Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteNYT Connections #682 was the puzzle for Wednesday, April 23, 2025—not April 23, 2026. Start with the category hints below, then reveal the full answers when you are ready. Spoilers follow.
Today’s Connections hints for April 23, 2025
Try these category-level hints before looking at the individual words:
- Yellow: Parts of a tree
- Green: Features associated with dogs or cats
- Blue: A comedic routine or comedy performance
- Purple: Words that can precede “pole”
More specific clues
- Yellow: Think of what you might find above ground, below ground, and at the center of a tree.
- Green: These are animal features, including one associated with the face.
- Blue: These words can describe a short comic performance, joke, or scene.
- Purple: Add the same word after each answer to create familiar compounds or phrases.
Connections #682: the answers
Spoiler warning: The complete solution for the Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Connections puzzle appears below.
Yellow: PARTS OF A TREE
BRANCH, LEAF, ROOT, TRUNK
These are the four basic tree parts in this group. TRUNK is the key potential distraction: it can suggest an animal body feature, but here it belongs with the tree terms.
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FUR, MUZZLE, PAW, TAIL
Dogs and cats can have all four of these features. FUR, PAW, and TAIL are broad animal terms, while MUZZLE points more specifically to the front part of an animal’s face.
Blue: COMEDIC ROUTINE
ACT, BIT, GAG, SKETCH
An ACT can be a performer’s routine, while a BIT or GAG can be a short comic joke or routine. A SKETCH is typically a scripted comic scene or performance.
Rank #2
Purple: ___POLE
BEAN, FLAG, MAY, TAD
Each word forms a familiar compound when followed by POLE:
- BEAN + pole = beanpole
- FLAG + pole = flagpole
- MAY + pole = maypole
- TAD + pole = tadpole
This is the most wordplay-dependent group. The four words are not related by meaning; they are related by the word they create when “pole” is added.
Rank #3
The full 16-word grid
For reference, the puzzle’s words are:
BRANCH, TRUNK, SKETCH, MAY, LEAF, ROOT, ACT, GAG, FLAG, TAD, BIT, MUZZLE, FUR, PAW, BEAN, TAIL
What makes Connections #682 tricky?
The central overlap trap is TRUNK. It may initially look as though it could fit with animal-related words such as FUR, PAW, and TAIL. However, the stronger intended set is the four unmistakable parts of a tree: BRANCH, LEAF, ROOT, and TRUNK.
Once that group is removed, the animal-feature group becomes clear. The remaining eight words require a shift in thinking: ACT, BIT, GAG, and SKETCH describe forms or units of comedy, while BEAN, FLAG, MAY, and TAD only connect through the shared ending “pole.”
That mix explains why the puzzle can feel easy at first but still resist a clean finish. The yellow and green categories are mainly semantic, whereas the blue and purple categories depend on recognizing how Connections uses performance terminology and compound-word construction.
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If you enjoy the format beyond the daily puzzle, an optional Connections puzzle book can provide additional offline word-grouping challenges. It is not needed to solve #682, and specific editions, availability, and current retail terms should be checked before buying.
Readers looking for more daily puzzles and access to other New York Times Games may also want to review the New York Times Games subscription options through the official service. Subscription availability, included games, pricing, and access terms can vary, so confirm the current details directly before subscribing.
Quick answer recap
| Color | Category | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | Parts of a tree | BRANCH, LEAF, ROOT, TRUNK |
| Green | Canine/feline features | FUR, MUZZLE, PAW, TAIL |
| Blue | Comedic routine | ACT, BIT, GAG, SKETCH |
| Purple | ___POLE | BEAN, FLAG, MAY, TAD |
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the categories in NYT Connections #682?
The four Connections #682 categories are parts of a tree; canine or feline features; a comedic routine; and words that can precede “pole.”
What was the purple group in Connections #682?
The purple answers were BEAN, FLAG, MAY, and TAD, creating beanpole, flagpole, maypole, and tadpole.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →What was the Connections #682 trap?
TRUNK is the main overlap trap. It can seem related to animal features, but the intended answer places it with BRANCH, LEAF, and ROOT as parts of a tree.
The Bottom Line
The answers to NYT Connections #682, from Wednesday, April 23, 2025, are BRANCH, LEAF, ROOT, TRUNK; FUR, MUZZLE, PAW, TAIL; ACT, BIT, GAG, SKETCH; and BEAN, FLAG, MAY, TAD. The main trap is TRUNK, while the purple group forms compounds ending in “pole.”
Quick Recap
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