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Fruit desserts, fish, crabby words, and banana phrases form today’s clever four groups.
Observing word patterns and lateral associations is key to solving NYT Connections quickly.
A mix of straightforward links and playful twists makes today’s puzzle engaging and satisfying.
The NYT Connections puzzle for Thursday presents a tricky but deliciously mixed-up combination of categories. The solvers are presented with fruit desserts, fish, crabby moods, and the amusing “banana _____” group. Today's challenge combines easy associations with smart wordplay, making it enjoyable for both occasional players and seasoned puzzlers searching for a midweek mental lift.
NYT Connections is a word association game from The New York Times that is played daily. The players are presented with a grid containing 16 words and must categorize them into four groups of four. The categories are not given, so they must employ observation, reasoning, and sometimes lateral thinking.
The game ends after four incorrect guesses. The groups are designated by colors: yellow, green, blue, and purple. "Yellow" and "green" are generally synonyms, while blue and purple may consist of cultural references, idioms, or playful twists. This diversity keeps every puzzle interesting and mentally stimulating.
The 16 words for October 16, 2025, are:
TART
PIKE
SOUR
BREAD
SPLIT
CRUMBLE
BOAT
SKATE
SLUG
CROSS
CRISP
CHAR
SORE
FLUKE
PRICKLY
COBBLER
Yellow Group — Fruit Desserts
Hint: When fresh produce becomes a baked delight.
One-Word Clue: Tart
Green Group — Crabby
Hint: How one might feel after getting out of the wrong side of bed.
One-Word Clue: Sour
Blue Group — Fish
Hint: Congrats to anyone who landed this group. Good catch, one might say.
One-Word Clue: Fluke
Purple Group — Banana _____
Hint: Phone, belt, and clip would all fit in here.
One-Word Clue: Boat
Yellow Group (Fruit Desserts): COBBLER, CRISP, CRUMBLE, TART
Green Group (Crabby): CROSS, PRICKLY, SORE, SOUR
Blue Group (Fish): CHAR, FLUKE, PIKE, SKATE
Purple Group (Banana _____): BOAT, BREAD, SLUG, SPLIT
The purple team did a lovely job connecting their “banana” idea with popular sayings and things. The other teams are quite direct, but revealing once the first connections are seen is pleasing.
The puzzle of October 16th (#858) mixes quick wins with a slight misdirection. The fish PIKE, CHAR, FLUKE, and SKATE will be the first to come to the mind of the blue group as the most obvious anchor. On the other hand, desserts made from fruits like COBBLER, CRISP, CRUMBLE, and TART are easy to identify but will need one to think about the baking context.
The crabby green group rewards vocabulary knowledge and emotional associations, while the purple “banana _____” group takes it a step further and challenges the players' lateral thinking with its playful hint. Compared to the previous month's midweek puzzle, this Thursday's puzzle is easier but still keeps the challenge of NYT Connections and the excitement of solving the puzzle intact for the solvers.
Today's NYT Connections puzzle is built around well-known, usual, and playful idiomatic categories. Key strategies for success include recognizing patterns, spotting cultural references, and connecting words with lateral thinking. Today's game shows NYT Connections how to always combine going in simple straight lines with subtle twisting of their ways, keeping the players alert and mentally sharp.
Combining instant rewards and ingenious wordplay makes this puzzle suitable for a pleasurable and satisfying midweek mental exercise. It also proves that observation and pattern recognition are the skills that mainly accentuate the solver's speed and accuracy.
