A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #653
hints & answers for March 25, 2025

Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.

This reference always shows March 25, 2025. It is released in at least one timezone; every answer stays closed until you reveal it.

Which group has you stuck?

Pick a colour. Reveal one step at a time.

Yellow group

Straightforward

1/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, O, P and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CROSSWORD belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BLACK-AND-WHITE THINGS

Reveal all four words
  • CROSSWORD
  • OREO
  • PANDA
  • TUXEDO

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
Gentle hint

The spelling can be rearranged without adding anything.

Show one word

ABEL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ANAGRAMS

Reveal all four words
  • ABEL
  • ABLE
  • BALE
  • BELA

The entries use the same letters in different orders.

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with A, C, D and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

ABE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL NICKNAMES

Reveal all four words
  • ABE
  • CAL
  • DICK
  • TEDDY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try putting the same beginning before each entry.

Show one word

A BELL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CLEAR AS ___

Reveal all four words
  • A BELL
  • CRYSTAL
  • DAY
  • MUD

Each entry comes after "CLEAR AS" to form a word, expression or name: A BELL → CLEAR AS A BELL; CRYSTAL → CLEAR AS CRYSTAL; DAY → CLEAR AS DAY; MUD → CLEAR AS MUD.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: BLACK-AND-WHITE THINGS
  • Green: ANAGRAMS
  • Blue: U.S. PRESIDENTIAL NICKNAMES
  • Purple: CLEAR AS ___

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

BLACK-AND-WHITE THINGS

CROSSWORD · OREO · PANDA · TUXEDO

Green

ANAGRAMS

ABEL · ABLE · BALE · BELA

Blue

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL NICKNAMES

ABE · CAL · DICK · TEDDY

Purple

CLEAR AS ___

A BELL · CRYSTAL · DAY · MUD

This puzzle’s recorded solution

The date and puzzle number identify this exact board. Use the individual group controls to compare its recorded categories and words, then return to the archive to find another puzzle.

About the answers and hints

Categories and answers follow the recorded NYT puzzle. Our hints are independent: some are original category clues, while others give the first letters of the four words. Each hint is labelled so you can choose how much help to take.

Group colours follow the puzzle’s yellow, green, blue and purple order, from the most straightforward to the trickiest. Your own experience may differ. The reference tiles may appear in a different order from your game. Picture puzzles have separately hidden descriptions, since a description can give away the wordplay.

The daily page starts with the UTC puzzle date and, with JavaScript enabled, checks the puzzle for your local time zone. Every reveal starts closed when the date changes. Play Connections at The New York Times or contact us about a correction.