This is the archived guide to Connections puzzle #878, published Wednesday, November 5, 2025—not today’s puzzle. Work through the hints below before opening the spoiler-marked answer key.
Hints for Connections #878
Try to sort the 16 words into four groups of four. These clues move from broad prompts to the category ideas, without revealing the answer words.
- Think of different ways to mess something up.
- Look for objects associated with a classic board game.
- Several entries are surnames of celebrated soul singers.
- Each word in the last group can follow “rain.”
Spoiler warning: answers below
The complete categories and their four words follow.
Connections #878 answers
| Category | Words | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| MAKE A HASH OF | BLOW, BOTCH, BUTCHER, SPOIL | Each can mean to mess up, ruin, or handle something badly. |
| WEAPONS IN THE GAME CLUE | CANDLESTICK, KNIFE, ROPE, WRENCH | Each is listed as a weapon in the board game Clue. |
| ICONIC SOUL SINGERS | BAKER, FLACK, FRANKLIN, KNIGHT | The surnames refer to Anita Baker, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, and Gladys Knight. |
| RAIN___ | BOW, COAT, FOREST, MAKER | Each completes a familiar term: rainbow, raincoat, rainforest, or rainmaker. |
The red herring: “butcher, baker, candlestick maker”
The familiar phrase may tempt you to group BUTCHER, BAKER, CANDLESTICK, and MAKER. It does not work as a complete set: BUTCHER belongs with words meaning to mess something up, BAKER with the singers, CANDLESTICK with the Clue weapons, and MAKER with words that follow “rain.” The phrase is a useful reminder to verify that all four words fit one precise connection rather than accepting a partial association. Forbes contributor Kris Holt also noted the phrase as a playful decoy in the puzzle: Forbes’ guide to puzzle #878.
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All 16 words in the grid
The entries were KNIGHT, COAT, BUTCHER, BAKER, FLACK, KNIFE, CANDLESTICK, MAKER, FRANKLIN, FOREST, BOW, BLOW, SPOIL, WRENCH, BOTCH, and ROPE. Forbes and TechRadar independently reported the same solution for the Wednesday, November 5, 2025 edition, game #878: Forbes and TechRadar.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
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