A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #886
hints & answers for November 13, 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 13, 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 D, F, G and T. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

DUDS belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

ATTIRE

Reveal all four words
  • DUDS
  • FIT
  • GETUP
  • THREADS

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BEER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

FOAMY THINGS

Reveal all four words
  • BEER
  • FIRE EXTINGUISHER
  • SEA
  • SHAVING CREAM

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

AIR PURIFIER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS THAT USE FILTERS

Reveal all four words
  • AIR PURIFIER
  • CIGARETTE
  • COFFEE MAKER
  • INSTAGRAM

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
Wordplay hint

Try adding the same ending to each entry.

Show one word

BOX belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

___ OFFICE

Reveal all four words
  • BOX
  • MICROSOFT
  • OVAL
  • POST

Each entry comes before "OFFICE" to form a word, expression or name: BOX → BOX OFFICE; MICROSOFT → MICROSOFT OFFICE; OVAL → OVAL OFFICE; POST → POST OFFICE.

Show categories only
  • Yellow: ATTIRE
  • Green: FOAMY THINGS
  • Blue: THINGS THAT USE FILTERS
  • Purple: ___ OFFICE

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

ATTIRE

DUDS · FIT · GETUP · THREADS

Green

FOAMY THINGS

BEER · FIRE EXTINGUISHER · SEA · SHAVING CREAM

Blue

THINGS THAT USE FILTERS

AIR PURIFIER · CIGARETTE · COFFEE MAKER · INSTAGRAM

Purple

___ OFFICE

BOX · MICROSOFT · OVAL · POST

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.