Connections #859 hints and tips for October 17 solutions

Key Points to Note

• Game Overview: The NYT Connections puzzle focuses on finding common threads between words.
• Gameplay Mechanics: Players must group four related words from a set of 16, with only one correct grouping.
• Categories: Today’s puzzle features categories including items used in presentations and weather terms.
• Player Mistakes: Players can make up to four mistakes before the game ends.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you have a sweet tooth.

Connections is one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” Just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publication’s Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and requires players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded, with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

Here are today’s Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Used during a presentation

• Green: Items in a souvenir shop

• Blue: Folktale characters

• Purple: Weather terms

Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today’s Connections #859 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

• Used in a presentation: CLICKER, LASER POINTER, PROJECTOR, SLIDES

• Items in a souvenir shop: FIGURINE, KEY RING, MAGNET, POSTCARD

• Folktale characters: CHICKEN LITTLE, JACK, THUMBELINA, TOM THUMB

• Weather terms: BEAUFORT SCALE, DEWPOINT, HEAT INDEX, WIND CHILL

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today’s puzzle.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub<em> for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.</em>

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.