A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #882
hints & answers for November 9, 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 November 9, 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, M, N and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

BRUSH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PERSONAL GROOMING ITEMS

Reveal all four words
  • BRUSH
  • MIRROR
  • NAIL FILE
  • TWEEZERS

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

COMPACT belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PACKED

Reveal all four words
  • COMPACT
  • DENSE
  • THICK
  • TIGHT

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

DELIBERATE belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PONDER

Reveal all four words
  • DELIBERATE
  • MUSE
  • NOODLE
  • REFLECT

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CRANIUM belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONES

Reveal all four words
  • CRANIUM
  • CRONUT
  • LUNAR
  • PUFNSTUF
Show categories only
  • Yellow: PERSONAL GROOMING ITEMS
  • Green: PACKED
  • Blue: PONDER
  • Purple: STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONES

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

PERSONAL GROOMING ITEMS

BRUSH · MIRROR · NAIL FILE · TWEEZERS

Green

PACKED

COMPACT · DENSE · THICK · TIGHT

Blue

PONDER

DELIBERATE · MUSE · NOODLE · REFLECT

Purple

STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONES

CRANIUM · CRONUT · LUNAR · PUFNSTUF

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.