A little help. Your own aha.

Connections #894
hints & answers for November 21, 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 21, 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 A, B, L and L. These initials are in sorted order.

Show one word

AWARENESS RIBBON belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

THINGS WORN ON LAPELS

Reveal all four words
  • AWARENESS RIBBON
  • BOUTONNIÈRE
  • LAPEL PIN
  • LAVALIER

Green group

A little trickier

2/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

COSMOPOLITAN belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

COCKTAILS

Reveal all four words
  • COSMOPOLITAN
  • GREYHOUND
  • SCREWDRIVER
  • SEA BREEZE

Blue group

More challenging

3/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

CLOWNFISH belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

PIXAR PROTAGONISTS

Reveal all four words
  • CLOWNFISH
  • GRUMPY OLD MAN
  • RACECAR
  • TALKING DOLL

Purple group

Wordplay & surprises

4/4
First-letter clue

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

Show one word

BOLT CUTTER belongs in this group.

Reveal the category

STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "EAT"

Reveal all four words
  • BOLT CUTTER
  • CHOW MEIN
  • SCARF RING
  • WOLF EEL
Show categories only
  • Yellow: THINGS WORN ON LAPELS
  • Green: COCKTAILS
  • Blue: PIXAR PROTAGONISTS
  • Purple: STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "EAT"

Ready for the full solution?

All four categories and their words, together.

Reveal all four answers

Yellow

THINGS WORN ON LAPELS

AWARENESS RIBBON · BOUTONNIÈRE · LAPEL PIN · LAVALIER

Green

COCKTAILS

COSMOPOLITAN · GREYHOUND · SCREWDRIVER · SEA BREEZE

Blue

PIXAR PROTAGONISTS

CLOWNFISH · GRUMPY OLD MAN · RACECAR · TALKING DOLL

Purple

STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR "EAT"

BOLT CUTTER · CHOW MEIN · SCARF RING · WOLF EEL

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.