NYT Connections Hints and Answers for November 21, 2025
The New York Times’ popular word game, Connections, continues to challenge players daily. This guide provides hints and the full solution for today’s puzzle, November 21, 2025, helping you conquer the common threads between words.
Key Takeaways
- Today’s NYT Connections puzzle features categories like “Things worn on lapels,” “Cocktails,” “Pixar protagonists,” and words related to eating.
- The puzzle offers varying difficulty levels, indicated by color-coding: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (hardest).
- Players have four mistakes allowed before the game ends, encouraging careful consideration of word associations.
- The full solution is provided for those who wish to check their answers or are stuck.
What is Connections?
Connections, a daily word game from The New York Times, challenges players to group 16 words into four distinct categories. Each category shares a common theme, ranging from book titles and software to geographical locations and more. The game, credited in part to associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, has gained significant traction for its engaging yet challenging gameplay.
Players are given four mistakes to correctly identify all four-word groupings. Successfully completing a group removes those words from the board. The game also allows players to shuffle the words and offers a social sharing feature, similar to its popular sibling, Wordle.
Today’s Connections Hints (November 21, 2025)
If you’re looking for a little help without the direct answers, consider these category hints:
- Yellow: Items often found on a jacket.
- Green: Various types of alcoholic beverages.
- Blue: Characters who are central figures in animated movies.
- Purple: Words that are synonyms for consuming food.
Today’s Connections Categories Revealed
For those needing a more direct nudge, here are the specific categories for today’s Connections puzzle:
- Yellow: Things worn on lapels
- Green: Cocktails
- Blue: Pixar protagonists
- Purple: Starting with synonyms for “Eat”
The Solution to Connections #894
Ready to see how you did? Here are the complete solutions for today’s Connections puzzle:
- Things worn on lapels: AWARENESS RIBBON, BOUTONNIERE, LAPEL PIN, LAVALIER
- Cocktails: COSMOPOLITAN, GREYHOUND, SCREWDRIVER, SEA BREEZE
- Pixar protagonists: CLOWNFISH, GRUMPY OLD MAN, RACECAR, TALKING DOLL
- Starting with synonyms for “Eat”: BOLT CUTTER, CHOW MEIN, SCARF RING, WOLF EEL
Editor’s Take: The Enduring Appeal of Word Puzzles
The continued success of games like Connections, Wordle, and Strands highlights a persistent human desire for mental stimulation and a sense of accomplishment. In an era of constant digital bombardment, these focused, daily challenges offer a welcome respite. The social aspect, allowing players to share their successes (or failures) without revealing direct spoilers, fosters a sense of community. The New York Times has masterfully tapped into this by creating puzzles that are both intellectually engaging and easily accessible, solidifying their position as a go-to source for daily brain teasers.
This article was based on reporting from Mashable. A huge shoutout to their team for the original coverage.
