This is the archived NYT Connections puzzle for Wednesday, October 29, 2025, game #871—not today’s puzzle. Start with the graduated clues below, then open the answer key when you’re ready for spoilers.
The 16 words
Pause here if you want to solve without seeing the board. The words are:
BACKBONE, COURAGE, HEART, SPIRIT, MEDIUM, OUTLET, PLATFORM, VENUE, SACRUM, SEITAN, SEYCHELLES, SÉANCE, ABECEDARIUM, COMPUTER KEYBOARD, OUIJA BOARD, SCRABBLE.
Hints, from subtle to specific
- Yellow: Think grit, bravery, or resilience.
- Green: Think of a way to communicate, distribute, or present something.
- Blue: Say the words aloud and listen to their opening sound.
- Purple: Each answer has a relationship to the alphabet.
Full answer key
Spoilers below.
| Group | Category | Answers |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Fortitude | BACKBONE, COURAGE, HEART, SPIRIT |
| Green | Channel | MEDIUM, OUTLET, PLATFORM, VENUE |
| Blue | Words starting with the “say” sound | SACRUM, SEITAN, SEYCHELLES, SÉANCE |
| Purple | Things featuring letters A through Z | ABECEDARIUM, COMPUTER KEYBOARD, OUIJA BOARD, SCRABBLE |
Why the groups fit—and the likely red herring
Yellow: Fortitude
BACKBONE, COURAGE, HEART, and SPIRIT can all describe courage, resolve, or inner strength.
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Green: Channel
MEDIUM, OUTLET, PLATFORM, and VENUE can each mean a means or setting for communicating, distributing, or presenting something.
Blue: Words starting with the “say” sound
SACRUM, SEITAN, SEYCHELLES, and SÉANCE are grouped by their opening sound, not by a shared subject. The connection is easiest to hear aloud; the words have different spellings and meanings.
Purple: Things featuring letters A through Z
ABECEDARIUM, COMPUTER KEYBOARD, OUIJA BOARD, and SCRABBLE are all associated with the alphabet’s letters.
The occult-looking decoy
SÉANCE, SPIRIT, OUIJA BOARD, and MEDIUM may seem to belong together because they evoke spirit communication. That tempting theme crosses the actual categories: SÉANCE is blue, while SPIRIT is yellow, OUIJA BOARD is purple, and MEDIUM is green.
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