Want a different day?
A new NYT Connections puzzle appears every day at midnight for your time zone – which means some people are still playing “today’s game” while others are playing “yesterday’s.” If you are looking for the Friday puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections Tips and Answers for Friday, October 17 (Thu #859).
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 (set #860) – words of the day
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
- HAND
- JARRET
- PEDAL
- SKATE
- BACON
- CELL
- BRINE
- CAGE
- DODGE
- SIDE
- FORD
- BREEZE
- CRUISE
- RACKET
- FLOAT
- PLATEAU
NYT Connections today (game #860) – clue #1 – group clues
What are the clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: Slide while sliding
- GREEN: Add a word that rhymes with “hall”
- BLUE: Notable Hollywood Icons
- PURPLE: These sound 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 themed answers are for today’s NYT Connections riddles…
NYT Connections today (game #860) – clue #2 – group answers
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
- YELLOW: SLIDE
- GREEN: WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORT
- BLUE: PROLIFIC ACTORS
- PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS OF “SELLS”
That’s right, the answers are below, so DON’T SCROLL FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #860) – the answers
The answers to today’s Connections game #860 are…
- YELLOW: SLIDE BROKEN, RIB, FLOAT, SKATE
- GREEN: WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORT DODGE, HAND, PICKLE, RACKET
- BLUE: PROLIFIC ACTORS BACON, CAGE, CRUISE, FORD
- PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS OF “SELLS” CELL, Shank, Pedal, Platter
- My rating: Hard
- My rating: Perfect
Each of these groups has been a good solution for me, starting with PROLIFIC ACTORS.
Initially, I thought BACON might have something to do with food or pork products, but working with CRUISE, I guessed that being an actor was the connection.
By the way, I’m sure some will agree that while the other stars are prolific, Tom CRUISE has made far fewer films than he could have done – most years we only get one chance to see him walk away from an explosion – so does he really have a place in this quartet?
GLIDE I got, really because I thought the words went well together and WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORT because I thought the connection was a hoax. The fact is, whether you know it or fake it, the result is always the same.
Answers from yesterday’s NYT Connections (Friday October 17, match #859)
- 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
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.
