A connecting and guide element for connecting a side mesh of a tire chain to a side tensioning strand and for accommodating an excess length of the tensioning strand, wherein the element has two eyes, which lie in a first plane for accommodating tensioning strand and excess length, and two eyes lying in a second plane running essentially orthogonally to the first plane for accommodating connecting links to the side mesh, and a tire chain in which the side mesh is connected by means of a side tensioning strand and a plurality of connecting and guide elements, and an excess length of the tensioning strand can be accommodated in one of the eyes of the elements.