Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, C, E and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BEST belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
FINEST
Reveal all four words
- BEST
- CREAM
- ELITE
- SELECT
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #850
hints & answers for October 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.
#850
This reference always shows October 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 A, A, C and G. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
ALTERNATIVE belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
ROCK MUSIC SUBGENRES
Reveal all four words
- ALTERNATIVE
- ARENA
- CLASSIC
- GARAGE
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with E, G, M and P. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
EGGSHELL belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
PAINT FINISHES
Reveal all four words
- EGGSHELL
- GLOSS
- MATTE
- PEARL
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with F, N, O and R. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
FLOWER belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
KINDS OF BEDS
Reveal all four words
- FLOWER
- NAIL
- OYSTER
- RIVER
Show categories only
- Yellow: FINEST
- Green: ROCK MUSIC SUBGENRES
- Blue: PAINT FINISHES
- Purple: KINDS OF BEDS
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
FINEST
BEST · CREAM · ELITE · SELECT
Green
ROCK MUSIC SUBGENRES
ALTERNATIVE · ARENA · CLASSIC · GARAGE
Blue
PAINT FINISHES
EGGSHELL · GLOSS · MATTE · PEARL
Purple
KINDS OF BEDS
FLOWER · NAIL · OYSTER · RIVER
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.
Continue from this date
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.