In search of the Connections solution for Wednesday, April 16, 2025? This post provides valuable hints, effective strategies, and the answers to the four categories. Expect insights into some challenging vocabulary while connecting different words. Warning: Spoilers for April 16, NYT Connections #675 lie ahead! Proceed if you’d like some pointers (followed by the solutions) for today’s game.

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I’ll start with some subtle hints regarding today’s Connections answers. Further down, the themes and answers will be unveiled. Feel free to scroll at your own pace and take only the clues you need!

Credit: Connections/NYT

Hints for Today’s Connections Themes

Here are some non-spoiler hints regarding today’s theme groupings:

• Yellow category – These might be worn for an enticing dance performance.

• Green category – This suggests damage from a sharp object against a delicate surface.

• Blue category – They produce a loud, powerful sound.

• Purple category – Variations of movements involving hip shaking, albeit with altered spellings.

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Connections Puzzle!

Answers are about to be disclosed. Proceed cautiously if you prefer not to ruin the surprise. (The full solution is further down the page.)

A Note on the Tricky Aspects

SIMBA, LION, and SCAR are categorized differently.

To place KATY PERRY, consider the title of one of her well-known tracks.

MAMBA, BOA, and GARTER aren’t referring to snakes, but BOA and GARTER clearly belong together.

Fans of Dancing With the Stars might identify today’s purple category more swiftly than others.

Categories in Today’s Connections

• Yellow: BURLESQUE ATTIRE

• Green: DAMAGE TO A SURFACE

• Blue: NOISES THAT ROAR

• Purple: LATIN DANCES WITH MODIFIED VOWELS

SECOND WARNING: THE SOLUTION IS BELOW

Eager to discover today’s Connections answers? They are all revealed here.

Yellow Words for Today’s Connections

The yellow category is straightforward. The theme is BURLESQUE ATTIRE, comprising: BOA, CORSET, GARTER, STOCKINGS.

Green Words for Today’s Connections

The green grouping is considered the second-easiest. The theme is DAMAGE TO A SURFACE, represented by: SCAR, SCORE, SCRAPE, SCRATCH.

Blue Words for Today’s Connections

The blue group stands as the second-hardest. The theme is NOISES THAT ROAR, including: CROWD, ENGINE, KATY PERRY, LION.

Purple Words for Today’s Connections

The purple category is considered the most challenging. The theme falls under LATIN DANCES WITH MODIFIED VOWELS, represented by: MAMBA, MERINGUE, SIMBA, TANGY.

Effective Strategies for Solving Today’s Connections

On this occasion, KATY PERRY is our pop star association. The trio of SIMBA, LION, and SCAR does appear to form a group, although LION doesn’t align with the character names SIMBA and SCAR.

The combination of GARTER, BOA, CORSET, and STOCKINGS seems to represent garments related to a burlesque theme, yet BOA, GARTER, and MAMBA could also imply snakes. After some deliberation, GARTER, BOA, CORSET, and STOCKINGS was selected. 🟨 Success!

It seems that SIMBA may correspond to “samba,” the dance, with a vowel change. That also correlates well with MAMBA (mambo), TANGY (tango), and MERINGUE (merengue). 🟪

With a clearer idea, KATY PERRY can be classified alongside LION, CROWD, and ENGINE as terms associated with roaring, particularly considering her song “Roar.” 🟦

The remaining set includes SCORE, SCRAPE, SCAR, and SCRATCH, all referencing various types of surface abrasions. 🟩 That was an engaging challenge!

Connections
Puzzle #675
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Connections Game Rules

For an in-depth tutorial on playing Connections, refer to our full guide. Here’s a quick refresher:

Begin by accessing the Connections game either on the New York Times website or via their Games app (previously the Crossword app). You’ll encounter a board featuring 16 tiles, each marked with a word or phrase. Your objective is to identify a set of four tiles sharing a similarity. These connections may be straightforward (like RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW representing different types of precipitation) or rely on clever wordplay (for instance, BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH representing various types of lists).

Select four terms, then hit the Submit button. A correct guess will reveal the category and color (with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, then purple). Incorrect submissions grant another opportunity to try again.

Victory is achieved when all four sets are correctly identified. However, landing four wrong guesses before completing the task results in game termination with answers displayed.

Winning Strategies for Connections

The key to triumph in Connections lies in recognizing the deceptive nature of the groupings. Be prepared for overlapping connections. For example, a puzzle may present various breakfast items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. However, BACON might categorize differently as part of a group of painters, including CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG fits with items that come by the dozen (like JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). Therefore, do not submit until confirming that your set includes only the four intended items.

If uncertainty arises, another useful tactic is to focus on words that seem unrelated to the others. For instance, if WHISTLER brings to mind the painting “Whistler’s Mother,” it could steer you towards a solution. That approach previously led to a search regarding the existence of a painter named Close, who did not fit any obvious themes.

Ultimately, reading daily hints can help when stuck, which is why these tips are shared each day. Return tomorrow for the next puzzle!