Struggling to find the link between “Press,” “Stamp,” “Welcome,” and “Nearby”? You aren’t alone. The NYT Connections puzzle for August 17 is a clever mix of straightforward synonyms and tricky associations that can easily break your streak.
Whether you are playing via the New York Times Games archive or catching up on missed puzzles, we have the strategic nudges you need. Below, you’ll find spoiler-free hints, category breakdowns, and the full solution for the August 17 puzzle.
Note: This guide primarily covers Puzzle #798 (August 17, 2025). If you are looking for the solution to the 2024 puzzle (Puzzle #433), scroll to the dedicated section below.
Table of Contents
Spoiler-Free Hints for NYT Connections August 17 (Puzzle #798)
Before we reveal the answers, let’s try to nudge you in the right direction without ruining the “Aha!” moment. The puzzle difficulty for August 17 is rated Medium, with a particularly tricky Blue category that involves common signage.
Yellow Group Hint
Think about proximity. These words describe things that are within reach or easy to get to. If something isn’t far away, it is…?
Green Group Hint
Think about snail mail. Before you drop a letter in the mailbox, you need to ensure these four elements are present on the front of the item.
Blue Group Hint
Look at entrances and exits. These words are commonly found written on signs when you walk into or out of a building. (Warning: “Welcome” is the tricky one here!).
Purple Group Hint
Think about Civics 101. These are fundamental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, specifically the very first amendment.
NYT Connections Answers for August 17 (Puzzle #798)
If the hints above didn’t click, or if you just want to save your streak, here are the full answers for the August 17, 2025 puzzle.
Yellow Group: Conveniently Located
- ACCESSIBLE
- CLOSE
- HANDY
- NEARBY
Strategy Insight: This was a straightforward synonym group. “Handy” might have thrown some players off as it can also mean “useful,” but in the context of “Close” and “Nearby,” its definition tightens to proximity.
Green Group: Needs for Sending a Letter
- ADDRESS
- ENVELOPE
- NAME
- STAMP
Strategy Insight: This category relies on association rather than strict definition. While “Stamp” and “Envelope” are physical objects, “Name” and “Address” are information placed on them.
Blue Group: Words on a Door
- EXIT
- OPEN
- PUSH
- WELCOME
Strategy Insight: This is a classic “Fill-in-the-Blank” or “Contextual” category. “Push” and “Pull” are often paired, but “Pull” wasn’t on the board. “Welcome” (as in a Welcome Mat or sign) fits the theme of entering a building.
Purple Group: First Amendment Freedoms
- ASSEMBLY
- PETITION
- PRESS
- SPEECH
Strategy Insight: The Purple category often requires specific cultural knowledge. Here, you needed to recognize that “Press” wasn’t related to the physical action (like “Push”) but rather the institution of journalism protected by law.
Looking for August 17, 2024? (Puzzle #433)
If you are playing the archive from a year prior, the puzzle for August 17, 2024, had a completely different set of categories.
- Yellow (Spoken Communication): DIALECT, LANGUAGE, SPEECH, TONGUE
- Green (Canoodle/Romance): FRENCH, KISS, MAKE OUT, NECK
- Blue (First Aid Kit Items): BANDAGE, DRESSING, SCISSORS, TAPE
- Purple (House Styles): COTTAGE, CRAFTSMAN, PRAIRIE, RANCH
Key Distinctions: The 2024 puzzle focused heavily on distinct nouns (House Styles) and slang verbs (Canoodle), whereas the 2025 puzzle leans more into phrases and constitutional knowledge.
Strategies to Master NYT Connections:
Improving your win rate isn’t just about vocabulary; it’s about lateral thinking.
1. Identify the “Anchors”
In the August 17 puzzle, STAMP and ENVELOPE are “anchors”—words that strongly suggest a specific context (mail). Once you find anchors, look for weaker associations (like NAME) to fill the group.
2. Beware the Crossovers
The editors love to trick you with words that fit multiple categories.
- Example: In Puzzle #798, PRESS (Purple) looks like it belongs with PUSH (Blue) as a physical action.
- Example: CLOSE (Yellow) looks like the opposite of OPEN (Blue).
- Solution: Always check if a word has a secondary meaning. If “Press” refers to journalism, it separates itself from “Push.”
3. Shuffle Often
[Link: Shuffle Button Strategy Guide] Hitting the shuffle button rearranges the words, breaking the visual patterns your brain inadvertently creates. If you are stuck staring at “Close” and “Open” next to each other, a shuffle can move them apart, helping you see “Close” as a synonym for “Nearby.”
Conclusion:
The August 17 NYT Connections puzzle is a perfect example of how the game uses red herrings specifically the “Push/Press” and “Open/Close” confusion to distract from the real categories. By focusing on the broader context (Constitutional rights vs. Physical actions), you can untangle the web.
Whether you are solving Puzzle #798 or digging into the archives for #433, keep your streak alive by looking for the hidden “connection” rather than the obvious definition.
Next Step: Want to practice more semantic associations? Check out our guide on [Link: NYT Strands Hints] for today’s other popular word game.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the hardest category in the August 17 Connections?
For most players, the Purple category (First Amendment Freedoms) was the hardest in Puzzle #798 because it required specific knowledge of the US Constitution, whereas the other groups were based on common daily objects or locations.
Why do some words fit in two categories?
This is intentional design. In the August 17 puzzle, “Press” could linguistically fit with “Push” (actions), but it belongs in the “First Amendment” group. You must find the group of four that leaves no “orphan” words behind.
How do I play past NYT Connections puzzles?
You can play past puzzles using the “New York Times Games Archive” feature available to subscribers, or by searching for third-party archive sites that host historical puzzles like #433 (2024) or #798 (2025).
What time does the new Connections puzzle drop?
The New York Times Connections puzzle refreshes daily at midnight local time based on your device’s clock.
