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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →NYT Connections puzzle #863 for Tuesday, October 21, 2025, groups its 16 tiles into Playing Cards, Takes On, N.B.A. Teams and Things You Can Control With Remotes. Use the hints below before revealing the complete solution.
Hints for Connections #863
These clues progress from least direct to most direct, so stop as soon as you see the groups.
- Deal ’em high, deal ’em low.
- Are you up for it?
- Like Mike.
- Can you pass the ___?
Answers for Tuesday, October 21
Spoilers below. The four completed groups are:
| Category | Tiles | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Playing Cards | ACES, JACKS, KINGS, QUEENS | Ranks or face cards in a standard playing-card deck. |
| Takes On | ADDRESSES, DOES, HANDLES, TACKLES | Each verb can mean accepts, confronts or deals with something. |
| N.B.A. Teams | BUCKS, BULLS, HORNETS, SPURS | NBA franchises from Milwaukee, Chicago, Charlotte and San Antonio. |
| Things You Can Control With Remotes | DRONES, GARAGE DOORS, TELEVISIONS, WIIS | All can be operated by a remote-control device. |
All 16 tiles
BUCKS; DOES; BULLS; DRONES; QUEENS; HORNETS; ADDRESSES; TELEVISIONS; GARAGE DOORS; HANDLES; KINGS; JACKS; SPURS; ACES; TACKLES; WIIS.
Why this puzzle can mislead you
The sports-looking words create the main overlap. KINGS and ACES can suggest team names in other sports, making them tempting candidates for the basketball group. The more specific solution is the NBA set, while the four card terms form a clean deck-related category. The “Takes On” group is looser because its words are synonyms by usage rather than objects from one named set.
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When the daily puzzle resets
TechRadar explains that a new Connections puzzle appears at midnight in each player’s local time zone. Connections can be played through the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
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