NYT Connections #638 was published on Monday, March 10, 2025. The puzzle’s four groups are CAT BREEDS, FAMOUS SMILES, ATTRACTIONS ICONICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL FORMS, and ASSOCIATED WITH “THE DUDE” LEBOWSKI.
Want to solve it yourself? Start with the progressive hints below, then continue past the spoiler warning for the complete grouping and explanations.
Hints for Connections #638
These clues are arranged from broadest to most revealing. Stop when you think you have the groups.
- Yellow hint: Think of recognized feline varieties.
- Green hint: These words and images are linked to iconic grins or smiles.
- Blue hint: Each refers to something famous for looking different from its original, earlier, or intact form.
- Purple hint: These are associated with Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski.
Spoiler warning: the Connections #638 answers
The 16 tiles in this game were:
MONA LISA, STATUE OF LIBERTY, BOWLING, SPHYNX, VENUS DE MILO, JOKER, RUSSIAN BLUE, RUG, WHITE RUSSIAN, LIBERTY BELL, COMEDY MASK, TURKISH ANGORA, RAGAMUFFIN, CHESHIRE CAT, BATHROBE, TOWER OF PISA.
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Yellow: CAT BREEDS
- RAGAMUFFIN
- RUSSIAN BLUE
- SPHYNX
- TURKISH ANGORA
These are all recognized cat breeds. The Cat Fanciers’ Association includes the Ragamuffin, Russian Blue, Sphynx, and Turkish Angora among its recognized breeds and breed standards. [c002]
Green: FAMOUS SMILES
- CHESHIRE CAT
- COMEDY MASK
- JOKER
- MONA LISA
This group combines four famous smiling faces or grin-related images. The Cheshire Cat is conventionally depicted with a broad, mysterious grin; a comedy mask shows a smiling theatrical face; the Joker is strongly associated with an exaggerated smile; and the Mona Lisa is famous for her ambiguous expression.
CHESHIRE CAT is the central trap here. The word “cat” makes it look like an obvious member of the yellow group, but its more important connection in this puzzle is the Cheshire Cat’s famous grin.
Blue: ATTRACTIONS ICONICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL FORMS
- LIBERTY BELL
- STATUE OF LIBERTY
- TOWER OF PISA
- VENUS DE MILO
These landmarks and artworks are now identified partly by a striking difference from their earlier, original, or intact forms:
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Liberty Bell: It is famous for its crack, although the precise origin and timing of that crack are not completely documented. [c003]
- Statue of Liberty: The statue was originally copper-colored. Natural oxidation and patination produced the familiar green surface seen today. [c004]
- Tower of Pisa: Its characteristic lean developed during construction because of unstable foundation conditions. [c005]
- Venus de Milo: The ancient statue is conventionally recognized by its missing arms. The puzzle does not require deciding what its original pose was or exactly how the arms were lost. [c006]
This is more precise than calling the group “damaged landmarks.” The four examples do not share one kind of damage: the Statue of Liberty changed through patination, the Tower of Pisa developed a structural lean, and the Venus de Milo’s missing arms have a different and less certain history from the Liberty Bell’s documented crack.
Purple: ASSOCIATED WITH “THE DUDE” LEBOWSKI
- BATHROBE
- BOWLING
- RUG
- WHITE RUSSIAN
These are references to Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski, the central character played by Jeff Bridges in the Coen brothers’ 1998 film The Big Lebowski. The Dude’s bathrobe, regular bowling, White Russians, and the film’s famous rug all point to the same cultural reference. [c007][c008]
If you want to revisit the source of this category after solving, The Big Lebowski on Blu-ray is a directly relevant physical-media option; Universal lists the film in Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD formats. That is a viewing suggestion, not something needed to solve the puzzle, and edition availability can vary by retailer and region.
Why Connections #638 was difficult
The puzzle uses several plausible crossovers. CHESHIRE CAT appears to belong with the cat breeds because it literally contains the word “cat,” but the intended group is FAMOUS SMILES. MONA LISA may also tempt solvers into making a broad art or famous-works category.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The four blue answers are united by a narrower idea than “famous places” or “sculptures.” Each is widely known in a form that differs from an earlier or intact state: a cracked bell, a green statue, a leaning tower, and an armless statue. Recognizing that distinction helps separate them from the other visually famous entries.
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Complete solution at a glance
| Color | Category | Tiles |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | CAT BREEDS | RAGAMUFFIN, RUSSIAN BLUE, SPHYNX, TURKISH ANGORA |
| Green | FAMOUS SMILES | CHESHIRE CAT, COMEDY MASK, JOKER, MONA LISA |
| Blue | ATTRACTIONS ICONICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL FORMS | LIBERTY BELL, STATUE OF LIBERTY, TOWER OF PISA, VENUS DE MILO |
| Purple | ASSOCIATED WITH “THE DUDE” LEBOWSKI | BATHROBE, BOWLING, RUG, WHITE RUSSIAN |
How to approach similar Connections puzzles
- Mark exact sets first. Several formal cat breeds make the yellow group relatively concrete.
- Separate literal words from cultural associations. “Cheshire Cat” is not necessarily being used as a breed clue; here, the grin is the meaningful part.
- Look for a shared transformation. The blue answers are not merely landmarks or artworks. They are famous for a changed condition.
- Test the pop-culture cluster last. Bathrobe, bowling, rug, and White Russian become decisive once you identify The Big Lebowski.
- Use the category’s wording carefully. “Iconically different from their original forms” accommodates several kinds of change without inaccurately suggesting that every item was simply damaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the answer to NYT Connections #638?
The four categories were CAT BREEDS; FAMOUS SMILES; ATTRACTIONS ICONICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL FORMS; and ASSOCIATED WITH “THE DUDE” LEBOWSKI.
What date was Connections #638 released?
NYT Connections #638 was published on Monday, March 10, 2025.
Why is CHESHIRE CAT not in the cat-breeds group?
CHESHIRE CAT is the red herring. Although it contains the word “cat,” it belongs with CHESHIRE CAT, COMEDY MASK, JOKER, and MONA LISA in the FAMOUS SMILES category because of its well-known grin.
What do the purple Connections answers have in common?
BATHROBE, BOWLING, RUG, and WHITE RUSSIAN are all associated with Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski from the film The Big Lebowski.
The Bottom Line
Connections #638 rewards solvers who distinguish surface wording from stronger associations: CHESHIRE CAT belongs with famous smiles, while the four blue answers are famous for looking unlike their original or intact forms. The final group points to The Dude through his bathrobe, bowling, rug, and White Russians.
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