Unlocking NYT Connections: Daily Hints and Solutions for August 20, 2025

NYT Connections, a daily word puzzle from The New York Times, is designed to challenge and improve players’ vocabulary and word association skills. Created by Wyna Liu, the game tasks users with grouping 16 seemingly random words into sets of four based on hidden connections. The game offers varying difficulty levels, from easy to hard. Players can test their vocabulary knowledge by playing this popular game. The goal is to find the relationship among words. The game has gained significant popularity, becoming NYT’s second most-played game. Hints are provided to guide players. Today’s hints focus on contrasting items, paired tools, rotating objects, and curved tools. Specific categories for today’s puzzle include: BLACK-AND-WHITE THINGS, PAIRS OF RODS, THINGS THAT ROTATE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, and RODS THAT CURVE AT ONE END. The solutions for today’s puzzle are: DOMINO, PIANO KEYS, YIN-YANG SYMBOL, ZEBRA; CHOPSTICKS, CLAVES, KNITTING NEEDLES, SKI POLES; BARBER POLE, CAROUSEL, CEILING FAN, LAZY SUSAN; CANDY CANE, CROCHET HOOK, CROOK, CROWBAR. To play, players are presented with a grid of words, needing to identify the common thread connecting each set of four words. Consider synonyms, antonyms, and word families. A new puzzle is released daily. Players get to organize words into four groups. Each group is assigned a color-code. Incorrect guesses cost a life, and too many incorrect guesses result in the end of the game. Players can monitor their streaks and challenge friends to solve puzzles.