Issue #863 Tue 21 Oct
NYT Connections Hints & Answer — October 21, 2025
A tidy, four-group grid that keeps the wordplay light today. You will find the difficulty rests in a few common nouns that could easily slide into the wrong bucket if you move too quickly.
yellow group 7 hints
Yellow group hints
A thumb fanning through a fresh deck, looking for the right suit to anchor the round.
Tabletop games
Members of a set
Members are 4–6 letters; first letters A, J, K, Q.
PLAYING CARDS
One is ACES.
ACES · JACKS · KINGS · QUEENS
green group 7 hints
Green group hints
Standing at the whiteboard with a dry-erase marker, ready to write down the solution.
Verbal actions
Synonyms
Members are 4–9 letters; first letters A, D, H, T.
TAKES ON
One is ADDRESSES.
ADDRESSES · DOES · HANDLES · TACKLES
blue group 7 hints
Blue group hints
A mascot dancing on the hardwood during a timeout while the clock ticks down.
Professional sports
Shared proper noun identifiers
Members are 5–7 letters; first letters B, H, S.
N.B.A. TEAMS
One is BUCKS.
BUCKS · BULLS · HORNETS · SPURS
violet group 7 hints
Violet group hints
The plastic rectangle sliding between couch cushions, forever lost until the next cleaning.
Modern technology
Items sharing a common function
Members are 4–12 letters; first letters D, G, T, W.
THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL WITH REMOTES
One is DRONES.
DRONES · GARAGE DOORS · TELEVISIONS · WIIS
Spoiler zone
Complete Connections answer
Open only the solution you want to see. Each answer stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
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Reveal the yellow group
PLAYING CARDSACES · JACKS · KINGS · QUEENS
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Reveal the green group
TAKES ONADDRESSES · DOES · HANDLES · TACKLES
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Reveal the blue group
N.B.A. TEAMSBUCKS · BULLS · HORNETS · SPURS
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Reveal the violet group
THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL WITH REMOTESDRONES · GARAGE DOORS · TELEVISIONS · WIIS
Verified solution for .
Frequently asked questions
Spoiler-free help for Connections on October 21, 2025. Every answer below helps you along without giving the game away — ready to see the full solution? See the complete Connections answer for October 21, 2025, or browse every Connections puzzle in the archive.
How hard is NYT Connections on October 21, 2025?
NYT Connections on October 21, 2025 rates 3 out of 4 on our difficulty scale — a tougher-than-average puzzle. As always you sort sixteen words into four colour-coded groups, and our hints tease what links each group without ever naming the words.
What's a spoiler-free hint for NYT Connections on October 21, 2025?
The hint ladder above starts with a one-line vibe for each of the four groups, then adds the connecting idea, then the wording of each category. You climb only as far as you need, and no grouped words are shown until the final reveal.
How many groups are in NYT Connections #863?
Four groups of four, ordered from the gentlest to the trickiest. For the categories and the sixteen words themselves, open the answer section on this page — the hints here keep them hidden.
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words
Today on Cluestand
Today
- Difficulty
- Stiff
- At a glance
- 4 groups · 16 words