NYT Connections Hints and Answers for November 24, 2025, #898

Happy Monday, puzzlers! As I savor my morning coffee, a blast from the past pops up on my phone – an old photo of a beach day with friends. The sand between my toes, the sun warming my skin… Ah, the good ol' days! Speaking of memories, today's "Connections" puzzle is like a mental snapshot, capturing different threads that intertwine in unexpected ways.

With the weather cooling down, it's the perfect time to cozy up indoors and dive into a new puzzle challenge. As you navigate through the colorful tiers of clues, keep an eye out for hidden connections that might not be immediately obvious. Scan for loose synonyms, watch out for cross-category decoys, and trust your intuition. The more you flex those mental muscles, the clearer the path to solving the puzzle becomes.

So, are you ready to unravel the mystery of today's "Connections" puzzle? Whether you're a seasoned solver or a newbie looking to sharpen your skills, there's a place for everyone at the table. Feel free to share hints or jump right in – the puzzle awaits your clever touch. Let's kick off the week with a brain-teasing adventure together!

How to Play NYT Connections

Overview

Connections is a daily word puzzle game from The New York Times. The goal is to find groups of four words that share something in common. You’re presented with 16 words arranged in a 4ร—4 grid, and you must identify four groups of four related words.

Basic Rules

  • You have 16 words total, arranged in a 4ร—4 grid
  • There are exactly 4 groups of 4 related words each
  • Each word belongs to exactly one group
  • You must find all four groups to complete the puzzle
  • You have 4 mistakes allowed before the game ends

How to Play

  • Look at all 16 words and try to identify patterns or connections
  • Select 4 words you think belong together by clicking/tapping them
  • Click “Submit” to check if your group is correct
  • If correct, those 4 words will be removed and grouped together
  • If incorrect, you lose one of your 4 allowed mistakes
  • Continue until you find all 4 groups or run out of mistakes

Difficulty Levels

The four groups are color-coded by difficulty:

  • ๐ŸŸจ YELLOW: Easiest – usually straightforward categories
  • ๐ŸŸฉ GREEN: Easy-Medium – slightly more complex connections
  • ๐ŸŸฆ BLUE: Medium-Hard – trickier associations or wordplay
  • ๐ŸŸช PURPLE: Hardest – often involves puns, multiple meanings, or very subtle connections

Strategy Tips

  • Start with the most obvious connections first
  • Be careful of red herrings – words that seem to fit multiple categories
  • If you’re unsure, try to eliminate what doesn’t belong first
  • The purple group often involves wordplay, homophones, or very creative connections
  • Don’t guess randomly – you only have 4 mistakes

Scoring

  • Complete the puzzle to see your results
  • Mistakes are tracked but don’t affect your final score
  • Share your results with friends using the share button
  • Results show how many mistakes you made for each group
๐ŸŸจ easy
Reveal Hint

Think about what connects these words together.

Reveal Answer

These words belong to the same category.

  • MICKEY MOUSE
  • RINKY-DINK
  • TRIVIAL
  • TWO-BIT
๐ŸŸฉ medium
Reveal Hint

Think about what connects these words together.

Reveal Answer

These words belong to the same category.

  • BARBIE DREAMHOUSE
  • CALAMINE LOTION
  • CHERRY BLOSSOM
  • FLAMINGO
๐ŸŸฆ hard
Reveal Hint

Think about what connects these words together.

Reveal Answer

These words belong to the same category.

  • BUG BITE
  • LOTTERY TICKET
  • VINYL RECORD
  • YOUR HEAD
๐ŸŸช tricky
Reveal Hint

Think about what connects these words together.

Reveal Answer

These words belong to the same category.

  • GLAD-HAND
  • HAPPY MEAL
  • MERRY-GO-ROUND
  • SUNNY-SIDE UP