Looking for a different day?
A new NEW Connections puzzle pops up at midnight every day for your time zone – meaning some people are always playing “today’s game” while others are playing “yesterday’s”. If you’re looking for Friday’s puzzle instead then click here: NEW Connections Hints and Answers for Friday, October 17 (Game #859).
Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers into different categories. It can be difficult, so read on if you need Connections tips.
What are you going to do when you’re done? Why, play some more puns of course. I also have daily Strands Hints and Answers and Quordle Hints and Answers articles if you need help with those too, while Marc’s Wordle Today page covers the original viral pun.
SPOILER ALERT: Today’s NYT Connections information is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NEW Connections today (game #860) – word of the day
Today’s NEW Connections word is…
- HAND
- HOCK
- PEDAL
- SKATE
- BACON
- CELL
- PICKLE
- CAGE
- DODGE
- COAST
- FORD
- BREEZE
- CRUISE
- ROCKET
- FLOW
- BACKED
NEW Connections today (game #860) – tip #1 – group tip
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Let slip away
- GREEN: Add a word that rhymes with “hall”
- BLUE: Notable Hollywood icons
- PURPLE: Sounds like words used in retail
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…
NEW Connections today (game #860) – tip #2 – group answer
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: SLIDE
- GREEN: WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORTS
- BLUE: PROLIFIC ACTORS
- PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS FOR “TURN”
Okay, the answers are below, so DON’T SCROLL IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NEW Connections today (game #860) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections, game #860, are…
- YELLOW: SLIDE BREEZE, COAST, FLEET, SKATE
- GREEN: WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORTS DODGE, HAND, PICKLE, RACKET
- BLUE: PROLIFIC ACTORS BACON, CAGE, CRUISE, FORD
- PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS FOR “TURN” CELL, HOCK, PEDAL, TRAY
- My assessment: Hard
- My score: Perfect
Each of these groups was a lucky fix for me, starting with PROLIFIC ACTORS.
At first I thought BACON might have something to do with food or pork products, but in the context of CRUISE I guessed acting was the link.
By the way, I’m sure there will be some who will agree that while the other stars are prolific, Tom CRUISE has made far fewer movies than he could have – most years we only get one chance to see him sprint away from an explosion – so does he really belong in this quartet?
I got GLIDE, actually, because I just thought the words looked good together, and WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORTS, because I thought the connection was tricky. The thing is, whether you know it or fudge it, the result is still the same.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections Answers (Friday, October 17, Game #859)
- YELLOW: USED DURING A PRESENTATION CLICKERS, LASER POINTERS, PROJECTOR, GLASS
- GREEN: GOODS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP FIGURE, KEY RING, MAGNET, POST CARD
- BLUE: FOLK CHARACTERS CHICKEN LITTLE, JACK, THUMBELINA, TOM THUMB
- PURPLE: WEATHER CONDITIONS BEAUFORT SCALE, DEWPOINT, HEAT INDEX, WIND CHILL
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games created by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four elements that share something in common, and each group has a different degree of difficulty: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough, and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you technically don’t need to solve the last one, as you’ll be able to answer it by a process of elimination. Also, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a bit more involved than something like Wordle, though, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to let you beat yourself up with tricks. For example, watch out for homophones and other puns that can hide the answers.
It can be played for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
