A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #873
hints & answers for October 31, 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 31, 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
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with B, B, C and P. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BEAR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

GOLDILOCKS

Reveal all four words
  • BEAR
  • BED
  • CHAIR
  • PORRIDGE

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with M, P, S and W. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

MOUSE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

CINDERELLA

Reveal all four words
  • MOUSE
  • PUMPKIN
  • SLIPPER
  • WAND

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with A, C, P and S. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

ANCHOR belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

POPEYE

Reveal all four words
  • ANCHOR
  • CAP
  • PIPE
  • SPINACH

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Picture-label clue

Using the picture descriptions, look for entries beginning with B, C, G and P. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BOW belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

MS. PAC-MAN

Reveal all four words
  • BOW
  • CHERRIES
  • GHOST
  • PELLETS
Show categories only
  • Yellow: GOLDILOCKS
  • Green: CINDERELLA
  • Blue: POPEYE
  • Purple: MS. PAC-MAN

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

GOLDILOCKS

BEAR · BED · CHAIR · PORRIDGE

Green

CINDERELLA

MOUSE · PUMPKIN · SLIPPER · WAND

Blue

POPEYE

ANCHOR · CAP · PIPE · SPINACH

Purple

MS. PAC-MAN

BOW · CHERRIES · GHOST · PELLETS

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.