Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsLooking for the hints or full answer key for NYT Connections puzzle #684, published Friday, April 25, 2025? Start with the spoiler-light clues below, then open the answer section when you’re ready. The four categories are gum flavors, starting points, Great American Songbook songs, and words that complete “___ tube.”
Hints for Connections #684
NYT Connections gives players 16 words to sort into four groups of four. The group colors run from yellow, the easiest, through green and blue to purple, the trickiest. Some words may seem to fit more than one category, but each puzzle has one solution. Read the New York Times’ game instructions.
- Yellow: Think of chewy flavors.
- Green: Think of what can serve as a beginning or launch point.
- Blue: Think of classic songs associated with the Great American Songbook.
- Purple: Each word can come before “tube.”
Answers for Connections #684
Spoilers ahead. The 16 words in the grid were SPRINGBOARD, VACUUM, SPARK, SUMMERTIME, WINTERGREEN, WITCHCRAFT, FALLOPIAN, BUBBLEGUM, AUTUMN LEAVES, CINNAMON, LAUNCHPAD, INNER, MENTHOL, UNFORGETTABLE, TEST and CATALYST.
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Gum flavors | BUBBLEGUM, CINNAMON, MENTHOL, WINTERGREEN |
| Green | Starting point | CATALYST, LAUNCHPAD, SPARK, SPRINGBOARD |
| Blue | Great American Songbook songs | AUTUMN LEAVES, SUMMERTIME, UNFORGETTABLE, WITCHCRAFT |
| Purple | ___ tube | FALLOPIAN, INNER, TEST, VACUUM |
How the trickiest group fits
The purple category is a phrase-completion pattern: fallopian tube, inner tube, test tube and vacuum tube. Recognizing that shared ending helps distinguish those four words from the tempting starting-point group, whose answers are catalyst, launchpad, spark and springboard.
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Where to play or replay the puzzle
The New York Times says Connections is available in the Games app, the Connections website, nytimes.com/theathletic and the News app. Its daily puzzle releases at midnight in the player’s timezone. The official archive includes puzzles dating back to June 12, 2023 and is available to All Access and Games subscribers. Archive play can affect some statistics, but not current or maximum streaks. Check the official Connections page for current access details.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
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