Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers, and Help for Jan. 18, 2025 (#587)
If you’re taking on The New York Times Connections puzzle today (Jan. 18, 2025), you’ve come to the right place! Whether you’re a Connections pro or just getting started, we’ve got you covered with helpful hints, the full answer key, and tips for solving today’s tricky puzzle.
Connections Puzzle Overview
Connections is one of the more challenging and engaging word games from The New York Times. In it, you need to group 16 words into four categories of four words each. But the catch? Some words may seem to fit multiple categories, and the themes can be anything from the simple to the obscure. Today’s puzzle leans into categories inspired by various themes, with a little something for music lovers and those who enjoy a good challenge.
Need hints or a nudge in the right direction? Keep reading for some of today’s top tips and answers.
Hints for Today’s Connections Puzzle
To help guide you through the puzzle, here are some key hints for each group, ranked from easiest to hardest.
- Yellow Group: Longing
- Green Group: Ouch, that’s sharp!
- Blue Group: Spin the music
- Purple Group: Make a change
Today’s Connections Answers
Now, let’s jump into the solutions! Here are the answers for each category in today’s Connections puzzle:
Yellow Group: Desire
- The theme here is related to longing or desire. The four words in this group are:
- Drive
- Impulse
- Itch
- Urge
Green Group: Barb
- This group focuses on sharp things, often associated with barbs or spines. The answers are:
- Spine
- Spur
- Sticker
- Thorn
Blue Group: Info on a Record
- For the blue group, think music. These words are all related to information typically found on a record:
- Album
- Artist
- Label
- Track
Purple Group: Turn the ____
- The purple group is a bit more abstract, focusing on things you might “turn.” The answers are:
- Corner
- Page
- Tables
- Tide
Important Tips for Solving Connections
If you found today’s puzzle challenging, you’re not alone. Here are a few tips and insights that can help make solving future Connections puzzles a bit easier:
- Identify Themes Early:
The quicker you spot the themes of the groups, the easier it is to categorize words. For example, when you see words like drive, impulse, itch, and urge, the common thread of desire should be clear. - Look for Overlapping Concepts:
Many words can fit into multiple categories, but once you identify the dominant theme (like sharp objects for the green group), it becomes easier to narrow down where the other words belong. - Music Lovers: For the blue group, anyone familiar with music can likely identify terms like album, artist, label, and track quickly, which are all related to music records.
- Purple Group Challenge: The purple group can be tricky because the theme of “turn the ____” might feel a bit abstract. But words like corner, page, tables, and tide all relate to things that can be “turned” in a figurative or literal sense.
Toughest Connections Puzzles: A Look Back
If you’ve been playing Connections for a while, you know some puzzles are especially tricky. Here’s a quick look at some of the toughest puzzles we’ve seen so far and the strategies to tackle them:
- #5: “Things You Can Set” – Includes words like mood, record, table, and volleyball. Recognizing shared concepts was key here.
- #4: “One in a Dozen” – Words like egg, juror, month, and rose might seem unrelated at first, but they all fit into this category.
- #3: “Streets on Screen” – Words such as Elm, Fear, Jump, and Sesame could throw you off, but these are all famous street names from movies or shows.
- #2: “Power ___” – Words like nap, plant, Ranger, and trip fit the theme of “power” in different ways.
- #1: “Things That Can Run” – This group included words like candidate, faucet, mascara, and nose, all of which can be described as “running” in certain contexts.
How to Play More NYT Connections Puzzles
If you enjoy today’s puzzle and want to keep playing, here’s what you need to know:
- Free Daily Puzzle: You can play the current day’s Connections puzzle for free. Just visit The New York Times Games section for access.
- Subscription Required for Archives: To access older puzzles or track your progress over time, you’ll need a subscription to NYT Games.
- Track Your Progress: If you’re a registered Times Games user, you can also track your progress, including the number of puzzles you’ve completed, your win rate, and your streaks.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap for today’s NYT Connections puzzle answers and tips! With a bit of practice and some helpful strategies, you’ll be mastering these puzzles in no time. Keep playing, and don’t forget to check back tomorrow for more tips and answers.