A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #712
hints & answers for May 23, 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 May 23, 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 B, B, B and R. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BASH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

QUITE THE PARTY

Reveal all four words
  • BASH
  • BLAST
  • BLOWOUT
  • RAVE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with C, F, M and N. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

CHARACTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ONE’S CONSTITUTION

Reveal all four words
  • CHARACTER
  • FIBER
  • MAKEUP
  • NATURE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DRAM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

BRITISH IMPERIAL UNITS OF WEIGHT

Reveal all four words
  • DRAM
  • OUNCE
  • POUND
  • STONE

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with E, G, M and N. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

EYELINER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

WHAT “CAT’S EYE” CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE

Reveal all four words
  • EYELINER
  • GLASSES
  • MARBLE
  • NEBULA
Show categories only
  • Yellow: QUITE THE PARTY
  • Green: ONE’S CONSTITUTION
  • Blue: BRITISH IMPERIAL UNITS OF WEIGHT
  • Purple: WHAT “CAT’S EYE” CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

QUITE THE PARTY

BASH · BLAST · BLOWOUT · RAVE

Green

ONE’S CONSTITUTION

CHARACTER · FIBER · MAKEUP · NATURE

Blue

BRITISH IMPERIAL UNITS OF WEIGHT

DRAM · OUNCE · POUND · STONE

Purple

WHAT “CAT’S EYE” CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE

EYELINER · GLASSES · MARBLE · NEBULA

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.