A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #853
hints & answers for October 11, 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 October 11, 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 G, K, S and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

GEAR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

EQUIPMENT

Reveal all four words
  • GEAR
  • KIT
  • STUFF
  • TACKLE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DON belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

DRESS IN

Reveal all four words
  • DON
  • PUT ON
  • SPORT
  • WEAR

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

ALLEY belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STREET SUFFIXES

Reveal all four words
  • ALLEY
  • COURT
  • LANE
  • WAY

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BILL belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

NICKNAMES THAT HAVE OTHER MEANINGS

Reveal all four words
  • BILL
  • BOB
  • PAT
  • TOM
Show categories only
  • Yellow: EQUIPMENT
  • Green: DRESS IN
  • Blue: STREET SUFFIXES
  • Purple: NICKNAMES THAT HAVE OTHER MEANINGS

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

EQUIPMENT

GEAR · KIT · STUFF · TACKLE

Green

DRESS IN

DON · PUT ON · SPORT · WEAR

Blue

STREET SUFFIXES

ALLEY · COURT · LANE · WAY

Purple

NICKNAMES THAT HAVE OTHER MEANINGS

BILL · BOB · PAT · TOM

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.