This archived guide covers the Tuesday, November 25, 2025, NYT Connections puzzle, game #898—not a current daily puzzle. Start with the four category clues below, then open the answer section for the complete groups.
Spoiler notice: The hints are followed by the full solution.
Hints for Connections #898
- Yellow: Not worth much.
- Green: The color of a pony club.
- Blue: Itchy and ?
- Purple: Upbeat beginnings.
Answers for Tuesday, November 25, 2025
The four groups and their words are:
| Category | Answers | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow — SMALL-TIME | MICKEY MOUSE, RINKY-DINK, TRIVIAL, TWO-BIT | Words for something insignificant, low-status, or of little worth; TRIVIAL is the most direct synonym. |
| Green — THINGS THAT ARE PINK | BARBIE DREAMHOUSE, CALAMINE LOTION, CHERRY BLOSSOM, FLAMINGO | Familiar pink objects or flowers, including the less obvious CALAMINE LOTION. |
| Blue — THINGS YOU CAN SCRATCH | BUG BITE, LOTTERY TICKET, VINYL RECORD, YOUR HEAD | “Scratch” works in different contexts: soothe an itch, scratch off a ticket, scratch a record, or scratch your head. |
| Purple — STARTING WITH OPTIMISTIC WORDS | GLAD-HAND, HAPPY MEAL, MERRY-GO-ROUND, SUNNY-SIDE UP | Each phrase begins with an upbeat word: glad, happy, merry, or sunny. |
How the trickier connections work
Blue: “scratch” changes meaning
The blue group is linked by several uses of the same word rather than one identical action. A bug bite can be scratched to address an itch; a lottery ticket can be scratched off; a vinyl record can be scratched; and someone may scratch their head. The last phrase is a familiar expression, so the connection is broader than the literal action in the other examples.
Purple: focus on the first word
For the purple group, look only at the start of each phrase: GLAD-HAND, HAPPY MEAL, MERRY-GO-ROUND, and SUNNY-SIDE UP begin with words that convey optimism or cheer.
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Where to play Connections
NYT Connections is playable through the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile. This guide is for the archived November 25, 2025 puzzle; the date and game number identify this solution.
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