The Connections Unlimited puzzle, created with contributions from associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu, is a daily brain teaser available on web browsers and mobile devices. Each puzzle presents 16 words that players must group into four sets of four, with each set sharing a common theme. The categories are color-coded by difficulty: yellow (easiest), green, blue, and purple (most challenging). Players have up to four mistakes before the game ends, making strategy key to success.
If you’re ready to see the solutions or want to confirm your guesses, here are the answers for today’s NYT Connections puzzle #817. Use these to keep your streak going or to understand where you went wrong.
Words: BIRTH, DAWN, GENESIS, START
Connection: These words all relate to the start or origin of something, such as a process, time, or creation.
Words: BOND, COMBINE, FUSE, WED
Connection: These words describe ways to connect or unite things, often in a physical or metaphorical sense.
Words: ALF, MTV, NES, VHS
Connection: These are abbreviations tied to popular TV-related terms from the 1980s, including a show, a network, a gaming console, and a video format.
Words: DAY, FLOWER, FLY, POLE
Connection: Each word can follow “May” to form a common phrase, like May Day or Mayflower.
Note: Be cautious of the Star Wars red herring mentioned in some sources, which may mislead you into grouping words incorrectly.
Playing Connections daily sharpens your critical thinking and pattern recognition skills. The game’s increasing difficulty (from yellow to purple) ensures a satisfying challenge for both casual players and puzzle enthusiasts. Plus, with a new puzzle every day at midnight in your time zone, it’s a great way to start or end your day.
