Seeking the Connections solution for Monday, April 14, 2025? You’ve come to the right place! This post will provide useful hints, strategic advice, and the solutions for each category. As we progress, we’ll explore the meanings behind some of the trickier terms, ensuring everything makes sense. Heads up: spoilers for NYT Connections #673 follow below! If you’re after clues (and the answers) for today’s Connections game, keep reading!

To easily return to our daily Connections tips, bookmark this page. Past hints are also available here, perfect for revisiting any missed puzzles.

Below are some subtle hints regarding today’s Connections answers. Keep scrolling to reveal the themes and answers at your own pace!

Credit: Connections/NYT

Themes and Hints for Today’s Connections Puzzle

Here are some spoiler-free insights into today’s groupings:

• Yellow category – “You shall not pass!”

• Green category – “Do you have plans this weekend? Come with me to this event!”

• Blue category – Terms related to a classic survival simulation game.

• Purple category – They share a common proper noun appearing elsewhere on today’s board.

Caution: Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Connections Puzzle!

The following section contains answers. Scroll cautiously if you wish to avoid spoilers. (Complete solutions are provided further down.)

Understanding the Tricky Elements

The term FORD signifies crossing a river at a shallow area, a concept potentially familiar to those who enjoyed a specific historical computer game.

If FORD conjures different associations, trust that instinct—although refrain from using the FORD tile on the board when doing so.

The word PLAY represents a theatrical performance.

ACTOR denotes a certain individual named Harrison.

Categories in Today’s Connections

• Yellow: RESTRICT

• Green: TICKETED EVENTS

• Blue: ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAME THE OREGON TRAIL

• Purple: WHAT “FORD” MAY REFER TO

Double Warning: Solutions Are Listed Below

Ready to unveil the solutions for today’s Connections puzzle? They are detailed below.

Yellow Group Words

The yellow category is relatively straightforward. Its theme is RESTRICT, and the terms included are BLOCK, CHECK, DAM, STOP.

Green Group Words

The green category is slightly more challenging, themed around TICKETED EVENTS. The words are CONCERT, GAME, MOVIE, PLAY.

Blue Group Words

The blue grouping presents moderate difficulty, tied to the theme ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAME THE OREGON TRAIL with terms such as DYSENTERY, FORD, HUNT, OXEN.

Purple Group Words

The purple category is the most complex, revolving around the theme of WHAT “FORD” MIGHT REFLECT. The applicable words are ACTOR, CAR, DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT.

Decoding Today’s Connections

The current puzzle appears to feature a category linked to the Oregon Trail, highlighting various actions and elements from the game. The terms HUNT, FORD (crossing a river), OXEN, and DYSENTERY stand out, but additional exploration is warranted to ensure there are no overlaps.

BLOCK, DAM, and STOP all convey notions of halting or restricting something, possibly hinting at CHECK (like checks and balances) aligning with them. 🟨

MOVIE, CONCERT, and GAME present entertaining options, yet no additional term seems to emerge.

ACTOR and DIRECTOR likely relate to the film production process, though a third term isn’t apparent.

PRESIDENT and DIRECTOR serve as clear synonyms, but other connections are elusive.

The term PLAY correlates with GAME, MOVIE, and CONCERT. 🟩

Now, it becomes clear: OXEN, FORD, DYSENTERY, and HUNT are terms relevant to the Oregon Trail. 🟦

Meanwhile, PRESIDENT, CAR, DIRECTOR, and ACTOR are related to “Ford,” presenting a unique challenge since the term FORD is already on the board. (PRESIDENT Gerald Ford, automotive brand Ford, DIRECTOR John Ford, and ACTOR Harrison Ford.) 🟪

Connections
Puzzle #673
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Playing Connections: A Quick Guide

A comprehensive guide to Connections is available, but a brief overview of the rules is provided here:

First, locate the Connections game on the New York Times website or via the Games app (formerly the Crossword app). The game board features 16 tiles, each bearing a single word or phrase. Your task is to select a quartet of tiles that share a commonality. Often, these terms belong to a similar category (e.g., RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW all denote forms of precipitation), but sometimes wordplay is involved (for example, BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH relate to different lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).

Choose four items and click the Submit button. If your selection is correct, the category and color will become visible (with yellow representing the easiest tier, followed by green, blue, and then purple). If incorrect, you’ll have another chance to guess.

Victory is yours when you accurately identify all four groups. However, if four missteps occur before completion, the game concludes, revealing the answers.

Winning Strategies for Connections

A key to succeeding in Connections lies in its clever groupings. Expect potential overlaps among categories. For instance, one puzzle featured six breakfast items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. Yet, BACON turned out to be part of a group with painters such as CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG connected to another category involving items typically counted by the dozen (including JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). Hence, wait for confirmation that your selected group contains only the four intended items before hitting “submit.”

If uncertainty arises, another tactic is to examine the words that seem disconnected from others. For example, if WHISTLER invokes the painting known as “Whistler’s Mother,” that might lead to a breakthrough. In solving that puzzle, a quick search revealed a painter named Close, who didn’t fit any obvious themes either.

Alternatively, when feeling stuck, reading helpful hints can prove beneficial—this is why daily tips are shared! Make sure to return tomorrow for the next puzzle!