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**Connections** stands out as one of the premier word games offered by the New York Times, rapidly gaining immense popularity among enthusiasts. Similar to Wordle, Connections prompts players to identify the “shared ties between words.” Each night at midnight, a new puzzle is launched—and they appear to become increasingly challenging. If you find yourself stumped, fear not—we have hints and tips ready to assist you.
If you’re only interested in today’s solution, scroll down to the end. However, if you prefer to attempt the puzzle on your own first, continue reading for clues, tactics, and a bit of direction.
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### What is Connections?
Connections is the latest sensation in daily word games from the New York Times, attributed to associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu. Accessible via web browsers and mobile devices, this game challenges players to categorize four words that share a common link.
Each puzzle features 16 words, which must be divided into four distinct groups. The categories can encompass anything from book titles and software names to countries and beyond. While various words might appear to align, there is only one accurate configuration.
When you successfully arrange four words together, they vanish from the board. Be cautious—each incorrect guess counts as a blunder, and you have a limit of four mistakes before the game concludes.
To assist players, the board can be shuffled to uncover new connections. Each category is designated a color based on difficulty: yellow represents the simplest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Similar to Wordle, players can share their outcomes on social media platforms.
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### Need a hint for today’s Connections?
If you would like a subtle prompt without revealing too much, here are some hints for today’s categories:
– Yellow: Hair tools
– Green: Severe
– Blue: Used to apprehend a suspect
– Purple: To tire out
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### Today’s Connections categories
Still seeking a bit more assistance? Here’s a detailed review of today’s categories:
– Yellow: Hair care
– Green: Severe
– Blue: Evidence at a crime scene
– Purple: Exhausted
(And if you’re also tackling Wordle today, you can find today’s Wordle solution [here](https://mashable.com/article/wordle-today-answer-april-28-2025).)
Prepared for the complete solution? This is your final opportunity to step back if you wish to solve it independently!
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### Today’s Connections Answers
Here’s today’s solution for the Connections puzzle (#685):
– **Hair care**: GEL, MOUSSE, SPRAY, WAX
– **Severe**: BARE, PLAIN, SIMPLE, SPARE
– **Evidence at a crime scene**: FIBER, FINGERPRINT, HAIR, TIRE MARK
– **Exhausted**: BORE, DRAIN, EXHAUST, TIRE
If you didn’t manage to solve it today, don’t be disheartened—there’s always a fresh puzzle arriving tomorrow! We’ll return with more hints and solutions to assist you.
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Craving more puzzles? Visit Mashable’s [games hub](https://games.mashable.com/) for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crosswords, and more.
Missed yesterday’s Connections? The solution can be found [here](https://mashable.com/article/nyt-connections-hint-answer-today-april-27-2025).
Also indulging in NYT Strands? Access today’s hints and answers for Strands [here](https://mashable.com/article/strands-nyt-hint-april-28-2025).
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