NYT Connections Hints Today: Solve Puzzle #889 with Ease

The daily NYT Connections puzzle for November 16, 2025, is now live. Players are tackling a new 16-word grid to find the four hidden categories. Today’s puzzle, #889, presents a mix of words that can be tricky to group correctly.

This popular word game from The New York Times challenges logic and vocabulary. Success requires spotting subtle links between seemingly unrelated terms.

Today’s Connections Category Hints Revealed

The four color-coded categories range from easiest to hardest. The yellow group is the most straightforward, while purple is the most difficult. Knowing the category themes can provide a significant advantage.

According to gameplay data, today’s yellow category relates to a “Procedure.” The green group hints at something “Ordinary.” For the blue group, think of “Things with stripes.” The challenging purple category involves “Monopoly terms.”

A Closer Look at the Puzzle Solutions

The official answers confirm the category themes. The yellow group “TECHNIQUE” includes words like APPROACH and METHOD. These words all describe a way of doing something.

The green “RUN-OF-THE-MILL” category contains BANAL and HUMDRUM. These terms all describe something common or mundane. This group often trips up players who overthink the connections.

The blue “STRIPY THINGS” category is more visual. It groups a ZEBRA with a BARCODE and a RUGBY SHIRT. The IBM LOGO, with its horizontal lines, completes this set.

The purple “WORDS ON MONOPOLY” category uses game-specific terminology. AVENUE, RAILROAD, TAX, and PARKING all appear on the classic board game. This requires specific cultural knowledge to solve.

Today’s NYT Connections hints provide the crucial stepping stones many players need. With these clues, the path to solving puzzle #889 becomes much clearer for enthusiasts.

Info at your fingertips

What are the NYT Connections hints for today?

Today’s hints are: Yellow is “Procedure,” Green is “Ordinary,” Blue is “Things with stripes,” and Purple is “Monopoly terms.” These clues help identify the four hidden categories in the puzzle.

How difficult is today’s Connections puzzle?

Today’s puzzle is considered moderately challenging. The “Monopoly terms” category requires specific board game knowledge, which some players may find difficult without hints.

What words are in the stripy things category?

The blue category includes BARCODE, IBM LOGO, RUGBY SHIRT, and ZEBRA. All these items are famously known for their distinctive striped patterns.

Why is the purple category the hardest?

The purple category is typically the most difficult because it requires niche knowledge. Today’s Monopoly terms demand familiarity with the classic board game’s specific vocabulary.

Can I play previous Connections puzzles?

Yes, The New York Times maintains an archive of past puzzles. Players can access previous games through the official Connections section on their website.

What happens if I make four mistakes?

After four incorrect guesses, the game ends and reveals all answers. Players can then see the categories they missed and learn for future puzzles.