Spoiler warning: The clues below start gently, but the full category names and answers follow. NYT Connections puzzle #782, for Friday, August 1, 2025, groups 16 words into four sets of four.
Hints for Connections #782
Try these clues in order before scrolling to the solution:
- Yellow: Skill or natural ability.
- Green: A letter you cannot hear.
- Blue: Silver-screen icons.
- Purple: What you might do to a freeway.
The 16 words are PLAYWRIGHT, DEAN, ROOF, TEMPLE, FACULTY, WREATH, BENT, SWORD, GARLAND, HAY, GIFT, WRAP, JACKPOT, FLAIR, GABLE, and ROAD.
Full answers for August 1, 2025
Stop here if you want to solve the puzzle without seeing the groups.
#1 Best Overall
- The game where _______ minds think alike!
- Prepare yourself for Blank Slate, a game of addicting predictions! How well can you put your finger on what everyone's thinking?
- Pick a Word Cue card, write the word you think best completes the phrase, and try to match it to anther player's word without giving a single hint
- Easy to learn, quick to play, and fun for the whole family; just grab a slate, write a word, and get ready to make a match. Great for large groups or small gatherings!
- Includes: Scoreboard, 8 dry-erase slates, 250 doubled-sided word cue cards, rules
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | APTITUDE | BENT, FACULTY, FLAIR, GIFT |
| Green | SILENT “W” | PLAYWRIGHT, SWORD, WRAP, WREATH |
| Blue | LEGENDS OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD | DEAN, GABLE, GARLAND, TEMPLE |
| Purple | HIT THE ___ | HAY, JACKPOT, ROAD, ROOF |
Why the words belong together
Yellow: APTITUDE
Bent, faculty, flair, and gift can each describe a natural ability or talent.
Green: SILENT “W”
The W is not pronounced in playwright, sword, wrap, or wreath.
Rank #2
- STRATEGIC THINKING: Elevate the fun with this game, where players strategically choose word combinations, making it perfect for party games for adults and family, enhancing both depth and complexity.
- MULTIPLAYER FUN: Engage in multiplayer entertainment with Subtext Showdown, perfect for game nights with 3 to 6 participants, promoting communication and creative thinking in the realm of adult games for game night.
- POINTS OF PRECISION: Accumulate points by adeptly deducing associations or demonstrating telepathic synchronicity, ensuring a gratifying experience for effective communication and intuitive connections in adult board games.
- RACE AGAINST TIME: With a ticking clock, players must think quickly and make their associations before time runs out, adding an exciting element of urgency to the game.
- EXCITING PERFECT GIFT: Combine phrases from the 16 cards to form associations that friends can decode, providing an exhilarating challenge in teen-friendly card games, perfect gift for any occasion.
Blue: LEGENDS OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD
Dean, Gable, Garland, and Temple are the surnames of James Dean, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, and Shirley Temple.
Purple: HIT THE ___
Each word completes a familiar phrase: hit the hay, hit the jackpot, hit the road, and hit the roof.
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Rank #3
- Two teams race to identify their agents from a 5×5 grid, guided by a spymaster who knows each card’s identity
- Spymasters give one-word clues and a number to link multiple cards, encouraging creative thinking
- Teammates guess words matching the clue while avoiding the other team’s agents, bystanders, and the assassin
- Revealing the assassin ends the game instantly, adding high-stakes tension
- Teams may guess up to the clue number plus one, allowing strategic risks or revisiting old clues
About the game
Connections asks players to sort 16 items into four groups that share a connection; the groups are color-coded by difficulty. TechRadar describes the game as playable free through the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile, though account, geographic, and subscription requirements may vary. TechRadar’s August 1 guide and Parade’s answer guide also list this puzzle’s hints and solution.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- UNIQUE COOPERATIVE WORD GAME: Write one clue connecting two keywords on each clover leaf. Teammates guess which keyword pair each clue links in this inventive, laugh-out-loud word association game
- CREATIVE PARTY GAME FOR ADULTS: So Clover! challenges players to make unexpected word connections. The more creative your clues, the higher your team scores in this hilarious adult party game
- GREAT FOR WORD GAME FANS: So Clover! takes cooperative word games to the next level with a unique multi-clue clover structure that delivers fresh, surprising, and satisfying creative connections
- FAST, FUN & SOCIAL: Plays in under 30 minutes with 3-6 players ages 10 and up. So Clover! is quick to setup, with no filler, just pure creative energy and highly collaborative family fun from the very first round
- IDEAL GIFT FOR ADULTS & FAMILIES: So Clover! is the party game gift for anyone who loves wordplay and creative thinking. Easy to teach in minutes, endlessly engaging at any family game night
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