Connections is back with another challenging puzzle that will put your categorization skills to the test. To win, you must group all sixteen words into their correct categories with fewer than four mistakes. The only clues provided are the words themselves, making this game a true test of your logic and intuition.
If you're familiar with how to play Connections, you know it can be quite challenging. Whether you need a gentle nudge or a full-blown spoiler, this article has you covered with hints, category clues, and more.
Words in the NYT Connections Puzzle #585 for January 16, 2025
The Connections puzzle for today includes the following words: Market, Switch, Plant, Mall, Trade, Gym, Outlet, Asset, Rug, Business, Mole, Sconce, Pack, Agent, Baseboard, and Commerce.
Hints for the NYT Connections Puzzle
Need a hint or a spoiler to guide you through this relaxing puzzle game? You can find both below. Click the "Read More" button to reveal the content of each section.
Some General Hints for the Whole Connections Puzzle
Here are some hints to get you started:
- None of these are common places to visit or places to run errands/shop.
- Asset and Mole go in the same group.
- Mall and Pack are in the same category.
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Yellow NYT Connections Category Hints
Here are some hints for the yellow/straightforward answer: Economic exchange.
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Yellow Connections Category Answer
The category for the yellow/straightforward Connections is Buying and Selling.
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Yellow Connections Category Answer and All Four Words
The answer to the yellow/straightforward Connections is Buying and Selling.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Business, Commerce, Market, Trade.
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Green NYT Connections Category Hints
Here are some hints for the green/medium difficulty answer in this minimalist puzzle game: Other things you could put in this category: a fireplace, a TV, a window, crown molding.
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Green Connections Category Answer
The category for the green/medium difficulty Connections is Installed On a Wall.
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Green Connections Category Answer and All Four Words
The answer to the green/medium difficulty Connections is Installed On a Wall.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Baseboard, Outlet, Sconce, Switch.
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Blue NYT Connections Category Hints
Here are some hints for the blue/difficult answer: Informer, operative.
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Blue Connections Category Answer
The category for the blue/difficult Connections is Spy.
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Blue Connections Category Answer and All Four Words
The answer to the blue/difficult Connections is Spy.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Agent, Asset, Mole, Plant.
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Purple NYT Connections Category Hints
Here are some hints for the purple/tricky answer in this puzzle game that can make you smarter: All four of these words can be followed up by the same three-letter animal word to make four common things.
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Purple Connections Category Answer
The category for the purple/tricky difficulty in Connections is ___ Rat.
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Purple Connections Category Answer and All Four Words
The answer to the purple/tricky difficulty in Connections is ___ Rat.
The four words for this group in the puzzle are: Gym, Mall, Pack, Rug.
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Answers for Today's NYT Connections #585 for January 16, 2025
Looking for the full answer to this mind-boggling puzzle game? You can find the complete solution, including all the categories and their respective words, in the expandable section below. Click the "Read More" button to reveal the answers.

- Yellow - Buying and Selling: Business, Commerce, Market, Trade
- Green - Installed On a Wall: Baseboard, Outlet, Sconce, Switch
- Blue - Spy: Agent, Asset, Mole, Plant
- Purple - ___ Rat: Gym, Mall, Pack, Rug
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Ready to take on the challenge? Visit the New York Times Games Connections website, accessible on almost any device with a browser, and start playing.