NYT Connections #285 was published on Friday, March 22, 2024. The most difficult distinction is between VOLLEYBALL, which belongs in “things you can set,” and BREAKING, the Olympic-sports answer.
Spoiler warning: The complete answers to NYT Connections puzzle #285, from Friday, March 22, 2024, appear below. Stop after the hint section if you are still solving.
Hints for Connections #285
Here are the clues in increasing order of specificity:
- Yellow: Things that hop.
- Green: To push with force.
- Blue: Involves athletes or dancers.
- Purple: The same action word could be used with each of them.
Connections asks players to divide 16 words into four groups of four. The categories are color-coded by difficulty, from yellow—the most straightforward—to purple, which usually depends on a less obvious connection. The New York Times’ official game description explains the basic format.
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The 16 words in Connections #285
The word bank was:
CRICKET, FROG, HARE, KANGAROO, CRUSH, MASH, PRESS, SQUASH, BREAKING, HOCKEY, SKELETON, TRAMPOLINE, MOOD, RECORD, TABLE, VOLLEYBALL
Connections #285 answers for March 22, 2024
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Jumping animals | CRICKET, FROG, HARE, KANGAROO |
| Green | Apply pressure to | CRUSH, MASH, PRESS, SQUASH |
| Blue | Olympic sports | BREAKING, HOCKEY, SKELETON, TRAMPOLINE |
| Purple | Things you can set | MOOD, RECORD, TABLE, VOLLEYBALL |
Yellow: Jumping animals
CRICKET, FROG, HARE, KANGAROO
These are all animals commonly associated with jumping or hopping. CRICKET and FROG are particularly useful anchors: both can initially look like possible sports-related words, but here they belong with HARE and KANGAROO.
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Green: Apply pressure to
CRUSH, MASH, PRESS, SQUASH
Each word can be used as a verb meaning to apply force or pressure to something. The close meanings make this group relatively accessible, although PRESS can also function as a noun and SQUASH can refer to a sport or a vegetable.
Blue: Olympic sports
BREAKING, HOCKEY, SKELETON, TRAMPOLINE
These words refer to Olympic sports or official Olympic sporting terminology. Breaking is the formal name used for breakdancing; it was scheduled to make its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games. Skeleton is the head-first sliding sport, while trampoline refers to trampoline gymnastics.
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Purple: Things you can set
MOOD, RECORD, TABLE, VOLLEYBALL
The linking word is set: you can set a mood, set a record, set a table, and set a volleyball. In the last example, “set” is the volleyball action in which a player directs the ball—usually upward and toward a teammate—so it is not using VOLLEYBALL as the name of an Olympic sport.
The biggest trap: VOLLEYBALL or BREAKING?
The puzzle’s most tempting false connection is VOLLEYBALL. Volleyball is widely recognized as an Olympic sport, so it seems to fit naturally beside HOCKEY, SKELETON, and TRAMPOLINE. But that would leave BREAKING without its intended group.
Rank #4
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The correct solution uses VOLLEYBALL in the phrase “set a volleyball” and places BREAKING with the Olympic sports. That wording is challenging for two reasons: “breaking” may be unfamiliar as an official sports name, and volleyball is a very plausible decoy for the blue group. Once VOLLEYBALL is removed, BREAKING completes the Olympic category.
How to approach this puzzle if you are solving similar Connections boards
- Look for the most concrete category first. The four jumping animals form a clean group once CRICKET and FROG are interpreted as animals.
- Watch for words with multiple meanings. CRICKET, SQUASH, and VOLLEYBALL can all suggest sports, but their intended roles are different here.
- Test phrases, not only definitions. “Set a mood,” “set a record,” and “set a table” reveal the purple group before the fourth phrase is obvious.
- Reserve the most specialized term for later. BREAKING is easier to place after the obvious sports decoy, VOLLEYBALL, has been assigned elsewhere.
Keep solving offline
If you enjoy this style of wordplay away from a screen, the publisher has released an official Connections puzzle book credited to The New York Times Games and Wyna Liu. It is a book adaptation of the category-matching format; it should not be assumed to contain puzzle #285 unless the specific product listing confirms that.
For a broader option, The New York Times Games: Puzzle Mania! is a wider collection of NYT-style games with Connections-related content, rather than a book dedicated solely to this puzzle series. Availability and editions can change, so check the current listing before buying.
For historical reference, the completed puzzle is immutable, but access to the NYT Games archive and the effect of archive play on statistics can depend on the account and current Games rules. The official help information says archive puzzles affect statistics but do not affect a current or maximum streak.
Frequently Asked Questions
The four categories are JUMPING ANIMALS (CRICKET, FROG, HARE, KANGAROO), APPLY PRESSURE TO (CRUSH, MASH, PRESS, SQUASH), OLYMPIC SPORTS (BREAKING, HOCKEY, SKELETON, TRAMPOLINE), and THINGS YOU CAN SET (MOOD, RECORD, TABLE, VOLLEYBALL).
What are the answers to NYT Connections #285?
VOLLEYBALL is used as something you can “set”—the volleyball action. BREAKING is the intended fourth member of the Olympic sports category.
Why is VOLLEYBALL not in the Olympic sports group?
The Bottom Line
The answers to Connections #285 are jumping animals, apply pressure to, Olympic sports, and things you can set. The key distinction is that VOLLEYBALL belongs with “set,” leaving BREAKING as the fourth Olympic sport.
Quick Recap
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