Yellow group
Straightforward
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with E, L, L and S. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
EASY belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
LENIENT
Reveal all four words
- EASY
- LAX
- LOOSE
- SLACK
A little help. Your own aha.
Connections #896
hints & answers for November 23, 2025
Keep the satisfaction of the solve. Get a nudge for one group, reveal a category, or check the answers at your own pace.
#896
This reference always shows November 23, 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.
1/4
Green group
A little trickier
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with B, D, L and W. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
BURROW belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
ANIMAL HOMES
Reveal all four words
- BURROW
- DEN
- LODGE
- WARREN
Blue group
More challenging
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with J, N, P and W. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
JFK belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
OLIVER STONE MOVIES
Reveal all four words
- JFK
- NIXON
- PLATOON
- WALL STREET
Purple group
Wordplay & surprises
First-letter clue
Look for four entries beginning with G, M, Q and T. These initials are in sorted order.
Show one word
GIMME belongs in this group.
Reveal the category
SECOND WORDS IN TITLES OF ABBA HITS
Reveal all four words
- GIMME
- MIA
- QUEEN
- TROUPER
Show categories only
- Yellow: LENIENT
- Green: ANIMAL HOMES
- Blue: OLIVER STONE MOVIES
- Purple: SECOND WORDS IN TITLES OF ABBA HITS
Ready for the full solution?
All four categories and their words, together.
Reveal all four answers
Yellow
LENIENT
EASY · LAX · LOOSE · SLACK
Green
ANIMAL HOMES
BURROW · DEN · LODGE · WARREN
Blue
OLIVER STONE MOVIES
JFK · NIXON · PLATOON · WALL STREET
Purple
SECOND WORDS IN TITLES OF ABBA HITS
GIMME · MIA · QUEEN · TROUPER
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.
Continue from this date
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.