Sometimes the New York Times just wants to watch us struggle. Seriously. If you’re here looking for NYT Connections hints November 26, you’ve probably stared at a grid of three-letter words until your eyes crossed.
Today’s puzzle, game #899, was a masterclass in the "misdirect." At first glance, it looks like a calendar threw up on the screen. You see JAN, MAR, APR, and MAY. Naturally, your brain screams "Months!" But Wyna Liu is way ahead of you.
If you hit that "months" group, you’re already one mistake down. That's how they get you.
The Vibe of Today's Grid
Honestly, this one felt like a throwback. It wasn't about knowing obscure 18th-century poetry or rare minerals. It was about pattern recognition. Specifically, looking at words and realizing they aren't actually the words they claim to be.
Most players got stuck because the grid was heavily weighted with short, three-letter abbreviations. When the words are that short, the number of possible "fake" connections skyrockets.
Hints for the November 26 Categories
If you want a nudge without the full spoilers, here is how to think about these groups:
- Yellow: These are the words you use when you aren't 100% sure about something. They are auxiliary verbs, basically the "maybe" squad of the English language.
- Green: Think about people. Specifically, shorter versions of names your aunt or your coworker might have.
- Blue: This is the "suit and tie" group. If you’ve ever filled out tax forms or worked in a corporate office, these should look familiar.
- Purple: This is the "Aha!" group. Stop reading the words from left to right. Seriously. Flip them.
Detailed Breakdown of the Groups
Let's get into the weeds. If you're still stuck, here's the actual logic behind the November 26 puzzle.
The "Possibility" Group (Yellow)
This was arguably the easiest, provided you didn't let "MAY" wander off into a different category.
- CAN
- COULD
- MAY
- MIGHT
Basically, these are verbs expressing possibility. They're straightforward, but "MAY" is the lynchpin here. It's the word that bridges the gap between the fake "Months" category and the fake "Names" category.
The "Nicknames" Group (Green)
You've probably met a few of these people.
- DEB (Deborah)
- JAN (Janet/Janine)
- KAT (Katherine)
- SUE (Susan)
The trick here was avoiding the temptation to put "MAY" in this group. While May can be a name, it didn't fit the "shortened nickname" vibe as cleanly as the others.
The "Money" Group (Blue)
If you're into personal finance, this was a gift. If not, it was a headache.
- APR (Annual Percentage Rate)
- CFO (Chief Financial Officer)
- IRA (Individual Retirement Account)
- SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission)
Again, the puzzle designers used APR to bait you into that "Months" trap. Sneaky.
The "Backwards" Group (Purple)
This is why people love—and hate—Connections. You have to look past the literal meaning of the word.
- FLOW (Wolf)
- GOD (Dog)
- MAR (Ram)
- TAB (Bat)
Once you see GOD and DOG, the rest usually falls into place. But if you were looking for a "synonym" for MAR or FLOW, you were never going to find it.
Why This Puzzle Tripped People Up
The main reason people failed the November 26 puzzle was the month misdirection.
JAN, MAR, APR, and MAY are all legitimate three-letter abbreviations for months. It’s a perfect four-word set. In most puzzles, that would be the "easy" yellow group. But in Connections, if something looks too perfect, it’s probably a trap.
Experienced players know to look for "The Fifth Word." If you see four months, look for a fifth. In this case, there wasn't a fifth month, but there were multiple other places those words could go. That's the signal to stop and pivot.
📖 Related: Finding Every Cyberpunk Relic Point Location Without Losing Your Mind
How to Win at Connections
If today's puzzle bruised your ego, don't sweat it. Most of us have been there. The secret is to never hit "Submit" on your first instinct.
- Find your four words.
- Look for a fifth word that could also fit that group.
- If a fifth word exists, that category is a trap.
- Shuffle. Sometimes just moving the tiles around breaks the mental loop your brain is stuck in.
For the November 26 game, the "Finance" and "Possibility" groups were the safest anchors. Once you cleared those, the nicknames and the backwards animals became much more obvious.
To get better at the purple categories, try reading the grid from right to left every once in a while. You'd be surprised how often "backwards words" or "hidden words" show up as the final challenge.
Next Steps for Players:
Go back to the grid and look at the words FLOW and GOD again. Notice how they look like perfectly normal words until you change your perspective. Tomorrow, before you click anything, try to find at least two different "themes" for every word on the board. This mental exercise prevents the "month trap" from ever working on you again. Keep your streak alive by practicing the "wait and see" method instead of clicking the first connection you see.