Words such as CUE, POCKET, SHOT, and BREAK created myriad wrong associations in a false pool category.
The purple cluster tested solvers through compound phrases with the word "watch."
Some hotel amenities include BREAKFAST, WI-FI, PARKING, and POOL, which are early-giver solutions.
BREAK, SHOT, CHANCE, and OPENING are all expressions used when discussing opportunities and possibilities.
The latest puzzle of NYT Connections offers a witty start to the week, mixing communication of straightforward categories alongside playful misdirection. Sometimes groups feel obvious once you spot them, and other times they appear disguised behind words that could easily fit into one of several categories. The puzzle balances logic, culture, and words. So, it entertains while challenging the player.
NYT Connections is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times. The challenge begins with 16 seemingly unrelated words; the task requires organization into four groups of four. Each group connects through a shared theme, for example, an object, phrase, or cultural reference.
The catch is that some words will appear to fit into multiple groups. You are handed only a few mistakes before you lose, so accuracy pays. Groups are color-coded:
Yellow is usually the easiest.
Green and Blue offer moderate difficulty.
Purple is often the trickiest, typically relying on wordplay.
Here are the words featured in today’s puzzle for August 18, 2025:
CUE
STOP
BREAKFAST
SHOT
POOL
PROMPT
PARKING
CHANCE
WI-FI
DIGITAL
OPENING
WRIST
NOD
BREAK
SIGNAL
For those looking for a nudge without full spoilers, here are NYT Connections hints today broken down by color group:
Yellow Group – Indication
Hint word: NOD
This group relates to gestures or signals that show acknowledgment.
Green Group – Opportunity
Hint word: SHOT
Think about chances, openings, or opportunities that come around.
Blue Group – Hotel Amenities
Hint word: POOL
Consider comforts or features often found in a hotel.
Purple Group – Words Before “Watch”
Hint word: STOP
This group connects through compound phrases where each word can precede “watch.”
Here are the complete NYT Connections answers for Monday’s puzzle:
Yellow Group (Indication) – CUE, NOD, PROMPT, SIGNAL
Green Group (Opportunity) – BREAK, CHANCE, OPENING, SHOT
Blue Group (Hotel Amenities) – BREAKFAST, PARKING, POOL, WI-FI
Purple Group (Words Before ‘Watch’) – DIGITAL, POCKET, STOP, WRIST
Today, a few clever twists are interlaced within the connections clue from the NYT Connections. At first look, words such as CUE, POCKET, SHOT, and BREAK might suggest a typical pocket-billiards set-and-theme category, serving as the biggest red herring, with all of them scattering into separate sets. Instead, Pool belongs amongst hotel amenities sets, while the rest work to create sets around signals, opportunities, and watches.
The purple group may prove to be a stumbling block for those who don't immediately register that the solutions all have a compound "watch" connection. STOP, WRIST, POCKET, and DIGITAL fit elegantly once you do, but it's not so obvious at first sight. Conversely, the yellow group blends in smoothly, with CUE, NOD, PROMPT, and SIGNAL all being very gentle indications or gestures.
The green group gives the feeling of being the most thematic, linking together very familiar ways of referring to opportunities: a SHOT at something, an OPENING, a BREAK, or a CHANCE. The blue group acts as closure for the whole back, anchoring the puzzle with very straightforward hotel amenities.
The 18 August edition of NYT Connections today is somewhat technical in cultural phrases and common associations, which is approachable yet provides misdirection at times. The temptation to form a "billiards" category stands as testimony to the careful construction of the puzzle so that players get to hesitate before locking in answers.
Admittedly, an accessible drawing of the lines of these groups, accompanied by sophisticated wordplay, opens the door to an institute of challenge for rowdy old hands and a path of delight for fresh entrants. From gestures hinting plainly to twisting wordplay, today's puzzle gives testimony as to why NYT Connections is a daily favorite by all.
Returning clues, compound phrases, everyday amenities, and the like will always be worthy of reminding one of their usefulness in the promotions to come. From wherever on, the better misdirection spotted serves as the best means for trimming down errors.