Need a nudge for Saturday, October 18, 2025’s NYT Connections puzzle, #860? Start with spoiler-light clues below, then reveal the four category names and full word sets when you’re ready. The grid has 16 words; the goal is to sort them into four groups of four.
Hints for Connections #860
Try these clues before opening the answers. They move from broad nudges toward the category idea, without listing the four words in each set.
- Yellow: Think of words for moving smoothly or without much effort.
- Green: Add the same word after each answer to name a sport or sports equipment.
- Blue: These are surnames shared by well-known actors.
- Purple: Each word sounds like a different way to say “sell.”
The October 18 puzzle grid
Here are the 16 words from the puzzle, in a neutral order:
HAND, HOCK, PEDAL, SKATE, BACON, CELL, PICKLE, CAGE, DODGE, COAST, FORD, BREEZE, CRUISE, RACQUET, FLOAT, TRAYED.
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Category answers
These are the four group labels. Stop here if you want the category-level reveal but still want to find the words yourself.
- Yellow: GLIDE
- Green: WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORTS
- Blue: PROLIFIC ACTORS
- Purple: HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS FOR “VEND”
Full answers for #860
Spoilers: the complete sets are below.
| Category | Words | How the connection works |
|---|---|---|
| GLIDE | BREEZE, COAST, FLOAT, SKATE | Each can describe moving smoothly or with little effort. |
| WORDS BEFORE “BALL” IN SPORTS | DODGE, HAND, PICKLE, RACQUET | These form dodgeball, handball, pickleball and racquetball. |
| PROLIFIC ACTORS | BACON, CAGE, CRUISE, FORD | The surnames point to Kevin Bacon, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford. |
| HOMOPHONES OF SYNONYMS FOR “VEND” | CELL, HOCK, PEDAL, TRAYED | They sound like “sell,” “hawk,” “peddle” and “traded.” |
Why the wordplay is easy to miss
The purple group is the most indirect: its entries are not synonyms for “vend” themselves. Instead, each sounds like a synonym—CELL like “sell,” HOCK like “hawk,” PEDAL like “peddle,” and TRAYED like “traded.” Reading the category as a sound-alike rule helps explain why the spellings do not seem to fit at first.
Rank #2
The green group also invites a double take: “Dodge,” “hand,” “pickle” and “racquet” each come before “ball” in a sport name. The actor group uses surnames, not first names, while the glide group gathers words with a sense of smooth movement.
Quick Recap
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