Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #859) – today’s words
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
- TOM THUMB
- MAGNET
- CLICKER
- JACK
- POSTCARD
- HEAT INDEX
- WIND CHILL
- LASER POINTER
- KEY RING
- CHICKEN LITTLE
- THUMBELINA
- FIGURINE
- SLIDES
- BEAUFORT SCALE
- PROJECTOR
- DEWPOINT
NYT Connections today (game #859) – hint #1 – group hints
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Lecture aids
- GREEN: Purchases that trigger vacation memories
- BLUE: Mythical figures
- PURPLE: Meteorological conditions
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #859) – hint #2 – group answers
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: USED DURING A PRESENTATION
- GREEN: ITEMS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP
- BLUE: FOLKTALE CHARACTERS
- PURPLE: WEATHER TERMS
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #859) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections, game #859, are…
- YELLOW: USED DURING A PRESENTATION CLICKER, LASER POINTER, PROJECTOR, SLIDES
- GREEN: ITEMS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP FIGURINE, KEY RING, MAGNET, POSTCARD
- BLUE: FOLKTALE CHARACTERS CHICKEN LITTLE, JACK, THUMBELINA, TOM THUMB
- PURPLE: WEATHER TERMS BEAUFORT SCALE, DEWPOINT, HEAT INDEX, WIND CHILL
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
It’s rare for me to get the purple/hardest group before the end, but extremely rare for me to get it first like I did today.
It was a case of a little bit of knowledge – knowing that the BEAUFORT SCALE measures wind force – getting me going and logic taking me across the line.
The other groups were less fudged. Souvenirs featured in Strands recently, so ITEMS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP instantly popped up. I find myself unable to not purchase a souvenir if I travel anywhere – although I’d draw the line at a fridge MAGNET.
I had hesitated over FOLKTALE CHARACTERS at the start of the game, uncertain if JACK was a member of the group and also thinking that fingers and thumbs could be the link. Fortunately, I held back until the answer was obvious.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Thursday, October 16, game #858)
- YELLOW: FRUIT DESSERTS COBBLER, CRISP, CRUMBLE, TART
- GREEN: CRABBY CROSS, PRICKLY, SORE, SOUR
- BLUE: FISH CHAR, FLUKE, PIKE, SKATE
- PURPLE: BANANA ____ BOAT, BREAD, SLUG, SPLIT
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don’t technically need to solve the final one, as you’ll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What’s more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It’s playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
