Every day, thousands of players test their logic and vocabulary skills with The New York Times’ Connections puzzle. The goal is simple: find four sets of words that share a common link. But as easy as it sounds, the puzzle is designed to throw you off track. Some words fit multiple categories, while others seem completely unrelated at first glance. That’s what makes it so frustrating—and so fun!
If today’s puzzle has you staring at the screen in confusion, take a deep breath. You don’t have to give up just yet. The trick is to start with the most obvious words and work your way toward the more difficult ones. Instead of focusing on individual words, try thinking about themes. Are there any words that describe sizes, emotions, or professions? Do some of them sound like they belong to a specific category, like food, sports, or music? Once you start spotting patterns, everything begins to fall into place.
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Still need a little push in the right direction? Below are some hints to help you connect the dots without giving away the answers too soon. Take a moment to think before scrolling down further to check the NYT Connections Hints 23 March 2025 answers below!
Hints for NYT Connections March 23, 2025
Image: New York Times
Today’s puzzle features a mix of straightforward and tricky categories, and as always, each set follows a colour-coded difficulty level. The yellow category is the easiest to spot, usually containing words that share a simple and direct link. The green category might require a little more thought, but it’s still fairly logical. The blue set tends to be more deceptive, often involving wordplay or less obvious associations. And then there’s the purple category—the hardest of them all.
To give you a helping hand, here are some clues for each group. Think about how these words might relate to each other before checking the NYT Connections Answers for March 23, 2025:
Yellow group hint: Fascinating, Something that holds your attention.
Green group hint: It has wings.
Blue group hint: Adjectives to describe a timepiece.
Purple group hint: Related to a well-known nursery rhyme.
Try to group the words accordingly before checking the answers below!
NYT Connections Answers for March 23, 2025 (Sunday)
Image: New York Times
If today’s NYT Connections puzzle has you stumped, check the NYT Connections Answers 23 March below:
YELLOW: Captivate (ABSORB, ENTRANCE, GRAB, RIVET)
GREEN: Things with wings (AIRPLANE, FAIRY, FLY, HOSPITAL)
BLUE: Words that modify “watch” (POCKET, SMART, STOP, WRIST)
PURPLE: Words repeated in “Miss Mary Mack” (BACK, BLACK, BUTTONS, MACK)
What is the NYT ‘Connections’ Game?
NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times that challenges players to find hidden links between seemingly unrelated words. The game presents 16 words, and the goal is to sort them into four groups of four, where each group shares a common theme. The tricky part is that some words might appear to fit multiple categories, making it easy to second-guess your choices.
Each puzzle follows a colour-coded difficulty system: yellow (easy), green (medium), blue (hard), and purple (tricky). Some categories are straightforward, while others rely on wordplay or abstract associations. The challenge lies in spotting the right patterns before running out of guesses.
How to Play the NYT Connections Puzzle Game
There is only one correct solution for each day’s puzzle. Playing Connections is simple in concept but tricky in execution. When you start, you’ll see 16 words on the screen. Your task is to find four words that belong together based on a shared theme. Once you think you’ve identified a set, you select those words and click “Submit”. If you’re correct, the group locks in, and you move on to find the remaining three sets. If you’re wrong, you lose a life. Players get four chances before the game ends, so each guess must be thoughtful.
To make things more engaging, the game includes a shuffle feature, which lets you rearrange the words. This can help you see patterns you might have missed. The game resets daily with a new puzzle, so there’s always a fresh challenge waiting. Whether you solve it on your first try or need multiple attempts, Connections is a fun and rewarding test of logic, vocabulary, and lateral thinking.
Success in Connections comes down to recognizing patterns efficiently. One of the best strategies is to start with the most obvious connections—words that clearly belong together, such as synonyms or items from the same category (e.g., colors, animals, or sports). This helps eliminate distractions and narrows down the tougher categories.
If you’re stuck, consider alternative meanings of words. Some puzzles use homonyms, slang, or cultural references that aren’t immediately obvious. Another useful trick is to say the words out loud—sometimes hearing them can trigger a connection that wasn’t apparent when reading.
The shuffle button is a great tool when you’re feeling stuck. Mixing up the words can reveal new perspectives and hidden groupings. And finally, don’t be afraid to take a step back. If you’re struggling, a short break can refresh your mind and help you see the puzzle differently.
If you love solving word puzzles, you might also enjoy other New York Times games like Wordle, where you guess a five-letter word in six tries, or Spelling Bee, which challenges you to form as many words as possible using a set of letters. The Mini Crossword is another great way to test your vocabulary and logic skills in a quick and fun format.
Whether you solved today’s NYT Connections puzzle on your own or needed a few hints, keep coming back for more daily challenges. The more you play, the sharper your mind becomes. Check-in tomorrow for another round of hints, and happy puzzling!
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