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Need a nudge for NYT Connections #586 on January 17, 2025? Use the graduated hints first, then reveal the official categories and complete solution only when you are ready.
If you are working through NYT Connections #586 for Friday, January 17, 2025, start with the hints below and stop when you have the nudge you need. The full categories and all 16 answers are separated by clear spoiler warnings.
Connections presents 16 words that must be sorted into four groups of four. Yellow is the easiest color-coded category and purple is the trickiest; plausible overlaps are part of the puzzle’s design.
Starting grid
HIT, OPERA, BANGER, ROSEBUD, PEPPERONI, BOP, EDGE, LINK, TAP, CONTRABASS, BRAT, SAFARI, AUTOHARP, CHROME, KNOCK, SAUSAGE
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Hints for Connections #586
- Yellow: Think hot-dog and sausage vocabulary. The four entries do not all need to be exact synonyms.
- Green: Think verbs for making contact with force.
- Blue: Think familiar software used for browsing the web.
- Purple: Examine word endings rather than the complete words. The hidden endings are associated with beer brands.
Category answers
- Yellow: FRANKFURTER
- Green: STRIKE
- Blue: WEB BROWSERS
- Purple: ENDING WITH BEER BRANDS
Full solution for January 17, 2025
| Color | Official category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | FRANKFURTER | BANGER, BRAT, LINK, SAUSAGE |
| Green | STRIKE | BOP, HIT, KNOCK, TAP |
| Blue | WEB BROWSERS | CHROME, EDGE, OPERA, SAFARI |
| Purple | ENDING WITH BEER BRANDS | AUTOHARP, CONTRABASS, PEPPERONI, ROSEBUD |
Why the purple group is the key trap
PEPPERONI is the tempting extra sausage-related word. It is not part of the yellow set: its ending, Peroni, places it in purple. The other purple endings work the same way:
- AUTOHARP → Harp
- CONTRABASS → Bass
- PEPPERONI → Peroni
- ROSEBUD → Bud / Budweiser
That construction also explains why the yellow category is labeled FRANKFURTER: BANGER, BRAT, LINK, and SAUSAGE are the intended sausage-related terms, while PEPPERONI is held back for the word-ending trick.
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Can you still play this puzzle?
Connections releases daily at midnight in the player’s local time zone and can be played free on the New York Times website and supported apps. For this historical January 17, 2025 board, use the digital Connections Archive. The archive reaches back to June 12, 2023 and is available to Games and All Access subscribers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the blue category in Connections #586?
The blue group is CHROME, EDGE, OPERA, and SAFARI: all web browsers.
Can I replay Connections #586?
Yes. Replay it through the New York Times digital Connections Archive, which is available to Games and All Access subscribers and includes puzzles back to June 12, 2023.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The Bottom Line
For Connections #586, save PEPPERONI for the beer-brand-ending group; that is the overlap that unlocks the board.
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Best Value
- Find hundreds of words in an easy to read format - Some words you'll spot easily, but you'll have to search hard for others.
- A wide range of puzzle topics, including movies, actors, sports, cars, and more!
- Variations on the standard word search puzzles are included for extra challenge.
- Answer key in the back of the book.
- Spiral bound, 192 pages.
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