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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesNeed a nudge before seeing the answers? Here are four graduated hints for NYT Connections game #812, dated Sunday, August 31, 2025. The hints come first; the full groups are below a spoiler warning.
Hints for Connections #812
- Yellow: Strong put-downs.
- Green: Parts needed for tabletop entertainment.
- Blue: Words spelled the same but pronounced differently.
- Purple: Add a word that rhymes with “picks.”
Spoiler warning: the answers are below
Stop here if you still want to solve the puzzle without seeing the groups.
Answers for Sunday, August 31, 2025
Connections #812 sorts its 16 words into these four groups:
| Category | Words | Why they fit |
|---|---|---|
| CRITICIZE HARSHLY | BASH, BLAST, FLAME, ROAST | Each can mean to attack or criticize someone strongly. |
| COMMON COMPONENTS OF BOARD GAMES | BOARD, CARDS, DICE, PIECES | These are familiar physical parts used in tabletop games. |
| HETERONYMS | AXES, BASS, COORDINATE, DOES | Each spelling can be pronounced differently according to its meaning. “Bass,” for example, can refer to a fish or a low musical range; “does” can mean female deer or be a verb. |
| ___STICKS | CHOP, DRUM, FIDDLE, FISH | Put “sticks” after each word to make chopsticks, drumsticks, fiddlesticks, and fishsticks. |
How the trickier groups work
Heteronyms depend on pronunciation as well as spelling
These four entries look like a straightforward word set, but the connection is that each has distinct pronunciations tied to different meanings. “Axes” can be the plural of axe or axis; “bass” can refer to a fish or a low musical sound; “coordinate” has different meanings and pronunciations; and “does” can refer to female deer or serve as a verb form.
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The purple group completes a compound
The final connection is not a synonym set: each entry becomes a familiar compound when followed by “sticks.” The clue’s rhyme with “picks” points to “sticks.”
Why the board-game words can mislead
The puzzle mixes several kinds of connection: synonyms for harsh criticism, members of a familiar object set, pronunciation-and-meaning shifts, and compound completion. Some words can suggest other plausible associations, including cooking or musical instruments, but those tempting links do not make the intended four-word groups.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.About this puzzle’s date
This is game #812 for Sunday, August 31, 2025. Connections refreshes at midnight in each player’s time zone, so a puzzle described as “today’s” can fall on a different calendar date depending on where a guide is read. The explicit date and game number identify this archived puzzle.
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