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Connections answers for October 22, 2025
Connections asks you to sort 16 words into four groups of four, with one shared connection in each group. Here is the completed solution for puzzle #864:
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Utilities | ELECTRIC, GAS, TELEPHONE, WATER |
| Green | Adapt to fit one’s needs | FASHION, MOLD, SHAPE, TAILOR |
| Blue | Kinds of ants | ARMY, CARPENTER, FIRE, PHARAOH |
| Purple | COPY ___ | CAT, PASTA, RIGHT, WRITER |
Why the words belong together
Yellow: Utilities
ELECTRIC, GAS, TELEPHONE, and WATER are familiar household services that may appear on utility bills.
Green: Adapt to fit one’s needs
FASHION, MOLD, SHAPE, and TAILOR can each mean to form or adjust something to suit a purpose.
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Blue: Kinds of ants
Put “ant” after each word: army ant, carpenter ant, fire ant, and pharaoh ant.
Purple: COPY ___
Add “copy” before each word to make copycat, copypasta, copyright, and copywriter.
The full 16-word grid
FASHION · WRITER · PASTA · SHAPE · PHARAOH · TAILOR · FIRE · WATER · GAS · CARPENTER · ELECTRIC · MOLD · TELEPHONE · CAT · RIGHT · ARMY
A solving note
One useful way to check a proposed group is to state its rule clearly and test all four words against it. This board includes several words that can fit more than one idea, so the complete shared connection—not just a plausible pair—is what identifies each set. The puzzle is playable through NYT Games on desktop or mobile, according to TechRadar.
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Difficulty rating
Tom’s Guide reported a rating of 2.8 out of 5 from the NYT Connections Companion for this puzzle. That is the Companion’s reported rating, rather than an independently verified official NYT record.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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