The New York Times Games word-sorting game called Connections returns with another daily puzzle, challenging you to sort sixteen words into four mystery categories. Since you have a limited number of mistakes you can make, the stakes are high.

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How to Play New York Times Connections
There is a new daily word game going viral called Connections from the New York Times Games, and some will need to learn how to play.
However, help is here. If you’re feeling stuck in this mobile puzzle game similar to Wordle, this article offers hints, category help, spoilers, and the full answer to help you solve it. And, each of these items is covered up in order to keep you from spoiling too much of the puzzle just by scrolling down.
Words in the NYT Connections Puzzle #645 for March 17, 2025

The Connections puzzle for today contains the words: Pickup, Garbage, Abandon, FIber, Maroon, Freedom, MC, Strand, Thread, Monster, Spontaneity, Jackson, Ben Folds, String, Unrestraint, and Dump.
What is the Definition of Spontaneity?
Spontaneity is the quality of being spontaneous; it means unplanned, random, or wild.
Hints for the NYT Connections Puzzle
For players seeking a bit of guidance with this innovative puzzle game, the sections below are filled with hints and spoilers. Click to expand each one and discover the hints that will guide you.
Some General Hints for the Whole Connections Puzzle

Here are some hints for this puzzle game:
1. None of these categories are about abandoning things.
2. Garbage and Monster go in the same group, but it’s not about Sesame Street characters or Muppets.
3. Maroon and MC belong in the same category.
Yellow NYT Connections Category Hints
Yellow Connections Category Answer

The category for the yellow/straightforward Connections is Filament.
Yellow Connections Category Answer and All Four Words

The answer to the yellow/straightforward Connections is Filament.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Fiber, Strand, String, Thread.
Green NYT Connections Category Hints

Here are some hints for the green/medium difficulty answer: Thoughtlessness, impulsiveness, wildness.
Green Connections Category Answer

The category for the green/medium difficulty Connections is Uninhibitedness.
Green Connections Category Answer and All Four Words

The answer to the green/medium difficulty Connections is Uninhibitedness.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Abandon, Freedom, Spontaneity, Unrestraint,
Blue NYT Connections Category Hints

Here are some hints for the blue/difficult answer: Other things you could put in this category: Cement, Box, Fire, Armored.
Blue Connections Category Answer

The category for the blue/difficult Connections is Kinds of Trucks.
Blue Connections Category Answer and All Four Words

The answer to the blue/difficult Connections is Kinds of Trucks.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Dump, Garbage, Monster, Pickup.
Purple NYT Connections Category Hints

Here are some hints for the purple/tricky answer: Band names minus a number.
Purple Connections Category Answer

The category for the purple/tricky difficulty in Connections is Bands Minus the Number Five.
Purple Connections Category Answer and All Four Words

The answer to the purple/tricky difficulty in Connections is Bands Minus the Number Five.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Ben Folds, Jackson, Maroon, MC.
Answers for Today’s NYT Connections #645 for March 17, 2025
If you want to see the whole answer for this mind-boggling puzzle game, you can find it in the expandable section below. Inside the section are all the categories and the words that go inside of each of them.

- Yellow – Filament: Fiber, Strand, String, Thread
- Green – Uninhibitedness: Abandon, Freedom, Spontaneity, Unrestraint
- Blue – Kinds of Trucks: Dump, Garbage, Monster, Pickup
- Purple – Bands Minus the Number Five: Ben Folds, Jackson, Maroon, MC

Want to play? Check out the New York Times Games Connections website available on almost any device with a browser.

- Released
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June 12, 2023
- ESRB
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e
- Developer(s)
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The New York Times Company
- Publisher(s)
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The New York Times Company
- Platform(s)
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Web Browser, Mobile