NYT Connections #664 is the puzzle from Saturday, April 5, 2025. Its groups are EMPLOY, PARTS OF A WEBSITE, MAGAZINES, and ENDING WITH MEDIEVAL WEAPONS. Spoilers follow, with progressive hints before the full solution.
NYT Connections #664 was released on Saturday, April 5, 2025. The puzzle’s four groups are EMPLOY, PARTS OF A WEBSITE, MAGAZINES, and ENDING WITH MEDIEVAL WEAPONS.
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Spoiler warning: The hints appear first, followed by the category names and the complete word assignments. Stop before the section you want if you are still solving.
The 16 words in Connections #664
RAINBOWMENUCONTRACTBILLBOARD
BANNERPEOPLEGRIMACEENGAGE
RETAINHEADERSEMBLANCESIDEBAR
Hints for Connections #664
Each group contains four words. You have four incorrect guesses before the puzzle ends, so consider the broadest possible connection before submitting a set.
#1 Best Overall
Yellow hint
Look for verbs that can mean hire or employ someone.
Green hint
These words describe common sections or components of a website.
Blue hint
These are names associated with magazines or magazine brands.
Rank #2
Purple hint
Each word can be divided so that it ends with the name of a medieval weapon.
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Still solving? Here are the four category names without their answers:
- EMPLOY
- PARTS OF A WEBSITE
- MAGAZINES
- ENDING WITH MEDIEVAL WEAPONS
NYT Connections #664 answers
Yellow: EMPLOY
- CONTRACT
- ENGAGE
- RETAIN
- SIGN
All four words can describe hiring or taking someone on for work. A company can contract or retain a worker, engage someone’s services, or sign a person to an agreement. Engage is the least obvious synonym, which makes this group easier to overlook.
Green: PARTS OF A WEBSITE
- BANNER
- HEADER
- MENU
- SIDEBAR
These are familiar web-design and page-layout terms. A header or banner typically occupies a prominent area, a menu provides navigation, and a sidebar contains secondary navigation or supporting content.
Blue: MAGAZINES
- BILLBOARD
- PEOPLE
- STAR
- TIME
Billboard, People, Star, and Time are magazine titles or magazine brands. This group can be difficult because the words also work naturally in other contexts. In particular, Star may not immediately look like the missing fourth magazine title.
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- CROSSWORD → SWORD
- GRIMACE → MACE
- RAINBOW → BOW
- SEMBLANCE → LANCE
The purple group is based on word endings rather than the full meanings of the entries. CROSSWORD ends in SWORD, GRIMACE ends in MACE, RAINBOW ends in BOW, and SEMBLANCE ends in LANCE. Together, those endings name weapons associated with the medieval period.
Why this puzzle was tricky
The grid mixes several words that have strong surface-level associations. Crossword, for example, looks like it might belong with publications, while Billboard, People, Star, and Time do not all announce themselves as magazine names at first glance.
The unusual purple group is the key to the puzzle’s hardest turn. Once you notice that Crossword contains sword at its end, check whether other apparently unrelated words hide weapon names in the same position. That leads to mace, bow, and lance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to play more Connections puzzles
Connections is part of the New York Times Games lineup and can be played digitally through the New York Times website or Games app. Availability of older puzzles and archive access can depend on a current NYT Games subscription and the applicable account or regional terms, so check the official Games experience for the latest details.
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Note on the date: This article covers puzzle #664 from April 5, 2025. It should not be confused with a different Connections puzzle released on April 5, 2026.
Best Value
- Find hundreds of words in an easy to read format - Some words you'll spot easily, but you'll have to search hard for others.
- A wide range of puzzle topics, including movies, actors, sports, cars, and more!
- Variations on the standard word search puzzles are included for extra challenge.
- Answer key in the back of the book.
- Spiral bound, 192 pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was NYT Connections #664 released?
NYT Connections #664 was released on Saturday, April 5, 2025. This is not the separate puzzle released on April 5, 2026.
What is the purple category in Connections #664?
The purple group is ENDING WITH MEDIEVAL WEAPONS: CROSSWORD ends with SWORD, GRIMACE with MACE, RAINBOW with BOW, and SEMBLANCE with LANCE.
Quick Recap
The Bottom Line
The answers to NYT Connections #664, released April 5, 2025, are CONTRACT, ENGAGE, RETAIN, SIGN for EMPLOY; BANNER, HEADER, MENU, SIDEBAR for website parts; BILLBOARD, PEOPLE, STAR, TIME for magazines; and CROSSWORD, GRIMACE, RAINBOW, SEMBLANCE for words ending in medieval weapons.
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