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NYT Connections #865 was released on Thursday, October 23, 2025. The 16-word grid mixes cheerful old-fashioned expressions, types of winnings, Olympic-sport equipment, and words that can go before bag.
Try the hints below before opening the complete solution. The answers are farther down the page.
Hints for Connections #865
Here are progressively useful clues for each group, without immediately giving away every word:
| Color | Hint |
|---|---|
| Yellow | Old-fashioned or cheerful ways to say that something is going very well |
| Green | Terms for a collection or pool of winnings |
| Blue | Objects or equipment used in Olympic sports |
| Purple | Each word can come before “bag” |
The puzzle grid
The words in the October 23 puzzle are:
DOGGY, FINE, PRIZE, SWAG, STONE, KITTY, BALL, DUCKY, BIRDIE, GO, SWELL, PURSE, MIXED, POT, PUCK, DANDY
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A useful solving tactic is to look past the most obvious meaning of a word. For example, kitty is not being used as a word for a cat, and birdie is not simply a small bird.
Answers for NYT Connections #865
Yellow: PEACHY
DANDY, DUCKY, FINE, SWELL
These all describe something that is good, pleasing, or going well. Ducky is the less common entry here: in an old-fashioned expression, it can mean excellent or satisfactory.
Green: WINNINGS
KITTY, POT, PRIZE, PURSE
Each can refer to money or rewards collected by a person or group. A kitty is a pool of money, while a pot is the amount available to be won. A prize or purse can describe the reward in a contest or competition.
Blue: PIECES OF OLYMPIC SPORTS EQUIPMENT
BALL, BIRDIE, PUCK, STONE
These words point to equipment used in Olympic events. A birdie is the shuttlecock used in badminton, while a stone is the heavy piece slid in curling. A ball and puck appear in several Olympic team sports.
Purple: ___ BAG
DOGGY, GO, MIXED, SWAG
The completed phrases are doggy bag, go-bag, mixed bag, and swag bag. This is the trickiest group because the four words do not share a conventional category on their own; their connection appears only when bag is added.
Complete solution
| Group | Words | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | DANDY, DUCKY, FINE, SWELL | PEACHY; ways to say something is going well |
| Green | KITTY, POT, PRIZE, PURSE | WINNINGS |
| Blue | BALL, BIRDIE, PUCK, STONE | Olympic sports equipment |
| Purple | DOGGY, GO, MIXED, SWAG | Can precede “bag” |
Why some entries are deceptive
The puzzle uses several words with everyday meanings that distract from their intended connections. Kitty looks like an animal, but in a competition it can mean a shared pool of money. Birdie refers to a badminton shuttlecock, and stone belongs with curling equipment rather than with ordinary rocks.
The purple group is built from phrases rather than definitions. A doggy bag holds leftover food, a go-bag contains supplies prepared for quick departure, a mixed bag is a varied collection, and a swag bag contains promotional gifts or merchandise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A note about the date
Connections resets at midnight in each player’s local time zone. Depending on where you play, the puzzle may appear under a different calendar date. Also, some search results identify the previous day’s puzzle, #864, with answers including “utilities,” “adapt to fit one’s needs,” “kinds of ants,” and “copy ___.” Those are not answers for #865.
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FAQ
What is the answer to NYT Connections #865?
The four groups are PEACHY, WINNINGS, PIECES OF OLYMPIC SPORTS EQUIPMENT, and words that can precede “BAG.”
What are the yellow answers in Connections #865?
DANDY, DUCKY, FINE, and SWELL. They are cheerful or old-fashioned ways to say something is going well.
What are the purple answers in Connections #865?
DOGGY, GO, MIXED, and SWAG, as in doggy bag, go-bag, mixed bag, and swag bag.
What does “birdie” mean in this Connections puzzle?
Here, BIRDIE means the shuttlecock used in badminton, one of the pieces of Olympic sports equipment in the blue group.
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The Bottom Line
Connections #865 sorts into DANDY, DUCKY, FINE, SWELL; KITTY, POT, PRIZE, PURSE; BALL, BIRDIE, PUCK, STONE; and DOGGY, GO, MIXED, SWAG.
Quick Recap
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