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Spoiler warning: Hints and the full solution for NYT Connections game #785 are below. Start with the gentle clues, then continue for stronger hints; the complete groups and answers appear after the spoiler break.
Gentle hints for Connections #785
These broad prompts point toward each group without naming the answers:
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- Little critters
- Large plants
- Common phrases
- Two-syllable words
Those are Parade’s general clues for the puzzle. Parade
More specific group clues
If you want a stronger nudge before seeing the categories, try these prompts:
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- Tiny bugs
- Barking up the correct ones
- A spelling game
- Say the words aloud to hear the link
TechRadar supplied these more pointed clues. TechRadar’s August 4 guide
Spoilers: the four categories
Stop here if you still want to solve the board yourself. The answers below reveal all four groups.
Rank #2
Yellow — ARTHROPODS
APHID, BEETLE, MITE, TICK
Green — TREES
BEECH, CEDAR, PINE, YEW
Blue — [LETTER] (IS) FOR ___
APPLE, COOKIE, EFFORT, VENDETTA
Purple — WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS
DECAY, EASY, GEO, ZITI
The complete board was APHID, BEETLE, CEDAR, DECAY, EASY, EFFORT, GEO, TICK, BEECH, VENDETTA, APPLE, PINE, MITE, COOKIE, YEW, and ZITI. TechRadar and Parade independently report the same four groupings. TechRadar · Parade
Why the trickier groups fit
APPLE is part of the letter phrase
APPLE may look like a tree-related answer because it is a fruit, but the blue category uses familiar letter phrases: “A is for apple,” “C is for cookie,” “E is for effort,” and “V is for vendetta.” TechRadar notes that COOKIE also evokes Cookie Monster from Sesame Street.
The Tool Desk
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Say each word aloud and listen for two letters: DECAY resembles “D K,” EASY resembles “E Z,” GEO resembles “G O,” and ZITI resembles “Z T.” The connection is pronunciation, not spelling.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read the puzzle’s clues
Connections asks players to sort sixteen words into four groups of four. The links can be straightforward, such as types of arthropods, or depend on wordplay and less obvious associations. That is why a plausible alternate fit—like connecting APPLE with trees—can distract from the intended phrase. A general explainer describes the colors as signaling increasing difficulty and notes that homophones and wordplay can conceal groupings; that is general game context, not a separately verified rule record for this archived board. Graham Todd, Tim Merino, Sam Earle, and Julian Togelius, “Missed Connections: Lateral Thinking Puzzles for Large Language Models”
Quick Recap
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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