On November 7, 2025, NYT Connections, the NYT-approved word-association game, gave the players a very clever twist to solve. This was the 880th test of their pattern-spotting abilities, food-related themes, and conceptual links, all requiring a bit of logic and creativity.

Here are the hints, categories, and the solutions to today’s puzzle if anyone needs a hand or wants to check their guesses.

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What Is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is a daily puzzle where players arrange 16 words into four groups based on a shared theme. These connections can be direct, abstract, visual, or cultural. Each category comes with a difficulty level:

• Yellow – Easiest
• Green – Moderate
• Blue – Challenging
• Purple – Hardest

Players have four chances to correctly group all words before the puzzle ends.

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NYT Connections Hints for November 7 (Game #880)

If you want light guidance without seeing the full solution, here are the category clues:

• Yellow Hint: Textile patterns
• Green Hint: Sauces or condiments
• Blue Hint: Things with a hole in the middle
• Purple Hint: Purple-coloured items

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NYT Connections Categories for November 7, 2025

Today’s puzzle featured the following four themes:

• Textile Patterns (Yellow)
• Green Condiments (Green)
• Things With Holes in the Middle (Blue)
• Things That Are Purple (Purple)

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NYT Connections Answers for November 7, 2025

Spoilers below

Textile Patterns (Yellow)

• Animal Print
• Herringbone
• Houndstooth
• Polka Dot

Green Condiments (Green)

• Chimichurri
• Pesto
• Relish
• Salsa Verde

Things With Holes in the Middle (Blue)

• Bagel
• Hula Hoop
• Inner Tube
• Washer

Things That Are Purple (Purple)

• Barney the Dinosaur
• Eggplant
• People Eater
• Swing State

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Difficulty and Strategy Notes

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle was rated moderately challenging. The Yellow and Green categories were fairly easy to identify, while the Blue and especially the Purple groups required more abstract thinking. “Swing State,” which refers to a state represented in purple due to a mix of red and blue votes, was one of the trickiest clues.

For better solving success:

• Begin with the easiest, most obvious category
• Shuffle the word grid to find new patterns
• Avoid random groupings—you only get four tries
• Think beyond literal meanings, as cultural references play a big role