Unlocking the Secrets of the NYT Connections Puzzle for March 17, 2025
For those eagerly seeking the Connections solution for March 17, 2025, you’ve come to the right place! This post will provide you with valuable clues, strategies, and an overview of the categories, culminating in the answers. Be warned, spoilers await: the details for NYT Connections #645 are below! Read on if you’re in need of hints before the final answers.
To simplify your daily puzzle-solving, consider bookmarking this page. Historical hints are also accessible here, which can assist you in catching up on previous puzzles.
Below, find subtle clues for today’s puzzle. If you prefer to reveal the answers directly, keep scrolling at a measured pace to preserve the element of surprise!

Clues for Group Themes in Today’s Connections
Here are some spoiler-free hints regarding today’s groupings:
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Yellow category – Segments of material.
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Green category – An absence of self-awareness.
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Blue category – These make a distinctive engine noise.
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Purple category – You might enjoy their music on streaming platforms, yet parts of their names are excluded.
WARNING: Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Connections!
The upcoming section will disclose some answers. Proceed with caution if you wish to avoid a complete revelation. (The full solution is provided a bit further down.)
A Note on Some Tricky Elements
MAROON is not categorized with ABANDON (as in being “MAROONed”), but originates from a band led by Adam Levine; meanwhile, ABANDON relates to an action done “with wild abandon.”
You can extend GARBAGE into a vehicle’s name by adding a term to its end.
Today’s Connections Categories Identified
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Yellow: FILAMENT
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Green: UNINHIBITEDNESS
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Blue: TYPE OF TRUCKS
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Purple: BANDS WITHOUT THE DIGIT FIVE
DOUBLE WARNING: The Solution Lies Below
Prepared to uncover the answers to today’s Connections puzzle? The details are listed below.
Yellow Words in Today’s Connections
The yellow group is perceived as the most accessible. The theme for the yellow words is FILAMENT, with the words being: FIBER, STRAND, STRING, THREAD.
Green Words in Today’s Connections
The green category is likely the second-easiest. Its theme is UNINHIBITEDNESS featuring: ABANDON, FREEDOM, SPONTANEITY, UNRESTRAINT.
Blue Words in Today’s Connections
The blue grouping falls into a slightly challenging category. The theme here is TYPES OF TRUCKS encompassing: DUMP, GARBAGE, MONSTER, PICKUP.
Purple Words in Today’s Connections
Considered the most difficult, the purple group’s theme is BANDS MINUS THE NUMBER FIVE, which includes: BEN FOLDS, JACKSON, MAROON, MC.
Strategies for Solving Today’s Connections
The solution paths included recognizing a potential category of musical groups that end with “5,” featuring MAROON, JACKSON, and BEN FOLDS, while still contemplating a fourth entry.
Terms like THREAD, STRING, STRAND, and FIBER are all synonymous and straightforward. 🟨
Likewise, FREEDOM, SPONTANEITY, ABANDON, and UNRESTRAINT are also clear connections. 🟩
MONSTER, GARBAGE, PICKUP, and DUMP are unambiguous types of trucks. 🟦
This leads to confirming MC as the last band among BEN FOLDS, MAROON, and JACKSON. 🟪 A relatively easy day!”
Connections Puzzle #645 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟪🟪🟪🟪
Guide to Playing Connections
A comprehensive guide to the game exists, but here’s a quick overview for ease:
Start by locating the Connections game either on the New York Times website or through their Games app. You’ll encounter a board featuring 16 tiles with various words or phrases. The goal is to pick out four tiles that share a common theme. Often, these groupings consist of similar items (e.g., RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW represent types of precipitation), but they can also involve clever wordplay (for example, BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH correspond to lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).
Select four words and press the Submit button. Correct guesses will reveal the category and its color (Yellow is the simplest, progressively followed by green, blue, and purple). If your selection is incorrect, you’ll have another chance to guess.
Victory is achieved when all four groups are identified correctly. However, submitting four incorrect guesses results in the game’s termination, leading directly to the answers being revealed.
Tips to Succeed in Connections
A crucial tip for mastery in Connections is to be prepared for the complex nature of the groupings. Coexisting categories may create confusion—one past puzzle featured six breakfast items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. BACON fit into a collection of painters alongside CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG belonged with elements associated with the dozen (including JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). Thus, ensure your selected four are indeed connected before hitting “submit.”
When stuck, consider the entries that appear unrelated to others. If WHISTLER prompts thoughts of the renowned painting, “Whistler’s Mother,” it could lead to breakthroughs in thinking of other matches. Some puzzle resolutions have relied on researching obscure names like Close.
Whenever available, consulting a few handy hints can also prove beneficial—hence the daily shared insights. Be sure to check back for the upcoming challenge!