work together to sort sixteen hot-dog-related words into four correct categories. It sounds easy. It’s not.

People will stand around the board, staring at the cards, confidently grouping four together, only for someone else to stop them mid-move and say, “Wait, no.” That’s when the fun starts. Ideas get tossed around, opinions get defended, and everyone suddenly cares way more about hot dog logic than they expected.

The game is meant to be played in small groups, which makes it perfect for talking to people you don’t already know. You don’t need an introduction or a conversation starter. The board does that for you. All you have to do is think out loud.

If a group manages to crack all four categories, they win gummy hot dogs. It’s a small prize, but it gives people a reason to try, laugh, and stick around.

Hot Dog Connections is just one part of Be Frank With Each Other, but it captures the spirit of the project. It’s low-pressure, collaborative, and a little chaotic in the best way. Sometimes connection starts with a challenge, a shared laugh, and a very questionable hot dog category.