**NYT Connections: Clues, Categories, and Solutions for Today**
*Connections* stands out as one of the most engaging [New York Times word games](https://www.nytimes.com/games/connections), enticing players with the challenge of discovering common threads among words. Much like *Wordle*, *Connections* resets every day at midnight, with each puzzle becoming increasingly complex. If you find yourself facing difficulties, we have hints and suggestions to assist you.
If you’re seeking today’s answer, scroll to the bottom of this article. However, if you wish to tackle it independently, continue reading for clues and tactics.
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### What is *Connections*?
The *New York Times*’ newest word game has taken the online world by storm. Created with contributions from associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, *Connections* appears in the *Times*’ Games section. The game is available on both web browsers and mobile devices, challenging players to classify four words that share a common theme.
Each puzzle includes 16 words, sorted into four distinct categories. These categories can encompass book titles, software names, countries, and more. While several words may appear to fit together, there exists only one correct grouping.
When a player successfully identifies a set of four words, those words are eliminated from the board. However, erroneous guesses are considered mistakes, with players permitted up to four errors before the game concludes.
To simplify the game, players have the option to shuffle the board, facilitating better connection discovery. The difficulty level of each category is represented by color coding:
– **Yellow** – Easiest
– **Green** – Moderate
– **Blue** – Challenging
– **Purple** – Most difficult
Similar to *Wordle*, players can share their scores on social media.
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### Hints for Today’s *Connections* Categories
Need a little guidance without exposing the answers? Here are some hints for today’s categories:
– **Yellow:** A person’s setting
– **Green:** An impressive individual
– **Blue:** Used by an architectural designer
– **Purple:** The initial word is identical
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### Today’s *Connections* Categories
Still in need of assistance? Here are the specific categories for today’s puzzle:
– **Yellow:** Environment
– **Green:** Star
– **Blue:** Design tools for architects
– **Purple:** Bar ___
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### Today’s *Connections* Answers
Ready for the solution? This is your final opportunity to solve it before we disclose the answers.
Drumroll, please!
The answers for *Connections* #648 are:
– **Environment:** CIRCLE, SCENE, SPHERE, WORLD
– **Star:** GREAT, ICON, LEGEND, LION
– **Design tools for architects:** COMPASS, RULER, STENCIL, T-SQUARE
– **Bar ___:** CHART, EXAM, MITZVAH, SOAP
If you didn’t manage to solve it this time, don’t fret! A fresh *Connections* puzzle awaits tomorrow, and we’ll return with further clues and answers to assist you.
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### More Word Games and Puzzles
Searching for additional challenges? Visit [Mashable’s Games Hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, crosswords, and more.
Interested in *Wordle*? [Here’s today’s answer](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-march-21-2025).
Also playing *NYT Strands*? [Check out today’s hints and answers](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-march-21-2025).
Missed yesterday’s *Connections*? [Locate the solution here](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-sports-edition-hint-answer-today-march-21).