NYT Connections Hints October 21: Puzzle #863 Answers and Solutions Explained

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle for October 21, 2025 (#863) challenges players with a fresh mix of clever categories and tricky word associations. If you’re stuck or want to check your solutions, we’ve broken down the hints, group themes, and all the correct answers you need to complete today’s puzzle.

The Connections puzzle, one of The New York Times’ most popular daily word games, tasks players with grouping 16 words into four categories of four. While some days are straightforward, others require careful thinking about multiple meanings and subtle links. Here’s your complete guide to solving today’s puzzle.

NYT Connections Hints for October 21 (#863)

Before we reveal the answers, here are hints for each group to help you think through the puzzle without spoiling it too quickly. These clues range from the easiest (yellow) to the most difficult (purple):

• Yellow group hint: Deal me in.
• Green group hint: I can get that.
• Blue group hint: Hoops.
• Purple group hint: The clicker.

If those hints aren’t enough, keep reading for the full answers and explanations for each group.

NYT Connections Answers for October 21, 2025

Here are the correct categories and word groupings for today’s puzzle:

🟡 Yellow Group – Playing Cards

The simplest category today is all about traditional playing cards. The answers are:

• Aces
• Jacks
• Kings
• Queens

These four are the face and high-value cards found in a standard deck, and the hint “Deal me in” should have pointed you in this direction.

🟢 Green Group – Takes On

This group focuses on verbs that mean “to take on” or “to tackle.” The correct answers are:

• Addresses
• Does
• Handles
• Tackles

Each of these words works as a synonym for accepting or dealing with a task or challenge, making this category a subtle but logical set.

🔵 Blue Group – NBA Teams

Sports fans likely found this one quickly. The four words are all names of teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA):

• Bucks
• Bulls
• Hornets
• Spurs

The hint “Hoops” was a direct nod to basketball, and these four teams are well-known franchises in the league.

🟣 Purple Group – Things You Can Control With Remotes

The most challenging category is often the purple group, and today is no exception. This set revolves around things that can be operated using remote controls:

• Drones
• Garage Doors
• Televisions
• Wiis

The hint “The clicker” was key here — a common nickname for a remote control — tying these four items together.

How Today’s NYT Connections Puzzle Stacked Up

Today’s puzzle offered a classic balance of difficulty. The yellow and blue groups were likely easy wins for most players, thanks to their clear and familiar themes. The green group might have tripped up some players because of the varied contexts in which those words are used. As usual, the purple category was the most subtle, requiring players to think about “clicker” in a less literal way.

Connections continues to evolve as one of the most engaging daily word challenges from The New York Times. The mix of straightforward and tricky categories keeps even veteran players on their toes. And with the new Connections Bot, players can now track streaks, analyze their performance, and compare scores with friends.

Whether you solved it solo or needed a nudge, today’s NYT Connections puzzle (#863) showed once again why this game remains a fan favorite for word lovers and puzzle enthusiasts alike.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: What is the yellow group in NYT Connections today?

The yellow group is “Playing cards,” which includes Aces, Jacks, Kings, and Queens.

Q2: What is the hardest category in today’s Connections?

The purple group is the hardest, themed around things controlled by remotes: Drones, Garage Doors, Televisions, and Wiis.

Q3: Which NBA teams appear in today’s puzzle?

Bucks, Bulls, Hornets, and Spurs make up the blue group today.

Q4: What does the green group represent?

The green group is about verbs meaning “takes on”: Addresses, Does, Handles, and Tackles.

Q5: How often is NYT Connections updated?

The puzzle updates daily, with a new set of 16 words and four categories each day at midnight local time.