The NYT Connections puzzle is a stimulating word game that appears daily at midnight, tailored to your local time zone. As a result, players are often engaged with either the current or previous day’s challenge. If you find yourself searching for the puzzle from Friday, you can easily access it via our dedicated link for NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, October 17 (game #859).
Welcome to another exciting day of NYT Connections! This engaging game pushes your cognitive abilities as you strive to categorize a selection of words. It can be quite challenging, so stick around if you’re in need of some helpful hints.
What to do after you finish?
Once you’ve completed the puzzle, consider diving into more word games. We offer hints for various games, including daily Strands and Quordle puzzles. Additionally, visit Marc’s Wordle page for insights related to the original viral word game.
Spoiler alert: today’s NYT Connections puzzle
If you wish to uncover today’s NYT Connections answers, proceed with caution. The information below may reveal important clues regarding today’s puzzle.
Curious about what words are featured in today’s NYT Connections? Keep reading for clues that will assist you in identifying today’s groups.
Identifying the groups
We’re venturing into spoiler territory, so only continue if you want to discover the four themed answers for today’s challenge. Here are the answers for today’s Connections, game #860:
Every group presented a delightful challenge for me, starting with the category of prolific actors. Initially, I speculated that bacon was related to culinary delights or pork products. However, upon seeing it alongside Cruise, I deduced that the connection pertained to the film industry.
Interestingly, some might argue that while the other actors in this category are indeed prolific, Tom Cruise has a comparatively fewer number of films. Most years, we’re left with just one chance to witness him escaping from an explosion—does he truly fit into this ensemble?
Understanding the gameplay mechanics
The NYT Connections game is gaining popularity for its intriguing format, where players must identify groups of four related items. Each group presents its own level of difficulty: green signifies an easy connection, yellow indicates a moderate challenge, blue often presents a tough puzzle, and purple frequently represents the most difficult of all.
While you may not need to solve the last group to progress, you can deduce its answer through the process of elimination. Additionally, the game allows for up to four incorrect guesses, providing some leeway as you work through the solutions.
Watch out for tricky connections
Unlike simpler games such as Wordle, NYT Connections demands more strategic thinking. Players should be wary of homophones and other linguistic tricks that may obscure the answers. This added complexity can lead to unexpected challenges as you navigate various categories.
The game is accessible for free on the NYT Games website, whether you’re using a desktop or a mobile device.
Meet the author
Meet Johnny, a freelance journalist passionate about pop culture. With a career that began when the iPhone was merely a concept, Johnny has explored the realms of music, sports, and celebrity culture. Once known as the Pop Detective, he humorously recounts his early days, creating stories about celebrities like Madonna and her supposed addiction to sausage rolls (spoiler: this is pure fiction). His journey has led him to interview icons like Elton John and Blur, while he humorously reminisces about less glamorous encounters with Right Said Fred and a Channel 5 documentary on Peter Kay. Despite the ups and downs, he finds joy in riding his bike and playfully engaging with the local pigeon population.
