NYT Connections Answers August 12, 2025 – Hints, Themes

The NYT Connections puzzle challenges players to sort 16 seemingly random words into four groups based on a shared theme. It’s one of the trickiest and most addictive daily games offered by the New York Times, alongside Wordle, Strands, and the Mini Crossword.

If today’s puzzle (Tuesday, August 12, 2025) threw you off, don’t worry — below you’ll find category hints, single-word nudges, and the full set of solutions.

How NYT Connections Works

You’ll be given a 4×4 grid containing 16 words or phrases. Your task:

• Group them into four sets of four that share a common link.
• The groups vary in difficulty and are color-coded:
  • Yellow: easiest
  • Green: medium
  • Blue: hard
  • Purple: most difficult or abstract
• You can shuffle the grid for a fresh perspective.
• You have four mistakes before the game ends.

Hints for Today’s NYT Connections – August 12, 2025

Here are the themes for today’s groups:

• GROUPS OF TEN
• PLACES WITH LANES
• LANDMARKS IN DOWNTOWN NYC
• THINGS WITH HOLES

One-word reveals (one from each group):

• Groups of Ten → BOWLING PINS
• Places with Lanes → BOWLING ALLEY
• Landmarks in Downtown NYC → BOWLING GREEN
• Things with Holes → BOWLING BALL

Today’s Connections Answers

Here’s the complete solution set for August 12, 2025:

Yellow – GROUPS OF TEN

• BOWLING PINS
• COMMANDMENTS
• DECADE
• FINGERS

All refer to sets made up of ten items.

Green – PLACES WITH LANES

• BOWLING ALLEY
• HIGHWAY
• SUPERMARKET
• SWIMMING POOL

Each location typically contains marked lanes for movement or activity.

Blue – LANDMARKS IN DOWNTOWN NYC

• BOWLING GREEN
• BROOKLYN BRIDGE
• CITY HALL
• WALL STREET

Famous and historic New York City locations found in or near Lower Manhattan.

Purple – THINGS WITH HOLES

• BOWLING BALL
• COLANDER
• GOLF COURSE
• SPONGE

Objects or locations that naturally or intentionally have holes.

Solving Strategy Tip

For puzzles like today’s:

• Start with the most literal connections (e.g., numbers, places).
• Look for exact duplicates in phrasing (BOWLING appeared in multiple clues, which is a key signal).
• Leave trickier or more abstract categories (often purple or blue) for last, using the elimination process.

???? Daily Puzzle Pro Tip: Bookmark our NYT puzzle hub for Connections, Wordle, Strands, and Mini Crossword answers so you can keep your winning streak going without burning too many guesses on one tough clue.