Searching for the solutions to Connections for March 19, 2025? This post is your resource for hints, techniques, and all the answers for the day’s four categories. Throughout the article, we’ll delve into some of the trickier terms and explore how everything is interrelated. Warning: Spoilers ahead for March 19, NYT Connections #647! Proceed if you’re seeking clues and the ultimate solution for today’s challenge.

To conveniently revisit our Connections hints daily, consider bookmarking this page. Previous hints are also available there for anyone looking to catch up on past puzzles.

Here, you’ll find subtle hints for today’s Connections answers. As you scroll, the themes and complete solutions await you down the page, so take your time and only grab the hints you require!

Credit: Connections/NYT

Themes in Today’s Connections Puzzle

Below are some hints regarding the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, free of spoilers:

• Yellow category – Represents one’s intent, often related to communication.

• Green category – Commonly seen in browsers like Chrome and Firefox.

• Blue category – Elements associated with a roadway (and should generally be avoided while driving).

• Purple category – All associated with a specific French phrase meaning “in the manner of.”

Caution: Spoilers Ahead!

The upcoming section may disclose some answers, so proceed cautiously if you wish to keep them a surprise. A complete solution is located further down.

Understanding the Challenging Elements

It is important to note that SHOULDER and BACK do not belong together; BACK pertains to the action of reversing direction.

SPELL refers to expressions like “please SPELL it out for me.”

Additionally, MEDIAN and MODE are not directly connected. Adding a short phrase before MODE creates a term relating to “with ice cream.”

Categories for Today’s Connections

• Yellow: SIGNIFY

• Green: WEB BROWSER BUTTONS

• Blue: ROAD COMPONENTS

• Purple: À/A LA ___

A Double Warning: The Answers Await

Ready to find out the solutions to today’s Connections puzzle? They are disclosed below.

Yellow Words in Today’s Connections

The yellow category is generally regarded as the simplest. The theme here is SIGNIFY with the words: CONVEY, EXPRESS, MEAN, SPELL.

Green Words in Today’s Connections

The green category is the second-easiest, focusing on WEB BROWSER BUTTONS, including: BACK, EXTENSIONS, FORWARD, REFRESH.

Blue Words in Today’s Connections

The blue category is the second-hardest, associated with ROAD COMPONENTS, comprising: DIVIDER, LANE, MEDIAN, SHOULDER.

Purple Words in Today’s Connections

The purple category proves the most challenging. Its theme revolves around À/A LA ___, with the words being: CARTE, KING, MODE, PLANCHA.

Connecting the Dots for Today’s Responses

The first words that stand out are MODE and CARTE, both of which can pair with “a la” to form familiar phrases, such as “with ice cream” or “sold individually.” Currently, no other words appear to match that structure.

CONVEY and EXPRESS could serve as synonyms, yet further matches have not emerged.

DIVIDER, MEAN, LANE, and SHOULDER can all relate to components of a roadway, prompting me to attempt that selection. 🟦

EXTENSIONS is intriguing; initial thoughts leaned towards hair extensions, although it likely refers to online browser plugins, grouping it with BACK, REFRESH, and FORWARD, which are also buttons found in browsers. 🟩

PLANCHA could indeed tie back to another “a la” phrase, translating to “cooked on a griddle.”

Upon further examination, EXPRESS, MEAN, SPELL, and CONVEY all represent terms related to communication or relaying one’s thoughts, such as the phrases “SPELL it out” or “what do you MEAN?” 🟨

This implies KING is another “a la” entry harmonizing with MODE, CARTE, and PLANCHA. According to online sources, “a la KING” corresponds to a dish served in a creamy sauce. 🟪

Connections
Puzzle #647
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Playing Connections: A Quick Guide

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

Start by locating the Connections game either on the New York Times website or via their Games app (previously known as the Crossword app). You’ll encounter a board containing 16 tiles, each displaying a word or phrase. Your task is to identify a quartet of tiles sharing a common characteristic. Frequently, they share a general category (e.g., RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW are types of precipitation), but there’s sometimes a clever twist involved (like BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH, which all categorize into lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).

Select four tiles and tap the Submit button. If your selection is correct, you’ll see the category and color revealed. (Yellow indicates the easiest category, followed by green, blue, and lastly purple.) If incorrect, you’ll have the chance to try again.

You win by successfully identifying all four sets. Alternatively, should you make four mistakes before completing the puzzle, the game will conclude, and the solutions will be shown.

Strategies for Winning Connections

Understanding that the groupings are intentionally designed to be challenging is the key to success in Connections. Anticipate encountering overlapping categories. For instance, one particular puzzle included six breakfast-related items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. However, BACON turned out to be part of a group of painters grouped with CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, while EGG was classified among items commonly found by the dozen (joined by JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). Therefore, refrain from hitting “submit” until you have confirmed that your group indeed consists of only those four items.

When faced with uncertainty, another tactic is to examine the words that appear to lack any connection to the others. For instance, if WHISTLER immediately brings to mind the painting famously dubbed “Whistler’s Mother,” it may be an important clue. In a previous solution, investigating the name Close led to the recognition that it too was an artist, fitting the puzzle theme better than anticipated.

Additionally, turning to helpful hints is an obvious way to gain insights, which is why tips are shared daily. Make sure to revisit tomorrow for the next installment!