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NYT Connections #813 was the puzzle for Sunday, August 31, 2025. The 16-word grid breaks into four groups: harsh criticism, board-game components, heteronyms, and words that can come before “sticks.” Use the hints below before opening the full solution.
How Connections works
Connections presents 16 words and asks you to sort them into four groups of four. A correct group disappears from the board; a wrong guess counts toward the limit of four mistakes. You can also shuffle the grid when the layout is making patterns harder to see. The game is available in a browser on the New York Times site and through the NYT Games app.
Progressive hints for #813
Start with the broad clues, then move to the more revealing ones only if you need them.
Yellow group
These words can mean to criticize or attack someone severely.
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Green group
These are ordinary physical components you might find in many board games.
Blue group
Each word has the same spelling but different pronunciations and/or meanings.
Purple group
Put the same word after each entry to form a familiar compound ending in “sticks.”
Spoiler: the Connections #813 answers
The complete solution for August 31, 2025 is below.
| Category | Words | Why they fit |
|---|---|---|
| Criticize harshly | BASH, BLAST, FLAME, ROAST | All can describe attacking or criticizing someone severely. |
| Common components of board games | BOARD, CARDS, DICE, PIECES | These are familiar physical elements used in many board games. |
| Heteronyms | AXES, BASS, COORDINATE, DOES | Each spelling supports distinct pronunciations and/or meanings. |
| ___STICKS | CHOP, DRUM, FIDDLE, FISH | They form chopsticks, drumsticks, fiddlesticks, and fishsticks. |
Why the tricky words work
Heteronyms
Axes can refer to more than one axe or to geometric axes; bass can name a fish or refer to low musical sound; coordinate changes pronunciation and function between the noun and verb; and does can mean female deer or serve as a form of “do.”
The “sticks” set
Chopsticks, drumsticks, fiddlesticks, and fishsticks look unrelated until the shared ending appears. Spotting that exact compound pattern is the key to the purple group.
Practical solving tips
- Look for a group with one precise relationship rather than four words that merely feel related.
- Test a suspected category against all four words; three strong matches usually indicate a deliberate decoy is still present.
- Watch for words that can serve as more than one part of speech, especially in the heteronym group.
- Use the shuffle control when the visual arrangement is encouraging accidental pairs.
- Because only four incorrect guesses are allowed, submit a set only after you can state the connection for every word in it.
Where to play
You can play the daily puzzle in a web browser through the New York Times Games section or in the NYT Games app. The same 16-word format and four-mistake rule apply either way.
Quick Recap
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