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NYT Connections game #636 is dated Saturday, March 8, 2025. Use the progressive clues below to solve it without seeing more than you want, then open the answer key for the four completed groups.
Progressive hints for Connections #636
Start with the first clue and stop when you have enough to finish a group. The colors reflect the puzzle’s intended difficulty: yellow is easiest, followed by green, blue and purple.
| Color | Hint | Spoiler level |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Words meaning not real or genuine. | Category clue |
| Green | A washing-machine cycle or setting. | Category clue |
| Blue | Words and catchphrases associated with Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves in the Bill & Ted films. | Category clue |
| Purple | Add the same common noun after each answer; it also rhymes with “knocks.” | Category clue |
The 16 words in the March 8 grid
The grid contains:
SPIN, SHADOW, EXCELLENT, JUKE, TOTALLY, FAKE, COTTON, SOAP, MOCK, BOGUS, CHATTER, IMITATION, DELICATE, DUDE, ARTIFICIAL and BULKY.
Answers and categories
Yellow: FAUX — not real
ARTIFICIAL, FAKE, IMITATION, MOCK
These all describe something manufactured, copied or otherwise not genuine. “Mock” is the intended English entry; one page extract rendered it incorrectly with Cyrillic-looking characters.
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Green: washing-machine cycles or settings
BULKY, COTTON, DELICATE, SPIN
Each word can identify a laundry program or setting. “Spin” is especially easy to misplace because it also works as an ordinary noun or verb.
Blue: words frequently said in the Bill & Ted movies
BOGUS, DUDE, EXCELLENT, TOTALLY
The group draws on the recurring slang and catchphrases of the two films’ time-traveling heroes. “Bogus” is the deliberate trap: it looks like it belongs with the faux synonyms, but the movie connection places it here.
Purple: ___ BOX
CHATTER, JUKE, SHADOW, SOAP
Adding “box” produces chatterbox, jukebox, shadowbox and soapbox. This is the hardest group because the shared link appears only after completing each compound.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to solve this grid without giving away the answers
Secure the direct synonym group first
Look for four words that express the same idea with little extra context. The fake-or-genuine cluster is the most straightforward starting point, but keep “bogus” aside until the remaining evidence is stronger.
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Check whether ordinary words are technical settings
Connections often uses a familiar word in a specialized list. Here, “spin” becomes useful only when considered alongside laundry-program terms such as fabric types and load categories.
Use pop-culture recognition as a confirmation
If four entries evoke the same fictional characters or repeated dialogue, test that grouping against the grid rather than relying on a single recognizable word. This prevents “bogus” from being pulled into the synonym set.
Reserve compound-word patterns for last
For the final four, try appending a common noun to each candidate. Once “box” works naturally with all four, the purple group is confirmed.
Remember the mistake limit
Connections gives you 16 words to sort into four groups of four and allows up to four incorrect guesses. Solving a secure group first also makes the final category solvable by elimination, reducing the risk of spending guesses on an attractive but incomplete pattern.
Quick Recap
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Complete solution at a glance
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | FAUX | ARTIFICIAL, FAKE, IMITATION, MOCK |
| Green | Washing-machine cycles/settings | BULKY, COTTON, DELICATE, SPIN |
| Blue | Frequently said in the Bill & Ted movies | BOGUS, DUDE, EXCELLENT, TOTALLY |
| Purple | ___ BOX | CHATTER, JUKE, SHADOW, SOAP |
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