Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteNeed the NYT Connections hints today for Monday, October 27, 2025? This is puzzle #869. The 16 tiles are below, followed by a spoiler-light clue ladder and, when you’re ready, the complete category answers.
NYT Connections #869 word bank
Check the 16 tiles before opening any hints:
ONLY, CONNECT, OLIVE, BRANCH, FAB, FAN, JUST, TWIST, FANTASTIC, SIMPLY, CHERRY, SPREAD, RADIATE, MINT, PETIT, MERELY.
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The date, game number, and word bank are corroborated by All Things How and TechRadar.
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Clues, from least to most revealing
Open only as far down the ladder as you need. These are hints from published guides, not official NYT clues.
#1 Best Overall
Yellow hint
Think of things spreading or sending outward.
Green hint
Think of words that minimize or qualify.
Blue hint
Think of embellishments added to a drink.
Purple hint
Add the same number to the end of each phrase.
Spoilers: answers for Monday, October 27
The four categories and their tiles are:
Yellow — EMANATE
BRANCH, FAN, RADIATE, SPREAD. These describe movement or extension outward. FAN and SPREAD work here as verbs (“fan out” and “spread”); BRANCH fits the same outward-extension idea.
Green — IN THE SLIGHTEST
JUST, MERELY, ONLY, SIMPLY. Each can narrow or minimize the degree or scope of a statement.
Blue — COCKTAIL GARNISHES
CHERRY, MINT, OLIVE, TWIST. Each is a familiar cocktail garnish.
Purple — ___ FOUR
CONNECT, FAB, FANTASTIC, PETIT. Add “Four” to complete Connect Four, the Fab Four, the Fantastic Four, and petit four.
Rank #3
Why the trickier groupings work
Some tiles can suggest more than one role at first glance. FAN and SPREAD may read as nouns, but their verb meanings place them with BRANCH and RADIATE in the outward-action group. PETIT is less immediately revealing; the shared ending “Four” makes its connection clear. The groups rely on different kinds of links: outward action, minimizing words, a shared use, and phrase completion.
Quick Recap
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