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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11The NYT Connections puzzle for Thursday, May 15, 2025, is game #704. Its four groups are RATIONALE, TYPES OF SNOW, LAST WORDS OF FAMOUS OPERA TITLES, and REAL ___. The complete solution is below, with a short explanation of each connection.
Hints for Connections #704
- A group is about the basis for an idea or decision.
- One group names forms of snow or snow-like conditions.
- Look for final words from well-known opera titles.
- Complete the phrase REAL ___; one answer is a proper name.
NYT Connections answers for May 15, 2025
| Category | Words | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| RATIONALE | BASIS, FOUNDATION, GROUNDS, REASON | Each can refer to the justification or underlying basis for something. |
| TYPES OF SNOW | CRUST, ICE, POWDER, SLUSH | These describe snow conditions or forms. |
| LAST WORDS OF FAMOUS OPERA TITLES | BESS, BUTTERFLY, FLUTE, SEVILLE | These are the final words in Porgy and Bess, Madama Butterfly, The Magic Flute, and The Barber of Seville. |
| REAL ___ | DEAL, ESTATE, MADRID, WORLD | Each completes a familiar phrase or name: real deal, real estate, Real Madrid, and real world. |
Why the trickier groups fit
Opera titles use their final words
The four answers are not complete opera titles. Each is the closing word of a title: BESS from Porgy and Bess, BUTTERFLY from Madama Butterfly, FLUTE from The Magic Flute, and SEVILLE from The Barber of Seville.
REAL MADRID belongs with the phrase completions
DEAL, ESTATE, and WORLD form the phrases “real deal,” “real estate,” and “real world.” MADRID completes the proper name Real Madrid, the Spanish football club.
Complete 16-word grid
The puzzle’s word bank was FLUTE, MADRID, GROUNDS, ICE, ESTATE, POWDER, SEVILLE, FOUNDATION, BUTTERFLY, WORLD, REASON, CRUST, SLUSH, BASIS, BESS, and DEAL.
#1 Best Overall
How certain is this answer?
TechRadar, WordHint, and Try Hard Guides report the same game number, categories, and word groupings. They are independent editorial answer guides rather than the NYT’s own puzzle archive. TechRadar described the solve as “Moderate” and reported one mistake by its guide writer; that is an individual account, not an aggregate difficulty rating or solve statistic.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
Sources: TechRadar, WordHint, and Try Hard Guides.
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