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.
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 #865) - today's words
Today's NYT Connections words are…
- DOGGY
- FINE
- PRIZE
- SWAG
- STONE
- KITTY
- BALL
- DUCKY
- BIRDIE
- GO
- SWELL
- PURSE
- MIXED
- POT
- PUCK
- DANDY
NYT Connections today (game #865) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Feeling good
- GREEN: Reward
- BLUE: Kit needed to win gold
- PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “nag”
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 #865) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: PEACHY
- GREEN: WINNINGS
- BLUE: PIECES OF OLYMPIC SPORTS EQUIPMENT
- PURPLE: ____BAG
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #865) - the answers
The answers to today's Connections, game #865, are…
- YELLOW: PEACHY DANDY, DUCKY, FINE, SWELL
- GREEN: WINNINGS KITTY, POT, PRIZE, PURSE
- BLUE: PIECES OF OLYMPIC SPORTS EQUIPMENT BALL, BIRDIE, PUCK, STONE
- PURPLE: ____BAG DOGGY, GO, MIXED, SWAG
- My rating: Hard
- My score: 3 mistakes
I made a mistake in each of the three groups today.
For the yellow group I had BIRDIE instead of DUCKY; although both sounded as if they belonged in a PG Wodehouse novel, I thought DUCKY was a term of endearment rather than an expression of good mood.
In the green group, I initially had SWAG instead of PRIZE and for PIECES OF OLYMPIC SPORTS EQUIPMENT I had GO instead of BIRDIE.
Incidentally, for anyone wondering, a birdie is another word for a shuttlecock, the feathered projectile used in badminton.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, October 22, game #864)
- YELLOW: UTILITIES ELECTRIC, GAS, TELEPHONE, WATER
- GREEN: ADAPT TO FIT ONE'S NEEDS FASHION, MOLD, SHAPE, TAILOR
- BLUE: KINDS OF ANTS ARMY, CARPENTER, FIRE, PHARAOH
- PURPLE: COPY____ CAT, PASTA, RIGHT, WRITER
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.