Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with H, L, S and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
HOLD belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
PERSIST
Reveal all four words
- HOLD
- LAST
- STAND
- STAY
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #728
hints & answers for June 8, 2025
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#728
This reference always shows June 8, 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.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, B, D and H. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BEAR belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
ANIMAL METAPHORS IN ECONOMICS
Reveal all four words
- BEAR
- BULL
- DOVE
- HAWK
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, E, O and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BORN belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SIDEBAR INFO ON A PERSON’S WIKIPEDIA PAGE
Reveal all four words
- BORN
- EDUCATION
- OCCUPATION
- SPOUSE
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, C, D and L. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BRED belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
HOMOPHONES OF SLANG FOR MONEY
Reveal all four words
- BRED
- CACHE
- DOE
- LUTE
Show categories only
- Yellow: PERSIST
- Green: ANIMAL METAPHORS IN ECONOMICS
- Blue: SIDEBAR INFO ON A PERSON’S WIKIPEDIA PAGE
- Purple: HOMOPHONES OF SLANG FOR MONEY
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
PERSIST
HOLD · LAST · STAND · STAY
Green
ANIMAL METAPHORS IN ECONOMICS
BEAR · BULL · DOVE · HAWK
Blue
SIDEBAR INFO ON A PERSON’S WIKIPEDIA PAGE
BORN · EDUCATION · OCCUPATION · SPOUSE
Purple
HOMOPHONES OF SLANG FOR MONEY
BRED · CACHE · DOE · LUTE
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.
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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.