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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →NYT Connections #893, for Thursday, November 20, 2025, groups words about sticking, light touches, tooth parts and words that sound like pairs of letters. Start with the hints below and stop before the answer key if you want to solve it yourself.
Hints for Connections #893
Each clue points toward a different kind of connection. The hints are spoiler-light; the answer key follows in the next section.
- ADHERE: Tape or glue might help.
- GRAZE: Barely touch.
- PARTS OF A TOOTH: Time to brush.
- WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS: Think alphabet.
Connections #893 answers
Spoilers below: The 16 tiles are ARTY, KISS, ENAMEL, ESSAY, CROWN, DECAY, BRUSH, PASTE, ANY, SKIM, PLASTER, PULP, STICK, STROKE, ROOT and FIX. The groups are:
| Color | Category | Tiles | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | ADHERE | FIX, PASTE, PLASTER, STICK | Each can mean to attach something or make it stay attached. |
| Green | GRAZE | BRUSH, KISS, SKIM, STROKE | Each can describe a light or barely contacting touch. |
| Blue | PARTS OF A TOOTH | CROWN, ENAMEL, PULP, ROOT | These are tooth structures; pulp is the inner tissue. |
| Purple | WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS | ANY, ARTY, DECAY, ESSAY | Pronounced aloud, they resemble N-E, R-T, D-K and S-A. |
Why the dental decoy is easy to miss
ENAMEL, CROWN, ROOT, DECAY and BRUSH all evoke dentistry, but they do not form the intended group. CROWN, ENAMEL, PULP and ROOT are the tooth parts; DECAY belongs with the letter-sound words, while BRUSH describes a light touch. Forbes contributor Kris Holt and TechRadar’s Johnny Dee both noted that the dental-looking tiles can lead solvers toward a tempting but incorrect grouping. Forbes’ explanation and TechRadar’s account discuss that trap.
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How to spot the purple connection
The purple set depends on sound, not meaning. Say ANY, ARTY, DECAY and ESSAY aloud: their endings sound like pairs of letter names—N-E, R-T, D-K and S-A. If the remaining words seem unrelated by definition, reading them aloud can expose a pronunciation-based pattern.
How the four groups differ
The first two groups are meaning-based: one is about attaching, the other about light contact. Blue is anatomical, while purple is a sound-alike wordplay category. The color order is often described as yellow, blue, green, then purple from easiest to hardest, but that progression is not a fixed rule. The dental decoy also makes this board’s apparent theme less reliable than checking each tile against a complete set of four. Forbes explains the usual color progression and its caveat in its Connections guide.
What Connections #893 is
Connections is a free New York Times daily word game. It presents 16 words for players to sort into four groups of four, and is available on the NYT website and in the Games app. Forbes reports that access to the puzzle archive requires an All Access or Games subscription; that archive access is separate from playing the daily puzzle. Forbes’ description covers the game and archive access.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was this puzzle officially rated hard?
No official New York Times difficulty rating, average score or success rate for #893 is established in the cited coverage. TechRadar’s description of the puzzle as hard and its report of two mistakes refer to Johnny Dee’s personal solve, not an NYT statistic. TechRadar’s write-up identifies that assessment as personal.
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