The New York Times’ Connections puzzle for November 11, 2025 (#884) has officially dropped, offering players a balanced challenge of logic and lateral thinking. The daily word game — hosted on NYT Games — tasks solvers worldwide with grouping 16 words into four hidden categories.
According to CNET’s word game analyst Gael Cooper, today’s edition leans “moderate in difficulty,” blending everyday objects, digital references, and conceptual thinking. The puzzle continues to engage a global audience, solidifying NYT Connections as one of the most-played logic games alongside Wordle and Strands.
Puzzle Breakdown and Group Themes
Today’s NYT Connections #884 featured a clever mix of categories that ranged from makeup products to iPhone interface icons. The verified group solutions are as follows:
Yellow Group – Makeup: blush, foundation, highlighter, powder
Green Group – Breadth: extent, range, scale, scope
Blue Group – Object Used for Support: base, holder, rest, stand
Purple Group – iPhone Icons: compass, envelope, music notes, speech bubble
Players found the yellow and green categories approachable, while the purple set posed the biggest challenge due to overlapping visual clues among iPhone apps.
Community and Expert Reactions
Across social platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, puzzle enthusiasts described today’s challenge as “smooth but satisfying.” Many praised the creative design of the purple “Icons on an iPhone” group, calling it a clever test of visual recognition rather than pure vocabulary.
CNET columnist Gael Cooper commented, “Connections #884 strikes that rare balance — accessible enough for casual players but intricate enough to reward deep thinkers.”
Impact and Analysis
From a gameplay perspective, today’s NYT Connections installment reinforced why the puzzle remains a daily mental workout. Its mix of tangible and abstract groupings tested players’ ability to recognize context beyond simple word associations.
Experts note that puzzles like #884 improve lateral thinking skills and boost short-term memory, making NYT Connections an ideal cognitive training exercise for both casual players and language enthusiasts.
What’s Next
Tomorrow’s puzzle — NYT Connections #885 — will release at midnight Eastern Time on the official New York Times Games portal and mobile app. Fans can expect fresh categories and a renewed challenge as the streaks continue.
For ongoing hints, verified solutions, and analysis, follow iNews for daily updates on word games and digital puzzles.
FAQ — Quick Rundown
Q1: What is the yellow group in today’s NYT Connections?
➡️ Makeup — blush, foundation, highlighter, powder
Q2: What is the hardest group in NYT Connections #884?
➡️ Icons on an iPhone (purple group)
Q3: What is the main topic today?
➡️ Language, tech references, and word associations in NYT Connections
Q4: Who provides official NYT Connections hints?
➡️ CNET word game analyst Gael Cooper
Q5: What is tomorrow’s puzzle number?
➡️ #885
Sources
Official NYT Games Portal – nytimes.com/games/connections
CNET – Daily Word Game Coverage by Gael Cooper
NYT Connections Community Threads on Reddit
