Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the clever word game from the New York Times that challenges you to group answers into different categories. This can be difficult, so read on if you need tips on connections.
What should you do once you’re done? Well, play other word games of course. I also have daily Strands tips and answers and articles on Quordle tips and answers if you need help with those too, while Marc’s Wordle page today covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: The information on NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #859) – words of the day
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
- TOM THUMB
- MAGNET
- CLICKER
- JACK
- POSTCARD
- HEAT INDEX
- WIND COOLING
- LASER POINTER
- KEY CHAINS
- LITTLE CHICKEN
- THUMBLE
- FIGURINE
- SLIDES
- BEAUFORT SCALE
- PROJECTOR
- DEW POINT
NYT Connections today (game #859) – clue #1 – group clues
What are the clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Teaching aids
- GREEN: Purchases that trigger vacation memories
- BLUE: Mythical characters
- PURPLE: Weather conditions
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four themed answers are for today’s NYT Connections riddles…
NYT Connections today (game #859) – clue #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: CHARACTERS FROM POPULAR TALE
- PURPLE: WEATHER TERMS
That’s right, the answers are below, so DON’T SCROLL 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, KEYCHAIN, MAGNET, POSTCARD
- BLUE: CHARACTERS FROM POPULAR TALE CHICKEN SMALL, JACK, THUMB, TOM THUMB
- PURPLE: WEATHER TERMS BEAUFORT SCALE, DEW POINT, HEAT INDEX, WIND CHILL
- My rating: Easy
- My rating: 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 bit of knowledge – knowing that the BEAUFORT SCALE measures wind strength – to get me started and logic to cross the line.
The other groups were less fake. Memorabilia was recently featured in Strands, so ITEMS IN A SOUVENIR SHOP immediately popped up. I find myself incapable of not buying a souvenir if I’m traveling anywhere – although I would draw the line with a refrigerator MAGNET.
I was hesitant about the FOLKTALE CHARACTERS at the beginning of the game, not knowing if JACK was a member of the group and also thinking that the fingers and thumbs might be the connection. Luckily, I held back until the answer was obvious.
Answers from yesterday’s NYT Connections (Thursday October 16, Thu #858)
- YELLOW: FRUIT DESSERTS COBBLER, CRISP, CRUMBLE, PIE
- GREEN: CRABBY CROSS, SPICY, PAIN, SOUR
- BLUE FISH CHART, FLUKE, PIKE, SKATE
- PURPLE: BANANA ____ BOAT, BREAD, SLUG, SPLIT
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 difficulty level: green is easy, yellow is a little more difficult, blue is often quite difficult, and purple is usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you technically don’t need to solve the final question, as you will be able to answer it through a process of elimination. Additionally, you can make up to four mistakes, giving you some breathing room.
However, it’s a bit more complex than something like Wordle, and the game provides plenty of opportunities to trip you up with tricks. For example, watch out for homophones and other puns that could obscure the answers.
It is playable for free via the NYT Games website on computer or mobile.
