NYT Connections Hints and Answers Today: Solve November 9 Puzzle #882

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has been released. The daily word game challenges players to group sixteen words into four secret categories.

This is the puzzle for November 9, 2025. It is officially designated as puzzle #882.

Hints to Guide Your Solving Strategy

Each category is color-coded by difficulty. The yellow group is typically the most straightforward, while the purple group is the most obscure.

For today’s puzzle, the yellow category relates to self-grooming items. The green category hints at something that is loaded or full.

The blue group involves words associated with contemplation. The tricky purple category consists of words that start with homophones for types of birds.

Today’s Connections Categories and Answers

The official categories for the November 9 puzzle have been confirmed. The yellow group is PERSONAL GROOMING ITEMS.

This category includes BRUSH, MIRROR, NAIL FILE, and TWEEZERS. These are common objects found in a personal care kit.

The green group, PACKED, contains the words COMPACT, DENSE, THICK, and TIGHT. These are all adjectives describing something with little empty space.

For the blue group, PONDER, the words are DELIBERATE, MUSE, NOODLE, and REFLECT. Each is a verb meaning to think deeply about something.

The most difficult purple group is STARTING WITH BIRD HOMOPHONES. The answers are CRANIUM (crane), CRONUT (crow), LUNAR (loon), and PUFNSTUF (puffin).

Puzzle Difficulty and Final Thoughts

Today’s puzzle presents a moderate challenge. The bird homophone category is a classic example of the game’s clever wordplay.

Players who identified the grooming and packed groups early likely found the puzzle manageable. The abstract nature of the “ponder” synonyms provided a solid mid-level challenge.

Successfully solving the NYT Connections puzzle requires a blend of logic and vocabulary. Today’s grid offered a satisfying mix of common and clever categories for players to unravel.

Info at your fingertips

What were the NYT Connections hints for today?

The hints were self-grooming kit for yellow, loaded for green, contemplate for blue, and starts with bird homophones for purple. These clues point players toward the four hidden categories.

What is the hardest category in today’s Connections?

The purple category, starting with bird homophones, is consistently the most difficult. It requires players to think about word sounds rather than just meanings, which adds a layer of complexity.

How many mistakes are allowed in Connections?

Players are allowed three mistakes. A fourth incorrect guess results in a loss, and the game reveals all the remaining answers.

Where can I play old NYT Connections puzzles?

The New York Times maintains an online archive of past puzzles. This allows players to go back and solve any previous game they may have missed.