Sunday Connections Puzzle Guide – March 23, 2025
Seeking the Connections solution for Sunday, March 23, 2025? This post provides hints, strategies, and the answers across all categories. We’ll also delve into the meanings of some challenging words so that you can grasp how they all connect. Be cautious: spoilers for March 23, NYT Connections #651 are included below! Continue reading for some assistance (and ultimately, the full answers) pertaining to today’s Connections challenge.
To easily return to our daily Connections tips, consider bookmarking this page. Previous hints are also accessible here if you’re curious about any missed puzzles from the past.
Initial hints for today’s Connections answers will be provided below. Scroll further for comprehensive themes and final solutions. Take your time, and only grab the clues you find necessary!
Hints for Today’s Connections Themes
Here are some hints for the categories in today’s Connections, without revealing any answers:
- Yellow category – Verbs that capture and maintain attention.
- Green category – All share a common anatomical feature linked to flight; however, one term possesses a broader, metaphorical significance.
- Blue category – Various time-telling devices.
- Purple category – Terms originating from a well-known hand-clapping song.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Today’s Connections Puzzle!
The answers are on the verge of being disclosed. Proceed with caution if you wish to avoid the full spoilers (the complete solution is located further down the page).
A Note on the Challenging Elements
Note that ENTRANCE does not mean the opposite of “exit”; it describes something so captivating that it entraces the audience.
If the word MACK brings to mind “Miss Mary MACK MACK MACK, all dressed in…” then you’re on the right path (track track).
FLY references an annoying insect rather than a verb.
RIVET is categorized as a verb.
What Are Today’s Connections Categories?
- Yellow: CAPTIVATE
- Green: THINGS WITH WINGS
- Blue: WORDS MODIFYING “WATCH”
- Purple: WORDS FOUND IN “MISS MARY MACK”
Double Warning: The Solutions Follow
Ready to uncover the answers to today’s Connections puzzle? They are unveiled below.
Yellow Words in Today’s Connections
The yellow category is typically the simplest. Its theme, CAPTIVATE, includes the words: ABSORB, ENTRANCE, GRAB, RIVET.
Green Words in Today’s Connections
The green category is generally the second-easiest. Its theme, THINGS WITH WINGS, consists of: AIRPLANE, FAIRY, FLY, HOSPITAL.
Blue Words in Today’s Connections
The blue category ranks as the second-hardest. The theme here is WORDS MODIFYING “WATCH,” including: POCKET, SMART, STOP, WRIST.
Purple Words in Today’s Connections
The purple category is regarded as the most challenging. Related to WORDS REPEATED IN “MISS MARY MACK,” the words are: BACK, BLACK, BUTTONS, MACK.
Understanding How to Play Connections
A thorough guide to playing Connections is available, but here’s a brief overview of the rules:
First, access the Connections game either on the New York Times website or through their Games app (which used to be the Crossword app). You will encounter a board consisting of 16 tiles, each bearing a word or phrase. Your mission is to identify four tiles that share a common theme. Often, they will represent the same category (for instance: RAIN, SLEET, HAIL, and SNOW are all forms of precipitation), but occasionally there may be some wordplay involved (e.g., BUCKET, GUEST, TOP TEN, and WISH can all be classified as types of lists: bucket list, guest list, etc.).
Select four tiles and press the Submit button. If your selection is correct, the corresponding category and color will be displayed. (Yellow indicates the easiest category, with green next, followed by blue and purple.) If the guess is incorrect, an opportunity to try again will be granted.
Victory is achieved by successfully identifying all four categories. However, if four incorrect guesses occur before completion, the game will conclude, revealing the answers.
Strategies for Winning Connections
A key strategy for success in Connections is recognizing the grouping can be surprisingly complex. Anticipate overlapping categories. For example, one puzzle included several breakfast items: BACON, EGG, PANCAKE, OMELET, WAFFLE, and CEREAL. Ultimately, BACON fit into a category of painters alongside CLOSE, MUNCH, and WHISTLER, whereas EGG was categorized with items that are typically a dozen (including JUROR, ROSE, and MONTH). Therefore, avoid hitting “submit” until you are sure that your group consists of only those four terms.
If stuck, another approach is to examine words that seem to have no apparent connection to others. If WHISTLER predominantly invokes thoughts of the painting famously called “Whistler’s Mother,” you may be onto something. While solving that puzzle, it became necessary to google whether there existed a painter named Close, as that term didn’t align with any evident categories.
When in doubt, consider utilizing hints, which is precisely why these suggestions are provided daily. Don’t forget to return tomorrow for the next puzzle!
