NYT Connections November 25: Easy and Hardest Categories Explained

NYT Connections puzzle #898 for November 25, 2025, is here, and players are eager to solve today’s word association challenge. The New York Times game tasks players with grouping 16 words into four categories, each color-coded by difficulty. If you’re stuck, here are the hints and full answers for today’s puzzle.

What Is NYT Connections?

Connections is a daily word puzzle game launched by the New York Times to build on the success of Wordle. Players must organize words into four categories: Yellow (easy), Green (medium), Blue (harder), and Purple (trickiest). The game is free to play on mobile and desktop.

Hints for Today’s Categories

Here are the clues for November 25, 2025:

• 🟨 Yellow hint – Minor
• 🟩 Green hint – Pink colored
• 🟦 Blue hint – Scratchable things
• 🟪 Purple hint – Starts with positive words

Today’s Connections Categories

The official categories for puzzle #898 are:

• 🟨 SMALL-TIME
• 🟩 THINGS THAT ARE PINK
• 🟦 THINGS YOU CAN SCRATCH
• 🟪 STARTING WITH OPTIMISTIC WORDS

NYT Connections Answers for November 25, 2025

Here are the correct word groupings:

• 🟨 SMALL-TIME: MICKEY MOUSE, RINKY-DINK, TRIVIAL, TWO-BIT
• 🟩 THINGS THAT ARE PINK: BARBIE DREAMHOUSE, CALAMINE LOTION, CHERRY BLOSSOM, FLAMINGO
• 🟦 THINGS YOU CAN SCRATCH: BUG BITE, LOTTERY TICKET, VINYL RECORD, YOUR HEAD
• 🟪 STARTING WITH OPTIMISTIC WORDS: GLAD-HAND, HAPPY MEAL, MERRY-GO-ROUND, SUNNY-SIDE UP

Difficulty Level

Today’s puzzle is rated moderate (3/5). While the Yellow and Green categories were straightforward, the Purple grouping required careful thought. Difficulty can vary by player, but most found today’s puzzle manageable with a few strategic guesses.

Why Connections Remains Popular

Connections continues to grow in popularity thanks to its mix of logic, vocabulary, and pattern recognition. Like Wordle, it has become a daily ritual for puzzle fans worldwide, offering both challenge and satisfaction when solved.