A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #795
hints & answers for August 14, 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 14, 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, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BACKSIDE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DERRIERE

Reveal all four words
  • BACKSIDE
  • CABOOSE
  • SEAT
  • TAIL

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BAT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

USED TO HIT A BALL IN SPORTS

Reveal all four words
  • BAT
  • MALLET
  • RACKET
  • STICK

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOUQUET belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COMPONENTS OF A BRIDE’S ENSEMBLE

Reveal all four words
  • BOUQUET
  • BUSTLE
  • TRAIN
  • VEIL

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Gentle hint

Listen to how the two parts echo each other.

Show one word

BACKPACK belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

RHYMING COMPOUND WORDS

Reveal all four words
  • BACKPACK
  • COOKBOOK
  • HUBBUB
  • NITWIT

The two parts of each compound word rhyme.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: DERRIERE
  • Green: USED TO HIT A BALL IN SPORTS
  • Blue: COMPONENTS OF A BRIDE’S ENSEMBLE
  • Purple: RHYMING COMPOUND WORDS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

DERRIERE

BACKSIDE · CABOOSE · SEAT · TAIL

Green

USED TO HIT A BALL IN SPORTS

BAT · MALLET · RACKET · STICK

Blue

COMPONENTS OF A BRIDE’S ENSEMBLE

BOUQUET · BUSTLE · TRAIN · VEIL

Purple

RHYMING COMPOUND WORDS

BACKPACK · COOKBOOK · HUBBUB · NITWIT

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.