A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #793
hints & answers for August 12, 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 August 12, 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, C, D and F. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOWLING PINS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

GROUPS OF TEN

Reveal all four words
  • BOWLING PINS
  • COMMANDMENTS
  • DECADE
  • FINGERS

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, H, S and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOWLING ALLEY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PLACES WITH LANES

Reveal all four words
  • BOWLING ALLEY
  • HIGHWAY
  • SUPERMARKET
  • SWIMMING POOL

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, B, C and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOWLING GREEN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

LANDMARKS IN DOWNTOWN NYC

Reveal all four words
  • BOWLING GREEN
  • BROOKLYN BRIDGE
  • CITY HALL
  • WALL STREET

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

Look for four entries beginning with B, C, G and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOWLING BALL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS WITH HOLES

Reveal all four words
  • BOWLING BALL
  • COLANDER
  • GOLF COURSE
  • SPONGE
Show categories only
  • Yellow: GROUPS OF TEN
  • Green: PLACES WITH LANES
  • Blue: LANDMARKS IN DOWNTOWN NYC
  • Purple: THINGS WITH HOLES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

GROUPS OF TEN

BOWLING PINS · COMMANDMENTS · DECADE · FINGERS

Green

PLACES WITH LANES

BOWLING ALLEY · HIGHWAY · SUPERMARKET · SWIMMING POOL

Blue

LANDMARKS IN DOWNTOWN NYC

BOWLING GREEN · BROOKLYN BRIDGE · CITY HALL · WALL STREET

Purple

THINGS WITH HOLES

BOWLING BALL · COLANDER · GOLF COURSE · SPONGE

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.